MSU racing team speeds for cause

Every lap that brings the MSU Formula Racing team closer to victory also brings the wishes of children around the world closer to becoming a reality.

While raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, the team will compete at the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers, one of the largest engineering competitions in the world.

The competition is scheduled to take place May 14-18 at the Michigan International Speedway, and will host 120 schools from 15 different countries.

“The program is called Race for a Cause, and we partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan,” said Adam Zemke, a recent MSU mechanical engineering graduate. “MSU is the only school in the competition doing charity.”

The donations to the Make-A-Wish Foundation go toward the foundation’s mission of granting the wishes of thousands of children with life-threatening conditions.

“We all thought that it would be a better idea to donate to a local fundraiser, so we had a vote on a worthy foundation,” said Andrew Rogers, a mechanical engineering junior and team member.

In preparation for the competition, the 27-member team is focused on testing Car 51, their latest model that was unveiled last week, Zemke said.

“During the school year we would work on Car 51 from 20 to 22 hours per week; juniors and seniors may even work from 30 to 40 hours per week,” he said. “But now we are all working up to 100 hours per week.”

Zemke said he is in his fourth and final year with the team and is hoping to break records at the competition, but more than anything, he wants to win.

The team hasn’t won the competition before.

“Last year we set an acceleration record at Formula SAE West, at what used to be the California Speedway, but we have not won the event,” Zemke said.

“This year’s competition is one of the biggest of SAE,” said Kyle Bateman, a mechanical engineering junior. “You have to prove that you can compete.”

Rogers, who is in his first year with the team, said his feelings toward the competition couldn’t be described in one word. He is both excited and anxious.

“We built a solid car so I feel that we are going to do very well in the competition,” he said.

Published on Tuesday, May 13, 2008