Photography by Paris Van Gorder
Before you can race, you gotta go through tech. And here, you need to pass all four parts of tech.
This weekend, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Formula SAE team joins another hundred-plus schools at Formula SAE Michigan, one of the biggest events on the calendar.
This is the event ERAU Motorsports has spent the year preparing for, designing, building and testing a brand-new car. A good showing here could easily lead to a dream career in the automotive industry.
On day one of the competition, the team lined up for tech inspection.
FSAE tech inspection consists of four parts: mechanical inspection, brake test, tilt test and noise test. As teams pass each one, they get a sticker. Earn all four, and they officially have a car fit for track.
The catch? Each team must pass mechanical inspection first before attempting any of the other trials–aka the dynamic tests. Fail? Back to the paddock to fix the problems–if they can–and then the back of the line to do it all over again.
Although tech inspection is open for two days, day one is the most important. Why? Day two is the start of other events, such as cost event, design judging and practice sessions. Fail tech inspection on day two, and that’s it–no stickers, no driving.
For ERAU Motorsports, things were going smoothly. The team could practically feel the glue of that green mechanical inspection sticker.
Then the team hit an electrical issue with a primary sensor. Luckily, that was the only thing that was wrong–everything else in ER-09 was rules compliant. So, the team headed off to the paddock and got to work.
The plan for day two? Be first in the tech line at 9:00 a.m., pass and collect those last three stickers.
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