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 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com ANDREW LAPIN BRAD WILEY Editor in Chief Business Manager 734-647-3336 734-764-0558 atapin@umich.edu tmdbusiness@gmaitcom CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom Office hours: Sun-Thurs. 11 a.m. 2 a.m. 734-763-2459 NewsTips news@michigandaily.com corrections crrections@michigandai .com LetterstothetEditor tohedairy@michigandaily.com PhotoDepartment photo@michigandail.com 734-764-0563 Arts Section artspageemichigandaily.com 734.763-0379 Editorial Page opinion@michigandaily.com SportsSection sportsemichigandailyc 734-764-8585 Sales dailydispy@gaiicoin classifiedsales dailyclassfiedgrnaelea 734-764-0557 Finance emdfinanceOgnzaH.com 734-763-3246 EDITORIAL STAFF Ryan Kartje Managing Etoe rkartje@umich.edu EshwarThirunavukkarasU ManagingNews Editor ethir@uiiich.edu SENIOR NEWS EDI'TOR: Devon Thorsby ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Caitlin ""ston" Su"a ""e acobs Alex Schiff Editorial Page Editor aschiff@umich.edu SENIOR ED1TORIAL.PAGE EDITOR: Joe Stapleton ASSISTANT EDITORIAL.PAGE EDITOR: Nick Clift Mark Burns Managing Sports Editor hurnmark@umnich-edu ASSIS'TANTSPORTSEDITORS: Ben Estes 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" BUSINESS STAFF Julianna crim SalesManager Hillary Szawala Classified Manager Meghan Rooney LayoutManager Jason Mahakian Production Manager The Michigan Daly (fSSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily's afire for $2. Subscrtons for flll term starting iSeptember, ta UAS. mail are $110. 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