Torero Racing Team Shines in Competition

University of San Diego's Torero Racing team returned to San Diego triumphantly, having placed sixth in the endurance event at the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) competition in Arizona. Sixty-nine cars competed in various competitive events throughout the weekend — the endurance event is the longest and most challenging event, which measures the number of laps that each car can manage in a four-hour period. 

The track is challenging: filled with muddy hills and dips, logs and obstacles and the cars break throughout. The teams must then rapidly repair their cars to get them back on the track quickly.

The USD SAE program began at USD in the 2015-16 academic year and a USD team has competed in at least one national competition per year since that time. Until now, however, the team has never ranked in the top 10 for endurance. This year is definitely something to celebrate.

The SAE challenges engineering students to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain. Each team’s goal is to design and build an all-weather, rugged, single-seat, off-road recreational vehicle. Engineering students work together as a team in real-world situations to discover and resolve technical challenges in design, test, manufacturing and business issues. The most rugged of all the competitions, Baja SAE also gives students the first-hand experience of pursuing their passion while managing demands and priorities in real time.

At USD, engineering students work on their car all year long, and the competition is the culminating event. Senior engineering students, Jasper Caddell and Archie Lenore, drove the car for the four-hour endurance event, but the competition is a team effort, with students playing different pivotal roles throughout.

“I am proud of our team every year and this year is no different,” said Steve Saxer, mechanical engineering lab manager and SAE Baja staff advisor. “It is definitely exciting to see the team place in the top 10 for the endurance event – the highest we have placed in 14 competitions.”

— By Elisa Lurkis