21
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
MRacing sets
acceleration
record ..
University students many.
"It's a very tight cycle, and we have
design new racecar, a very limited budget in comparison
. to the European teams. Some of the
post best result in teams have million-Euro budgets,"
16-year history said Lapham, the 2010 driver and
project manager. "Our monetary
budget is around $75,000, and with
By HILLARY BOK (material) donations we have almost
For the Daily $200,000 total."
She added that the team forms
When Engineering senior Kath- close relationships with its sponsors,
erine Lapham got behind the wheel which has helped members of MRac-
of a formula racecar and accelerated ing succeed in the competitions and
from zero to 75 miles in 3.766 sec- professionally. Lapham, who already
onds, she achieved the fastest accel- has a job at Chrysler as an engine cal-
eration time in the MRacing team's ibration engineer, said MRacing has
16-year history. a 100-percent employment rate for
Finishing second overall at the graduating members.
Michigan International Speedway in "The biggest thing that we offer
a race which took place hetween May our sponsors is the opportunity to
12 and May 15, MRacing competed recruit from our team," Lapham
against 120 other teams from col- said. "Our sponsors love what we do.
leges and universities from around They are very, very enthusiastic. It's
the world. The team took first place nice being able to talk to people who
in a number of categories, including are just as excited about this as you
those evaluating acceleration, inno- are."
vation and development. Ford, Bosch Motorsport and Borg-
The team's achievement is the Warner are a few of the companies
product of 25 students' efforts, in the that help fuel the team's success
past year, to design and produce a through sponsorship. Lapham added
racecar to compete in the Society of that without that outside support, it
Automotive Engineers International would be very difficult for the team
Collegiate Design Series. Since its to continue competing.
inception as a student organization In addition to the private compa-
in 1986, MRacing has produced a new nies, the University has also started
car design each year. to provide financial sponsorship.
Engineering senior and 2010 team Engineeringjunior Nathan Husk, the
leader Chai Pocknett said the MRac- 2011 team leader, said the aid from
ing program can be addicting for the University has been particularly
those who choose to join the team. helpful for the team.
"To put it in perspective, I'm from "They've given us money at the
Massachusetts, I joined the team as a beginning of the year, which has
freshman in fall 2006 and I've been allowed us to start manufacturing a
home probably a month total since lot earlier than years previous," Husk
then," he said. "Once people join the said. "I think this has contributed to
team, they get hooked on it. They get the success of the team a lot."
internships in the area, so they are MRacing, Lapham said, provides
here for the summer. We meet every students with hands-on experience
week just to stay up to date and stay in working through the design pro-
on schedule." cess from concept to completion
While there are a number of For- along with putting the team's final
mula SAE events that take place product to the test against interna-
around the world, the MRacing team tional competition.
only competes in two of the interna- And the team faces stiff competi-
tional events due to time constraints tion, according to Lapham. Many of
and a limited budget. The team is the European teams have students at
scheduled to participate in its next the graduate level with more expe-
race between August 3 and 6, which rience in the field. FSAE guidelines
will be held in Hockenheim, Ger- permit participation from students
iTh Sidigan Daily
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EshwarThirunavukkarasU ManagingNews Editor
ethir@uiiich.edu
SENIOR NEWS EDI'TOR: Devon Thorsby
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Caitlin
""ston" Su"a ""e acobs
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TOREHAN SHARMAN/DAILY
The Formula SAE MRacing team recently came in second place at the SAE Colgiate
Design Series at the Michigan International Speedway.
up to the post doctorate level.
"We're a bunch of undergrads who
are constantly re-inventing what
we're doing," Lapham said. "We're
competing against people who are
almost 10 years older than us, and
we're still able to create a competi-
tive car and beat them."
The team will soon begin practice
runs with their 2010 car to prepare
for their next competition in Ger-
many. These runs will take place in
the Yellow lot on North Campus each
weekend.
The weekend before their event in
Hockenheim, the MRacing is sched-
uled to put on a demonstration for
United States troops and their fami-
lies stationed at the air base near
Ramstein, Germany.
First seen on
Police investigate death
at Packard Street house
Sharon Jacobs and
EmmaJeszke
shacahs aumichedu and ea
ManagingArts Editor
s2ne(,+umich.edu
Wilgus appointment
ends five-month search
for new director
By DEVON THORSBY
Daily News Editor
An official from the Ann Arbor
Police Department confirmed on Sun-
day that a case involving a deceased
body found at 816 Packard St. is still
under investigation.
The official added that the AAPD
has ruled out foul play in their inves-
tigation but could not offer additional
details at this time.
The cause of death has yet to be
confirmed.
Amelie Sparrow, a next-door
neighbor, said she did not know
anyone living there personally, but
believed the deceased to be female
and to have lived in the attic apart-
ment of the house.
Sparrow said when she arrived
at her house on Friday, she noticed
a police car and several fire trucks
which arrived at the scene later.
The AAPD confirmed the presence
of authorities in protective chemical
suits enteringthe house on Friday.
Sparrow added that the deceased
was removed from the house in a
body bag by crane through the attic
window before being removed from
the scene.
"Her apartment was so high up
(authorities) couldn't go by stairs,"
Sparrow said.
Jake Fromm ManagingPhotoEditor
KatherineAxesen ManagingDesignEditor
SENIOR DESIGN EDITOR: Doreen DeFever
Torehan Sharman enagingutimediaEditor
tsharnrua*miched"
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