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North American Collegiate Teams Dominate European Auto Competition

26 July 2000

    WARRENDALE, Pa. - Engineering students from the California State 
Polytechnic University-Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) spent their July 4th Holiday 
in Birmingham, England at the National Exhibition Centre competing against 16 
schools in the Formula Student Competition.  Most of the teams competing during 
the three-day event on July 6-8 represented schools from the United Kingdom.  
Other countries represented were Canada, Germany, Mexico, and Slovenia.

    Cal Poly Pomona was one of seven North American teams that competed with
their student-built formula-style racecar.  In addition to winning the overall
competition, Cal Poly Pomona also won the SAE Figure 8 of Lateral Acceleration
Award with their electric supercharged car.  Finishing 2nd and 3rd were the
University of Toronto, Canada and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New
York, respectively.  Toronto won the Ricardo Best Dynamic Stability Award and
Rensselaer won the SAE Endurance Event Award.

    Rochester Institute of Technology won the IMechE Best Design Award but
failed to finish the endurance event which dropped them to 6th place overall.
The home team of the University of Leeds was also a leader until going into
the endurance event.  On the last corner of the last lap, the car developed
technical difficulties and was unable to score points in the endurance event.

    Corporate sponsors of the 2000 competition included: Ford Motor Company,
IBM Engineering Solutions, Jonathan Lee Recruitment, Motor Industry Research
Association, SAE-UK, Autotech, The University of Leeds, Motorsports Industry
Association, Motor Sport Association, Race Tech Magazine, Cosworth Racing, Sir
Henry Royce Foundation, Shell, Pi Group Ricardo, Department of Trade and
Industry, IS Motorsport and Raychem.

    Formula Student is an offshoot of the long-established Formula SAE(R)
competition held each year in Detroit, Michigan and is fast becoming a
premiere collegiate competition in Europe.  This design competition challenges
engineering students to conceive, design, fabricate, and compete with purpose-
built formula-style racing cars.  Restrictions on chassis and engine design
challenge the creativity and imagination of the students.  Student
participants acquire hands-on skills and knowledge that aren't provided by
taking regular theoretical engineering courses.

    For more information about the Formula Student competition, visit the web
site at http://www.formulastudent.com or contact Lori Pail at SAE International,
400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001; telephone 724-772-8534; fax
724-776-0890; email lorile@sae.org.