Murray State is seeing the revival of a retired racing team. A team not run on one horse and a saddle, but the heart of dozens caged in steel.
This said team is part of the larger collegiate Baja Society of Automotive Engineers. An organization where universities participate in competitions to build a car fit to standard for racing and off-road capabilities.
The Murray State Baja SAE competed from 2016 to 2018, associated with university racing circuits and events. But, like many things, time would see these racers out and put to pasture.
That is, until the dream of several students and their drive to put Murray State back on the map of auto racing. For two years, Murray State Baja SAE’s officers are making it happen. From a group of a few to more than 15 students are pushing for funds, recruitment and, most of all, passion.
Michael Lumetta, Murray State Baja president, said he wants the team to impact as many lives as it can, with no requirements needed to be part of the project.
“The University calls us a club, but in reality, we are a full race team with a team full of engineers, business majors and some manufacturing engineers,” he said.
Lumetta assures any student interested in joining the team, their major does not influence their recruitment. After all, the dream is seeing a finished car win at the track.
“Some of us do business, some do design work, some fabricate and tons of other positions due to how much goes into this car being built,” Lumetta said. “If you have an interest in anything racing, car-related or just simple engineering, building this car would be the best thing to get your foot in the door with racing. I hope this team can help teach you all the challenges of building a race car and help you overcome them. You get to walk away with a team that cares about everybody’s input of what the car should have.”
Ethan Timm, Murray State Baja SAE vice president, said when the car is finished, he wants to see it displayed in the front entrance of the Engineering and Physics Building. But in order to do that, the team has to beat financial difficulty and make a brand.
Timm said the cost to build a Baja car is $20,000.
“We’ve secured a couple more sponsors, and that’s gonna help a lot,” he said. “I’m currently in the process of setting up a bank account through Chase because there’s not a ton of resources out there. We are this close to being able to raise money.”
For Timm, the thing that has pushed him, Lumetta and the other members of this two-year project was the desire to build something.
“We … had a friend group that all showed a love of cars,” Timm said. “I don’t build, but we are also hands on everything from sponsorship to design (and) everyone has so much input and everything … We all want to do something together. We wanted to build something.”
The team meets in the High Bay on the first floor of the Engineering and Physics Building, at 6 p.m every Tuesday and Thursday. . For more information on Murray State BAJA SAE, contact Timm at [email protected].
