NC State Formula SAE Team Finishes in Elite Eight in International Competition
May 23, 2005
By Jenny Weston, NCSU
From Engineering News at NC State

NC State's Formula SAE team placed seventh in this year's international competition. (Photo: Eric Klang)

North Carolina State University's Formula SAE team finished seventh in the 2005 Formula SAE competition held in Pontiac, Mich., May 18 through 22, placing them in the top 10 finishers in this year's competition, among 140 teams.

“Our team did a great job placing in the elite eight,” said team adviser Dr. Eric Klang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. “In just five years to finish twice in the top eight teams is quite an accomplishment, especially when you consider that we are competing with engineering teams from some of the best universities in the world.”

The NC State team took Rookie of the Year in 2000, the first year they entered the competition, placing 18th. Just three years and two cars later, the team made its first top ten finish, placing eighth in the 2003 competition.

This year's seventh place puts the Wolfpack Formula SAE program among the best in the world. Teams from as far away as Australia, Finland and Japan competed in a field of 140 entrants. Other top-placing teams include Cornell University, which placed first; University of Western Australia; University of Wisconsin-Madison; University of Waterloo; University of Washington; Pennsylvania State University; and Saginaw Valley State University.

In the Formula SAE competition, student engineering teams design, fabricate and compete with small formula-style race cars. Points are given for presentation, design, cost analysis, acceleration, skid-pad, autocross, fuel economy and endurance. Formula SAE is the largest student engineering design competition and the world's largest single-class motorsports event.

“We are very proud of our team,” said Klang. “To put it in perspective, this finish is comparable to making it to the final eight in the NCAA competition, only this is competing with teams from all over the world.”

The Formula SAE team was judged on design and appearance as well as endurance and speed. (Photo: Eric Klang)	NC State's Formula SAE team at the competition in Pontiac, Mich. (Photo: Eric Klang)	The Formula SAE team celebrated its success after the competition. (Photo: Eric Klang)