Formula SAE is an annual competition run by the Society of Automotive Engineers, whereby university engineering students design, build and race a small open wheel race car. The FSAE competition has been running some 20 odd years in Detroit and attracts around 100 entrants each year from teams world wide. The Australasian FSAE-A competition ran for the first time in 2000. This years (2001) Australasian competition was held at Holdens proving grounds at Lang Lang and attracted 18 entrants.
Technically speaking, the vehicles are limited by the rules for minimum length, width and maximum capacity (610cc). And if you think being limited to 610cc means these cars are slow, think again. The top teams ran the 75m acceleration event in just over 4 seconds flat, with the University of Wollongongs car having the top terminal speed of 109km/h! How many road cars do you know that will travel from zero to 100km/h in 4 seconds?
What is UOW Racing?
In December 2000, a group of 10 engineering students from the University of Wollongong travelled to Melbourne to observe the 2000 competition. Upon return, they formed University of Wollongong (UOW) Racing, a team which eventually swelled to 29 members. Over the following 12 months, this team for which I had the pleasure of being involved with as a final year engineering thesis student, produced a quality race car which was later described as "the best first year car ever" by a senior FSAE official (Carrol Smith). UOW Racing went to Lang Lang in December 2001 as competition favourites, and came away with second place behind Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), a team who have been at the fore front of the US FSAE competition for several years running.
Car Launch - Centre Stage Wollongong Mall
Formula SAE-A 2001 - UOW Racing's "Steel City Racer"
Formula SAE-A 2001 - Peter Brock & UOW Racing
Formula SAE-A 2001 - Other Teams
Formula SAE-A 2001 - Sponsors Products
2001 Formula SAE-A Results
Cost
1. Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
2. University of Leeds (UK)
3. University of Applied Science (GER)
4. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (AUS)
5. University of Western Australia (AUS)
Presentation
1. University of Sydney (AUS)
2. University of Hertfordshire (UK)
3. Melbourne University (AUS)
4. Monash University (AUS)
5. University of Wollongong (AUS)
Design
1. Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
2. University of Wollongong (AUS)
3. University of Hertfordshire (UK)
4. Monash University (AUS)
5. Swinburn University of Technology (AUS)
Acceleration
1. Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
2. University of Tasmania (AUS)
3. University of New South Wales (AUS)
4. University of Wollongong (AUS)
5. University of Leeds (UK)
Skid Pad
1. University of Leeds (UK)
2. Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
3. University of Wollongong (AUS)
4. University of Western Australia (AUS)
5. University of Sydney (AUS)
Autocross
1. University of Wollongong (AUS)
2. University of New South Wales (AUS)
3. Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
4. University of Leeds (UK)
5. University of Sydney (AUS)
Endurance
1. University of Leeds (UK)
2. University of Wollongong (AUS)
3. University of New South Wales (AUS)
4. Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
5. Australian National University (AUS)
Fuel Ecconomy
1. University of Hertfordshire (UK)
2. University of New South Wales (AUS)
3. Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
4. University of Leeds (UK)
5. University of Wollongong (AUS)
Overall Rank
1. Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
2. University of Wollongong (AUS)
3. University of Leeds (UK)
4. University of New South Wales (AUS)
5. University of Hertfordshire (UK)
Australian Rank
1. University of Wollongong (AUS)
2. University of New South Wales (AUS)
3. University of Tasmania (AUS)
4. University of Western Australia (AUS)
5. Australian National University (AUS)
