Timothy Chapman
04/24/2023
This summer from May 31 – June 3, UTRGV’s RGV Baja Racing Team will be competing in the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) race in Oregon.
According to sae.org, Baja SAE consists of competitions that simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Engineering students are tasked to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain.
Each team’s goal is to design and build a single-seat, all-terrain, sporting vehicle whose structure contains the driver. The vehicle is to be a prototype for a reliable, maintainable, ergonomic, and economic production vehicle which serves a recreational user market.
President and Treasurer of the RGV Baja Racing Team Carlos Rodriguez said something new for this season, is the team is making the switch from a two wheel drive vehicle to a four wheel drive vehicle.
Rodriguez said there is a lot more to being a part of the team than most people understand.
Vice President and Co Capt. Aaron Blanton said the current vehicle being used by the team was built by team members who most of which have since graduated.
Blanton said the main objective is making a car that lasts and he thinks the team is doing pretty good for what they have when they compare themselves to other university teams that have more funding.
Graduate student in Mechanical Engineering Sergio Martinez said the Baja vehicle that will be used to compete in Oregon is currently sitting stripped away from all of its parts because the team is making sure everything is working properly to race in top condition.
Martinez said he learned a lot about team management and time management ever since he joined the team back in 2019, and said there are essential things that he has learned from working hands on in Baja that he hasn’t been able to learn in his mechanical engineering classes.
To see the scores and results following the conclusion of the SAE race in Oregon visit bajasae.net