UA Engineering Students to Compete in SAE Baja Race

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Baja SAE team will compete in the Southeastern SAE Baja Competition April 18-21 in Cookeville, Tenn.

The team is tasked with designing, building, testing, presenting and racing a small off-road vehicle capable of withstanding rough terrain. Each year the team designs and builds a vehicle from scratch, each powered by a 10-horsepower Intek Model 20 engine donated by Briggs and Stratton Corp. In addition, they must present detailed cost and design reports before competing.

According to team leader Jordan Easter, this year’s car has an improved drivetrain as well as a new wheel hub assembly and reaches a top speed of 38 miles per hour. Easter said it also has a redesigned, 57.5-pound frame that weighs 5.7 pounds less than last year’s model.

At the competition they will compete against 100 national college teams in courses measuring maneuverability, acceleration, suspension and hill climb before finally competing in the competition’s major event, a four-hour endurance race.

The team will be judged on design, cost, presentation skills and time to complete the courses.

Members of this year’s team include:

• Jerry Stastka, a junior in mechanical engineering from Daphne
• Taylor Mason, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Hoover
• Heidi Skinner, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Hayden
• Mary Hoffman, a senior in mechanical engineering from Trussville
• Brandon Phillips, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Nashville, Tenn.
• Jordan Easter, a senior in mechanical engineering from Cropwell
• Charles Hartsell, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Huntsville
• Travis Foust, a junior in mechanical engineering from Madison
• David Miller, a freshman in mechanical engineering from Greenville
• Michael Bong, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Huntsville
• Michael Fluegemann, a sophomore in electrical engineering from Plymouth, Mich.
• Eric Mann, a junior in mechanical engineering from Huntsville
• Jonalon Kent, a senior in mechanical engineering from Northport

The team is advised by Drs. Brian Fisher and Brian Jordon, both assistant professors of mechanical engineering.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became one of the first five universities in the nation to offer engineering classes. Today, UA’s fully accredited College of Engineering has more than 3,900 students and more than 110 faculty. In the last eight years, students in the College have been named USA Today All-USA College Academic Team members, Goldwater, Hollings, Portz, Mitchell and Truman scholars.