After unexpectedly being sent away from campus in March, the work on our current vehicle was halted and the three Baja SAE competitions we were scheduled to attend were combined into a single online event. Virtual Baja took place in mid-June and consisted of workshops held by sponsors and a few static events: design, sales, and cost. The scores were broken up by competition and were based off of our performance in the static events, as well as bonus points if a four-wheel drive design was attempted. We placed 14th and 18th overall, placing 7th, 10th, and 12th in sales and 10th,15th, and 17th in design. You can click here to read the full official results from SAE.
Looking forward to the 2020-2021 season, it was recently announced by SAE that the season will move forward and there are plans for a hybrid competition in the late spring. There will be a virtual component of the competition where design, sales, and cost events will be held, as well as an in person event where the usual dynamic events can take place. To read more about SAE’s plan for the 2020-2021 season, you can click here. For the time being, we plan to participate in both aspects of the competition, assuming the university permits us to travel in the spring and the risks of attending are low.
With the goal of having a working, four-wheel drive vehicle for competition in the spring, we have hit the ground running. Our Design and Executive Boards have been working hard and meeting throughout the summer, and we have finally returned to campus where we can begin manufacturing in our shop. Though this season looks different for us all, we are eagerly anticipating a successful season and look forward to what we can accomplish!