Automotive team places second in competition

The Penn State FSAE (Formula Society of Automotive Engineers) team placed second overall this past week at the 26th Annual Formula SAE Competition at Ford's Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo, Mich. The team placed first in design and acceleration. Approximately 140 teams from 14 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Singapore and Sweden, participated in this event. The Penn State FSAE Team was the only U.S. team in the final five for the design competition. The car was so well designed that one judge commented that it would be "difficult to make suggestions on improvement." The Penn State FSAE Team expressed appreciation to Carson Baird, Learning Factory supervisor, who provided guidance to them. Groups from throughout the Penn State community provided support for this year's team, including the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute Test Track facility, EHS, Police Services and Risk Management. Funding for the 2006 formula car came from several sources, including ARL, DaimlerChrysler, the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, the College of Engineering, the University and the University Park Allocations Committee.