Warrior Racing team competes in Formula SAE Michigan competition

Wayne State University's Formula SAE team, Warrior Racing, completed the Formula SAE Michigan Competition, which was held at the Michigan International Speedway May 9-12. The team finished ninth in the non-aerodynamic vehicle category and placed fourth in the cost analysis portion of the competition.

The team has worked on their current one-seat, formula-style racecar for two years. It is the 11th car built by the team since 2003. For the MIS competition, the design process started in July 2017 and the vehicle was ready for testing by April 2018.

Road Warrior 11 was named Rose as an homage to WSU police officer Collin Rose, who was killed in the line of duty in November 2016.

"Our 11th built car had big dreams and big shoes to fill," said Filippo Caro, the team's current president.

Rose received numerous upgrades after the 2016-2017 season. One major design objective was to improve the vehicle's handling and further develop its powertrain. This included moving from 13-inch to 10-inch tires, allowing the car to make turns faster and with more accuracy.

The team will compete in the formula SAE Lincoln competition this June. For the upcoming season, the team hopes to improve speed and efficiency by trimming at least 50 pounds off the vehicle.

"We are looking to make as much power as possible while using as little fuel as possible. Most of all, the aim is to go fast."

As the team's president, Caro is not only heavily involved in the design process, but also curates sponsorships, ensures deadlines are met, and maintains outreach throughout the WSU and Formula SAE communities.

"Warrior Racing has [grown] my education and WSU experience far beyond the classroom," he said. "It has helped me integrate all engineering disciplines and allowed me to communicate with all types of engineering students."