With competitions in May and June, the Iowa State Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE Club) International Student Chapter’s Formula category has a team designing and fabricating a race car to take on colleges across the globe.

The SAE International is an association that hosts competitions testing the capabilities of engineers around the world. At Iowa State, the SAE Club is a group of five student-governed teams that build vehicles to compete in trials.

One of these teams, Cyclone Racing, aims to build and improve a “formula-style” race car to compete annually at SAE International hosted events. The first event is in Ontario, Canada, and takes place in late May, while the second event, in Fontana, California, is held mid-June. The team will be tested in multiple trials at each event, including acceleration, endurance, skidpad, autocross, cost, design and marketing.

In the past, the main event has been hosted in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a turnout of roughly 70 teams each year. In 2017, Cyclone Racing had their best result, placing fourth in a pack of 71 competitors. In 2018, however, the team struggled to find adequate funding, resulting in a 51st place finish. Then in 2019 after their senior driver graduated, the team placed 17th.

Zach Barnewolt, senior in mechanical engineering and project director for Cyclone Racing, said engineering clubs go through a cycle where there is a constant turnover when students graduate or leave the team.

“You have a lot of very experienced people on the team who build up knowledge over four years, and then they graduate. And a lot of times, that knowledge transfer doesn’t happen,” Barnewolt said.

Last year, the team had only one senior member, and with more experience this time around, Barnewolt thinks it will be a very good year.

The first semester of the academic year is all about designing the new modifications to the car. The second semester is where the team builds and assembles them. This year, the team is decreasing the size of the wheels to reduce the unsprung weight and improve aerodynamics. To accomplish this, they also redesigned the car’s suspension. They have also designed side pods for better air intake and a second radiator for heat dispersion.

The formula team is always looking for new members of all academic backgrounds. Barnewolt said they need students interested in marketing, accounting, business and advertising. For students interested in joining, email Zach Barnewolt at [email protected].