Author: Kevin Thomassen, 2009 Formula SAE Virginia Design Judge
Formula SAE – Virginia a real Design Event
This was my first Design Judging in the States, after Design Judging for 2 years in Silverstone (07-08) was this my chance to Judge in the far West. My impressions of the Formula SAE Virginia Event were very good. It is organized by the SAE and it holds on the Virginia International Raceway (VIR). Because the early time of this event and the financial crisis there were only 21 teams from 40.
On VIR you haven’t the normal pit boxes as Silverstone (UK) and Hockenheim (Germany). The teams are taking their own tent with them. Furthermore is the event on the infield of the VIR proving ground. We had luck the weather was very nice between 25 and 30 degrees the whole weekend. If it’s raining you can have some problems in the paddock for your car.
I can recommend this event for all the teams who believe in a GOOD Design Judging. This event is far away the best Design Event in the world. With a 97.7% in 2008 for Design Judging (points were given by the teams) was this for me unbelievable. I couldn’t believe Steve Fox (Design Captain) when he told me this score. But after an event like this and been a junior Design Judge in this event I must say, wow, unbelievable what the Senior Design Judges are doing for the teams. With a 1hour Design Judgment per team, a full talk design feedback (some of them takes more than 2hours, starting in the early morning at 9am until 11pm in the night. Steve Fox is screening all the judges for their performance on the event, the team (senior judges) are working many years with each other makes them very strong in what they are doing. All Judges are coming for the motorsport business in the States a good opportunity to meet them.
Furthermore this event has the best Autocross/Endurance track in the competition. With very though hills and fast corners is this track 1.1 miles long.
I really believe in this event, this could be an event for the European teams starting in Europe and bring that car next year to the States. With a good Design Captain and Judges this event is what you say a DESIGN EVENT.
There was a little disappointment by the performance of the teams in Design. That’s why the Design Judges choose 2 cars for the Design Finals and give not the whole 150 points to the winner.
Just remember Formula SAE Virginia… An event were Design comes at the First place.
The Sooner Racing Team of Oklahoma made a running car deadline of February 14th.
Making body panels and troubleshooting the issues that exists after running car were the next steps. The official roll out was on March 13th.
After that, a heavy testing schedule is in place to prepare for the Virginia event in April.
This year's car is using the Aprilia RXV 5.5, features an aero package and 10% decreases in yaw moment and center of gravity height when compared to our 2008 car.
We also project that the full car weight will be 385 pounds (175 kg).
Building on the success of 2008, the Missouri S&T Formula SAE team has taken on the challenge of building a car entirely from scratch for the first time in four years for 2009.
The latest vehicle, which also marks the twentieth year for the team, retains its characteristic aerodynamics package and Yamaha R6 powerplant.
New for 2009 components include a single reduction drivetrain featuring a Salisbury differential, smaller wheelbase and track dimensions, car-to-pit wireless streaming telemetry, and pneumatically actuated shift system. All of these developments seek to improve the high level of performance that helped the team capture top ten positions at each of the 2008 American competitions.
First drive of the new car took place in the early hours of February 5th and the team has an exhaustive testing schedule planned for the weeks leading up to the first competition of the year in Virginia. Primary focus is on testing the reliability of the new systems mentioned above as well as tuning suspension, aerodynamics, and engine. test
Author: Andrew D'Hooge Missouri S&T Formula SAE Racing
2009 first competition will be at Virginia International Raceway. The teams gots only 6 weeks more to complete and tests their cars. FStotal will present some hot candidates.
This year the team has put a lot of emphasis on adjustability and tuning after performing extensive vehicle testing over the previous summer.
The team expects this added adjustability (in the form of heavily adjustable kinematics) and testing experience will help boost their results to a new level. The team has been hard at work since October with the fabrication of the car and expects a rollout date of April 1st to unveil their latest challenger.
During the economic downturn, the financial situation of the team appeared dim, but the team has managed to pull together the financial resources to be one of the few teams competing in all three US events.
The team is looking forward to using the Virginia event as a pre-cursor to the ultra-competitive Michigan event, so watch out for Clemson FSAE to be a front-runner this April!
