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Session 3666

Integrating Auto Racing in the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum

David Klett1, Lloyd Barrett2, Jeffrey Morehouse3, Jed Lyons3, Edward Young3 1 North Carolina A&T State University/2University of Virginia/ 3University of South Carolina

I. Introduction

The Intercollegiate Auto Racing Association (ICAR) was formed in early 1998 for the purpose of organizing auto racing as a collegiate sport for engineering students. The race vehicles currently sanctioned for use by the Association are LegendsTM cars. Legends cars are five- eighths scale models of stock cars from the thirties and forties powered by 1200 cc four-cylinder motorcycle engines, and are the basis of a popular spec-class racing series sanctioned by INEX, the international sanctioning body for Legends cars. The inaugural ICAR four-race championship series was held during the spring 1998 semester with seven southeastern universities participating, including the University of South Carolina, the University of Virginia, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina State University, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Duke University, and the University of Tennessee. Since then, three more semester-long series have been completed (fall ’98, spring ’99, and fall ’99). A typical semester series involves one event per month. Events usually consist of a practice session, a series of three practice heats, followed by qualifying and three points races involving three different engineering student drivers from each school. The race teams are comprised of from ten to twenty students who fulfill various roles such as drivers, mechanics, engine tuners, chassis tuners, statisticians, and team managers.

From the beginning, the intent has been for ICAR to be both an academic and a sporting activity, and all of the participating universities have begun to integrate motorsports into the engineering curriculum in a variety of ways. This paper describes the courses and laboratory exercises implemented thus far at three of the participating schools, viz. the University of Virginia, the University of South Carolina, and North Carolina A&T State University. It should be noted that these are nascent programs at these three institutions. Prior to 1998 and the inception of ICAR, none of the three schools offered motorsports courses or laboratories other than participation in the SAE sponsored vehicle design competitions including Mini Baja and Formula SAE.

II. The University of Virginia Motorsports Engineering Program

II.1. Overview

The University of Virginia started its motorsports engineering program in the spring of 1998. The primary goals of the program are to provide a forum to teach engineering fundamentals;

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Barrett, L., & Young, E., & Klett, D. E., & Morehouse, J., & Lyons, J. (2000, June), Integrating Auto Racing In The Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8471