Formula SAE

Lincoln plays host to the Formula SAE event. This is the third year of five, and we're hoping to get it for another five years. Teams from around 80 universities built 600cc mini indy cars and competed in all sorts of categories. I took a day off work and judged the business case presentations for the electric cars. Some of the teams were amazing! Over 200 people from the area volunteered to judge events and help run the event. Here's more info on the event: http://students.sae.org/cds/formulaseries/west/

The teams are judged for design, cost, weight, straight line acceleration, skidpad acceleration, endurance (15-mi race), handling, noise, and a business case. Most of the cars will do 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The electric cars run 300 volt batteries and most have 100 hp motors and weigh about 400 pounds. With their sticky tires, they can pull 2 G's on the skidpad!!

Friday was sunny and hot at the airport. The drivers all had to wear firesuits under their racing coveralls. We were hot sitting in the stands. My friend volunteered as a starter - he stood out in the sun all day at the starting line. 

The boys had fun for about 20 minutes. Then GP started asking "Can we go home now?" "How much longer are we staying?"