I've never really been familiar with FSAE until we started documenting ERAU Motorsports. Competition seems just as intense as pro-level racing.
Photography by Paris Van Gorder
Early morning dew, stampedes of bleary-eyed students and the bittersweet end of a year’s worth of work: This was the scene at the culmination of this year’s Formula SAE season, the international competition simply known as Formula SAE Michigan.
In only four days, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Formula SAE team, the group local to GRM that we’ve been following all year, had to prove the car that they spent the past year designing, building and testing was worth it–not just to themselves, but to their school, sponsors and even possible employers. A good showing here could set a career in motion.
During the registration and mechanical tech inspection day, teams filtered through the line to a soundtrack of nervous chatter, papers rustling and the snaps of wristbands. As all 30 members of ERAU Motorsports were processed the opening day of the May 14-17 event, the team rushed back to the paddock to unpack.
The crew then breezed through each phase of inspection until only one section remained: electrical. The coveted green sticker was within the team’s grasp.
But then, a key braking element within the electrical system wasn’t responding. Fortunately, the team had run into a similar issue on a previous year’s car and knew how to fix it. But they were out of time for the day.
New plan for day two? Get that coveted green sticker first thing in the morning. Sleep wouldn’t come easily this night.
When did the track open? 7:30 in the morning. When did ERAU Motorsports arrive? 7:30.
Tech inspection wasn’t the team’s only focus this morning. ERAU Motorsports had secured a spot as one of 12 finalists in the business presentation portion–and they were up first.
As the business members wooed the judges, the others finally secured the first of four crucial stickers.
Next stop? Fueling and tilt test.
The tilt test checks for leaks, driver security and overall vehicle integrity. How’s it done? By loading the car–and driver–onto a lift and tilting it nearly 90 degrees. ERAU Motorsports passed with ease–in fact, they were the first team at competition to do so.
The third gauntlet? Sound test.
The first go-round for ERAU Motorsports didn’t go as expected. Although mock tests back in Florida had readings well below the requirements, the official test spiked to 114 dBc at rev point instead of the 110 dBc standard.
Luckily, the team was able to pull to the side, make tuning adjustments and pack the muffler with some steel wool–a popular Formula SAE method–before hopping right back in.
Round two? Pass.
Three stickers down. One to go. But first, a detour to the cost scenario and report event.
This event evaluates a Formula SAE team’s ability to budget, market and sell the car, just like they would in an industry.
Months earlier, each team submitted a cost report showing every cent the team spent: materials, parts, even theoretical labor cost.
As judges asked questions regarding budget allocation, two members presented a production plan centered around a theoretical industry scenario for mass production of their car.
They’d only have 15 minutes to present their case.
Once done, the team made a beeline for the fourth and final technical inspection area, the brake test.
The goal? Quickly accelerate to about 35 mph, lock all four wheels, and stop inside the designated braking zone. Then they’d have to calmly drive off under the car’s own power.
ER-09, the team’s entry, launched hard, tires skittering before coming to a halt. One of the wheels didn’t lock. Groans filled the air as the car drove back to the start line, preparing for another run. Again, the rev of the engine, squealing of tires and smell of brakes filled the air. This time the team passed, collecting the fourth and final inspection sticker.
Now, all that was left was to relax and work on the car until dynamic events the next day, right? Wrong, the team had one more extremely important event: design judging.
The goal? Showcase the team’s engineering ingenuity, resilience and validation skills to industry leaders–all while defending decisions and showing rule compliance.
The judges? Professionals from companies such as GM, Hendrick Motorsports and Toyota.
As ERAU Motorsports rolled to the judging garage, nerves skyrocketed as members began to furiously flip through their 100-plus-page design binders as though they were doing a last-minute study session before an exam.
Each student knew ER-09 inside and out, but that didn’t stop the nerves from growing each minute they stood in the 85° sun.
“Embry-Riddle, go ahead and pull forward,” a judge called out as the previous team rolled out from the lot.
Almost an hour later, the team emerged from the garage, faces showing an array of emotions as hushed conversations swirled in the air.
Just like that, the team suddenly found themselves without any more events to rush off to. The plan for the rest of the day? Work, plan for the next day and check in with fellow Florida teams.
The order for the day? Practice track, skidpad, autocross and, finally, acceleration.
As the drivers completed track walks and meetings, the team worked furiously on perfecting setup before hitting the practice track.
Once complete, everyone made the trek to the opposite end of the speedway to the skidpad. Two drivers, two runs each.
As the first driver, Ryan Ray, hopped in the car and rolled to the start line, the rest of the team lined up by the fence.
Ryan took off, picking up the speed around each loop. But then the team noticed something wasn’t quite right. The car was starting to jolt and didn’t sound happy.
“Something is wrong with the tensioner,” I heard through the gaggle of voices.
Upon closer inspection, the team found that the turnbuckle that provided chain tension had snapped, taking one of its mounting tabs with it.
Without hesitation the team began replacing the turnbuckle and cutting a new mounting tab right there on the grass. Minutes turned into an hour, and the team was running out of time.
“Hey, we need to get going for our design review!”
Although design judging itself took place the day before, design review–where teams met with judges to receive feedback and score sheets–was place today.
With the car undergoing crucial repairs, every nonessential member hurried off to meet the judges. The key takeaways? The team needed more data documentation and real-world testing to correlate with simulated tests.
Soon after, ER-09 was fixed, hitting the skidpad course again.
Next up? Autocross.
Luckily, ER-09 didn’t face any more issues, running three of its four allotted laps.
Why not four? The team needed to put down an acceleration time before the event closed in 30 minutes.
So, the team sprinted to acceleration and made quick setup adjustments. Twenty minutes before the closure of all the dynamic events, driver Teddy Bernold and ER-09 sat near the end of the line.
Silence overtook the team as ER-09 rolled to the start line. Last year, Teddy and the team’s previous car secured a third-place tie in acceleration. Could he do better this year?
The quiet of the track was shattered as ER-09 launched off the line.
“Boy, that car is moving,” I heard someone say.
After what felt like an eternity, the acceleration time flashed upon the scoreboard: 4.16875 seconds.
Cheers erupted from the stands from the team and onlookers alike, then a voice cut through the air.
“Wait, is that first place!?”
Silence briefly overtook the scene again as everyone fumbled with their phones to check the live results before being broken with a thunder of applause and cheers.
With no other team coming close to that time, ER-09 had secured first place in acceleration–the best event placement in the team’s history.
As ERAU Motorsports sprinted down the stairs of the viewing area, Teddy and ER-09 were met with a crowd of congratulations and even some tears–mine included. Teddy was swiftly pulled from the driver seat and lifted on shoulders, the chanting of his name filling the air.
The final day brought the most demanding and high-stakes event yet: endurance.
This 22-kilometer race isn’t just about speed–it evaluates fuel efficiency, lap time and most importantly, reliability.
Unlike the other dynamic events, endurance isn’t first come, first served. Instead, teams are placed into groups based off their best autocross time to prevent dangerous speed differences.
ERAU Motorsports earned a spot in one of the faster packs of the day. Just like everyone else, the team refueled their car, did a final once-over and set off to the staging area.
Although rain teased the horizon, the track remained dry while Ryan Ray expertly navigated the cone forest.
As the driver change approached, ER-09 was still going strong, team members and alumni cheering from the sidelines. Liam Mahon jumped in for the second stint.
In what felt like the blink of an eye, ER-09 returned to the staging area. They had done it–ERAU Motorsports had completed the endurance portion of competition. Plus, no cones!
As ER-09 pulled off for its efficiency check, the team swarmed the drivers, offering hugs, congratulations and shouts of victory.
Exhaustion set in as the team packed up their tent, wheeled ER-09 into the trailer and bid Michigan International Speedway farewell until next year.
What did the team discuss over their celebratory dinner before making the drive back to Daytona Beach? The plans for next year’s car, ER-X, of course.
I've never really been familiar with FSAE until we started documenting ERAU Motorsports. Competition seems just as intense as pro-level racing.
In reply to Colin Wood :
It really is! Watching for the first time instead of participating was mind-blowing. Seeing the team race from one end of Michigan International Speedway to the other multiple times a day for different events, all while keeping the car in shape and supporting each other, is super intense.
No wonder so many of these students end up working with top teams or getting internships while still in school.
Car looked good. Great job!
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