2009-2010
Sponsor Proposal
2010 MSU Baja SAE Goals
The 2009 season was a success for a number of reasons: rebuilding the 2008 four-wheel-drive car was no small task; and when paired with constructing a completely new vehicle, the dedication, passion and effort put forth by the team was truly astonishing. The team was honored with the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award; for transporting one of our competitors to the SAE Oregon race, promoting the collegiate racing experience. We are also proud of our individual event standings; including placing 12th and 14th in Design and a 4th-place finish in the sled-pulling event. The invaluable experience gained by competing in all three North American SAE sanctioned events will ensure the next year is spectacular.
For the 2010 season, MSU Baja is planning to improve on the planetary transmission developed for the 2009 vehicle. The direct-drive transmission/differential system previously implemented will be trimmed and re-worked, creating a forward-neutral-reverse gearbox, all while reducing the unit’s weight to a third of what it was before. The gearbox will still be connected to the engine with our race-proven CVT system; but an added remote differential will allow for optimization through the use of a chain and selectable sprockets, making the car quicker off the line. Every aspect of the car will be fabricated to be as light as possible without sacrificing strength, employing high-strength alloy steels for the chassis along with carbon fiber and other lightweight materials for panels and guards.
As we embark on our new season, we hope you will join us with your support. Despite these hard economic times, assistance from sponsors is more important than ever to ensure the team can continue their success in racing and providing its members with a real-world experience available nowhere else. The team will continue to produce world-class vehicles and represent school and sponsors with pride and professionalism.
Baja SAE Series
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) sponsors the Collegiate Design series. This set of competitions provides a forum for students to address specific engineering design challenges. There is a strong emphasis on teamwork as the students secure funding, design prototypes, and ultimately compete against other collegiate teams. In addition to the Baja SAE competitions, SAE sponsors Formula SAE, Aero Design, Supermileage, and Clean Snowmobile competitions.
History
The Baja SAE competition began in 1976 and has evolved into an international engineering challenge with events around the world. Michigan State University has participated in these competitions since 1979 and has performed consistently well over the years, including several top ten overall finishes and annual appearances at multiple competitions.
Format
Three competitions held across North America make up the Baja SAE series. Formerly known as East, West, and Midwest, the competitions are now referred to by the state in which they are held. The first competition (formerly East), requires that vehicles be amphibious, requiring flotation and tires optimized for water propulsion. The last competition (formerly Midwest), welcomes international competition and is regularly attended by teams from Europe, Asia, and South America. In 2009 the team competed in all three competitions. This year we plan to travel to all three national competitions as well. If funding allowed, our challenge would then be to explore racing events in other countries.
Michigan State University Baja SAE Results
Year East West Midwest
1998 46 1999 48 2000 48 14 2001 17 7 2002 17 2003 54 102 2004 29 38 2005 18 & 29 16 & 47 2006 12 4 & 29 9 & 50 2007 8 & 33 21 & 22 4 & 51 2008 35 & 57 20 & 24 28 & 57 2009 65 43 65
2009 Competition Results
The 2009 Michigan State University Baja SAE Team competed against more than 150 teams in three SAE sanctioned competitions: Baja SAE Alabama (April 16-19) in Opelika, Alabama; Baja SAE Oregon (April 30-May 3) in Portland, Oregon; and Baja SAE Wisconsin (June 11-14) in Burlington, Wisconsin. The Baja SAE Team’s goal for the year was to improve the design of the previous year’s four-wheel drive vehicle and create a totally new car with a revolutionary driveline. For the Oregon competition, the team travelled with Central Michigan University’s team, sharing their resources and transporting CMU’s car and equipment. Our team’s assistance was recognized with an outstanding sportsmanship award.
Static Events
The Design Events require the team to write a technical report in addition to displaying on-the-spot knowledge of every vehicle system during a presentation of the car to a set of judges. The static events also include a judged sales presentation of the vehicle for a potential manufacturing firm, including production and startup costs for the company. The final static event is the Manufacturing Cost, focusing on the team’s fund raising and its ability to produce a cost effective vehicle. Michigan State performed well in these events again in 2009, with 2 out of 3 top-fifteen finishes.
Dynamic Events
The dynamic events consist of Acceleration, Suspension & Traction, Maneuverability, Hill Climb, Rock Crawl, Mud Bog, and Sled Pull. The team had a good showing at the Alabama and Oregon events, but a transmission failure prevented the vehicle from competing in dynamic events in Wisconsin. The team did manage a 4th place finish in the pulling event at Alabama and was one of the few teams able to reach the top of the challenging hill climb in Oregon, finishing 22nd.
Endurance Event
Easch competition culminates in a 4-hour-long race that puts the most strain on the car, driver, and team. The Michigan State team was plagued with multiple-system issues with the redesigned 2008 vehicle, resulting in very few laps completed at the Alabama and Oregon competitions. In Wisconsin, the new car experienced a few break-downs but was able to complete a respectable 21 laps. For 2010, the team is making it a priority to thoroughly test the vehicle early to avoid costly down-time at competitions.
2009 Baja SAE Competition Highlights
Baja SAE Alabama 100 Teams
Pulling 4th Design 14th
Baja SAE Oregon 95 Teams
Design 12th Hill Climb 22nd
Baja SAE Wisconsin 120 Teams
Cost 21st Design 30th
Pictures from the 2009 Racing Season
2009 Team - Baja SAE Alabama
2009 Team - Baja SAE Oregon
2009 Team - Baja SAE Wisconsin
Jelena Paripovic - Pulling the weight in Alabama
Ken Maisonville - Airing things out in Oregon
Matt Werner – Playing in the Mud in Wisconsin
Benefits of Sponsoring Spartan Off-Road Racing
Direct Recruiting
The Michigan State Baja SAE Team consists of motivated, team-oriented, elite engineering students at Michigan State University. Sponsors can receive a resume for any or all team members at any time. Also, sponsors may obtain contact information from the team members’ profiles on the MSU Baja website at www.michiganstatebaja.com
Academics
The experience intrinsic in the Baja SAE competition is not available in the classroom environment. Participating on the Baja SAE team is completely voluntary and allows members to apply concepts taught in the classroom to tangible challenges. As they enter the professional realm of engineering, students will be equipped to take initiative and apply theories and ideas to real, open-ended problems.
Industry and Students
Sponsors are informed of the efforts of the team and the results that their products helped to achieve. Sponsors are also invited to come out annually and drive each new vehicle. This is an exciting opportunity to meet the team members and other sponsors, appreciate the team's motivation and hard work, and share the experience and thrill of driving a race vehicle.
Design and Technology
Students learn to design and manufacture a race vehicle and all of its components in a team environment while considering cost, weight, performance, and reliability. Previous MSU Baja SAE vehicles have successfully used many new concept materials donated from sponsors. Testing methods for these new materials and the incorporation of them into the Baja vehicles was completely designed by the students, epitomizing the learning experience.
Return on Investment
Each year the newly completed vehicle is regularly displayed in a variety of locations on the campus of Michigan State as well as in venues across the state and country. Advertising through the Baja SAE Team brings any company a broad customer reach, as well as displaying a company’s commitment to the community and educational programs.
More Details...
Michigan State University's Baja SAE Team holds nonprofit tax status as an educational entity affiliated with Michigan State University. Monetary and Product support will be acknowledged as contributions to Michigan State University and are tax deductible under current applicable regulations.
Your company logo will be proudly displayed in highly visible areas including T-shirts and banners. Each sponsor's logo will also be placed on the body of the newly completed vehicle.
Anticipated System Budgets
Powertrain $2750
Frame $1750
Body and Cockpit $1250 Suspension and Steering $4000
Braking $2250
Safety and Driving Gear $1750 Fabrication Tools $1250 Tires and Maintenance $1000
Travel $9000
Registration $3000
Team Apparel $200
Anticipated Total $28,200
New Team Challenges
The Michigan State University Baja SAE Team is excited to create an entirely new car for the 2010 season; one that includes a custom-built forward-neutral-reverse gearbox, as well as other innovative weight-saving ideas. We will be utilizing premier engineering software to test the chassis, drive-train, and suspension virtually before actually building them. Once design is complete, last season’s car will serve as a prototype on which we can test these exciting new components before they are implemented in the 2010 vehicle.
With a new season comes new leadership and a review of the functioning of the team as a unit. For 2010, we plan to divide the vehicle up into systems with an experienced member at the lead of each area. This new dynamic would not be possible without a dedicated team, and we are confident in its success. It will also provide a more rewarding experience for our members because, at the end of the season, with more responsibility comes greater satisfaction.
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The racing tradition at Michigan State is seeing exciting changes with your help; and as a team, we are proud to be a part of this engineering community.
2008-2009 Sponsors
Thank You for Your Support
Gold Sponsors
Shell Oil
General Motors
Chrysler
Toyota
MSU College of Engineering
Ford Motor Company
Silver Sponsors
SAE International
V. Placencia
Motorola
Hexcel
The Maisonville Family
Honda
Shupan Aluminum
Aurora Bearing Company
California Push Pull
Mid-States Bolt and Screw
National Instruments
PCB Piezotronics
Bronze Sponsors
Ace Graphics
Aurora Bearing Co.
Boynton Fire Service
Caterpillar Int.
Redbull
Huntsman
Chassis Shop
Goodyear Tire
Iron Pony
College Bike Shop
Fox Racing Shox
Lincoln Electric
Briggs and Stratton
Polaris
Woodhaven
Hydrogear
Andrew Gillett
Hilliard Corp
Classic Tube
Custom Metal
Sherwin-Williams
Elite Electro Coaters
Experimetal
Inline Promotion
Dundee Castings
Hexcel
Jamar
Michigan Fiberglass
Michigan Sandblasting
NTN
R.J.S. Racing Equip.
West Michigan Spline
For sponsorship information or questions, please contact:
Dr. Thomas Wolff
College of Engineering, Assc. Dean 517-355-5128 [email protected] Trevor DeLand Project Manager 734-625-9272 [email protected] Andrew Cawood Chief Engineer 517-243-3330 [email protected]
