Education + SAE Motorsports = The Three New 'Rs'

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 11 -- Combine the importance of engineering education with the exhilaration of motorsports and the result is record- breaking registration results for the 2005 Formula SAE(R) (FSAE) competition more than seven months ahead of the actual event dates (May 18-22, 2005, in Pontiac, Michigan). All of the available 140 slots for next year's FSAE sold out in just 73 minutes, shattering the previous 2004 registration record of approximately eight days.

FSAE is an educational event defined by excitement and power. Engineering students are responsible for the complete design, fabrication, and competition of small formula-style race cars. Restrictions are placed on the car frame and engine, inspiring students to use their knowledge, creativity, and imagination. Four-cycle engines up to 610cc can be turbocharged or supercharged to add a new dimension to the challenge of engine design.

Truly global in nature, the 2005 FSAE competition will feature 23 teams from ten countries or regions outside of coastal North America (Australia, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Japan, Korea, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela). Additionally, 19 Canadian teams are scheduled to participate along with numerous teams from across the United States.

Conceived initially as a road-racing counterpart to the established SAE Mini Baja(R) series, FSAE began in 1981 to incorporate the design of chassis in addition to engines. Only four schools competed in that first event, but - as evidenced in the most recent numbers - registrations have increased exponentially throughout the past 20 years.

A consortium of General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and DaimlerChrysler (along with other industry supporters) makes the 2005 FSAE competition possible. For complete information on this exciting event, visit students.sae.org/competitions/formulaseries

SAE is a non-profit engineering and scientific organization dedicated to the advancement of mobility technology to better serve humanity. Nearly 85,000 engineers and scientists who are SAE members develop technical information on all forms of self-propelled vehicles, including automobiles, aircraft, aerospace craft, trucks, buses, marine, rail and transit machinery. This information is disseminated through SAE meetings, books, electronic products and databases, technical papers, standards, reports, and professional development programs.