The team designs, builds, and races an off-road vehicle against hundreds of other participating colleges and universities. SAE hosts three competitions a year in the U.S. in which one hundred schools compete at each competition for the top spot. Teams are judged first on their designs and overall vehicle cost, then on day two the cars hit the track for several different events to determine the vehicle’s overall performance abilities. On the final day of the event, a four hour wheel to wheel endurance race tests the reliability of and durability of the cars on a track filled with large obstacles, jumps, and mud. The University of Louisville Baja SAE team was founded in the ‘80s, however in the late 90’s the team fell by the wayside at UofL. In 2003 the team was started back up again and since then UofL has been a strong competitor in the competitions consistently placing in the top 25 nearly every year. The bar was raised in 2012 however, when the team placed in the top 10 at both of the competitions they attended. The new tradition of top 10 finishes at each event attended was continued into 2013 with an 8th place, 5th place, and 2nd place in each of the competitions, completing the best overall year for the Louisville Baja team!
