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Fast enough to win Rookie of the Year at the FSAE International Competition in Detroit. Members of the Thunder Wolf Formula SAE (formerly Society of Automotive Engineers) showed off their award-winning car at Lakehead University on Saturday. The parking lot behind the athletic building was turned into a mini raceway so team members could demonstrate the speed and power of their creation for the public. The drivers whipped around corners and pylons as onlookers cheered. The car is a milestone for the university and Team Thunder Wolf FSAE. It‘s the first car they‘ve entered in international competition and it‘s brought worldwide attention to the university as a competitive institution. The competition was held in May. The car was designed, built, raced and marketed entirely by students. The bulk are engineers, but the team is open to all students. “We raced it against 120 other teams from all over the world, many that were competing for years,” said Tristan Entem, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and project manager for the car‘s drive train. “To get a medal and place in the top 10 in Canada says we have the skill and drive to take on any competition.” The prize for winning Rookie of the Year was a software development package worth $3,000 and a medal. To qualify for FSAE, the car had to be built by students only. None of their professors, professional drivers or engineers could help them. The car is classed as a single-seater, open wheel with a Honda 600-cc motorcycle engine. It has full racing tires, can reach 100 miles an hour in 12.5 seconds and weighs 670 pounds. There were 25 people on the team initially, and Entem said the goal is 35 this year, including a few business students to help market the car. All money to build and race the car is through sponsorships. “We‘re here to drum up support and hopefully attract more sponsors,” said Trevor Farrow, chassis project manager. “This car is special to us, even though we cannot race her any longer. We have to rebuild every year, but this car put us on the map. The other teams we raced against didn‘t know who Lakehead was.” Farrow was racing the car around the makeshift track for part of the day. He said the appeal is the thrill of racing and many team members are training to get into the automotive industry. Most of the team members drive the car for practical and personal reasons, and all of them have to know how the car runs and feels so they can make improvements. Drivers are chosen based on seniority and time spent on building the car. And they all want to feel the joy of racing. “To describe what it‘s like to race that car . . . it‘s difficult,” Farrow said. “It‘s amazing to handle with the low body. I‘d say it‘s like driving an overpowered go-cart. All the thrills we have driving, it makes the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile.” The car will be kept almost in its entirety, he added. Thunder Wolf will keep it on the university grounds on permanent display. The next car will be similar, with improvements to make it lighter. Top of Page |
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September 2, 2010, 8:22 am |