SAE's Mini-Baja(R) West in El Paso: CSU-LA Wins
18 April 1998
CSU Los Angeles Wins SAE's Mini-Baja(R) West in El PasoEL PASO, Texas, April 18 -- California State University, Los Angeles won the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Mini-Baja(R) West here today, driving an off-road vehicle powered by an 8-hp Briggs and Stratton engine 50 laps over rough terrain at the University of Texas -- El Paso's Charlie Davis Field. CSU-LA edged out a strong rookie team from Brigham Young University, scoring 898.68 points to 779.42 for the Utah team. The University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fl came in third with 773.20 points and New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, was fourth at 718.04. CSU-LA was leading going into the final day of competition, having scored 498.68 points in a series of static and dynamic events on Thursday and Friday. Mini-Baja West is a student design competition for college engineering students. Fifty-eight teams from throughout the U.S., and Mexico competed in this year's event. Today's final event, the four-hour endurance race, tested the student's ability to design and build a vehicle that would stand up to a punishing off-road course. Events on Friday included a hill climb, acceleration and braking and maneuverability. Mini-Baja West began on Thursday with static events including a sales presentation, cost estimate of the vehicle and mechanical design. Mini Baja West in one of three competitions held each year by the Society of Automotive, Engineers. Mini-Baja(R) East will take place at Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, Tennessee on May 14-16. The series will conclude with Mini-Baja(R) Midwest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin June 5-7. MINI-BAJA(R) WEST TOP TEN FINISHERS California State University, Los Angeles 889.68 Brigham Young University 779.42 University of Central Florida 773.20 New Mexico State University 718.04 Oregon State University 707.35 University of Utah (Car #105) 683.05 Instituto Tecnologico de Chihuahua 678.55 Southern Methodist University (Car #31) 675.65 South Dakota School of Mines & Technology 674.43 University of Utah (Car #107) 649.87 SOURCE Society of Automotive Engineers