Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
May 02, 2005
Engineering Students to Unveil Revamped Race Car
An all-wheel-drive race car designed and built by University of Guelph engineering students for an international competition will be unveiled Friday at 1 p.m. in the University Centre courtyard.
The car will be entered in the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) competition, which will run May 18 to 22 in Pontiac, Mich. The largest prototype race in the world, the event will be held at the Pontiac Silverdome and is expected to attract entries from more than 100 universities. This is the third year U of G has participated.
Last year, U of G was the only school to enter an all-wheel-drive car and placed second among Canadian universities and 17th overall. “This year’s team is promising a faster, more refined racing machine aimed at finishing in the top 10 teams,” said Jason Griffith, an engineering student and co-manager of Gryphon Racing.
“The car is once again all-wheel-drive, but it has been refined to allow for better performance. There has been extensive testing on many of the components, many parts have been redesigned and the overall manufacturing of the car has been improved. The car can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds.”
Some of the new innovative features include an LCD display screen for driver feedback, a newly designed controller that allows for faster, smoother and more reliable shifting, and a telemetry system that receives data from the car and transmits the information to team members on the sidelines. The new components were designed by two fourth-year engineering design groups. This year’s team also includes two physics students and one study who is studying marketing.
Friday’s unveiling will include a short presentation and a driving demonstration. Race car team members and sponsors will also be in attendance. Haldex, a global supplier of car and truck products based in Sweden, provided the four-wheel-drive equipment and technical support. Other sponsors helped fund the materials needed to build the car, which cost upwards of $35,000 to create.
U of G is sending a team of 17 to Michigan, including four drivers. The competition features static and dynamic events, including a 22-kilometre endurance race, which is the main attraction.
Contact:
Jason Griffith, co-manager,Gryphon Racing
519) 824-4120, Ext. 52698
ugracing@uoguelph.ca
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt (519) 824-4120,Ext. 53338, or Rebecca Kendall, Ext. 56982.
