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CPCC and UNC-Charlotte Take Home “Rookie of the Year” Award at the Virginia International Raceway
last modified
2008-05-06 10:54
Formula SAE Car Built by Team from Both Colleges Receives Recognition
Always at the forefront of creativity, Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC-Charlotte) secured the title of “Rookie of the Year” at the Formula Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) competition held April 23-26 at the Virginia International Raceway.
The two schools formed the first race car building team in the history of the competition that modeled the approach used in NASCAR race shops. With financial help from Hendrick Motorsports, Team CPCC and UNCC conceived, designed, and fabricated a small, formula-style race car in just eight months.
Out of the 54 schools that entered the competition, only 32 made it to the competition in Virginia. The team will have a second chance at competing on May 14-18 at the next competition in Detroit, Michigan.
“We combined the technical skills of CPCC motorsports students with the theoretical skills of UNCC motorsports engineering students to create this winning Formula SAE car,” states Dave Bowen, CPCC motorsports coordinator. “CPCC machining students, welding program students, auto body students, and motorsports certificate students made up the CPCC portion of the team.”
According to Aurora Medoza, a CPCC student on the team and the first Hispanic female in the auto body repair program at CPCC, it was a fast-paced and eye-opening experience. “Our success was the result of the total team’s effort,” says Mendoza. “We learned a great deal about patience, team work, and our dependency on each other to make this car a success.”
This fall, CPCC will debut its Motorsports Institute at the North Campus (11930 Verhoeff Drive in Huntersville). The program will be kept small and focused with an initial intake of eight students growing to a maximum of ten students. “Our goal is to keep our Motorsports Institute hands-on,” states Laurie Walker, CPCC Division Director for Transport Systems Technologies. “This program will focus on quality and offer candidates an opportunity to study and train for a new career while still having a full-time job.” The course will run for eight weeks and include key skills in fabrication, painting, welding, decaling, and assembly.
The College also offers a Motorsports Certificate program, which is ideal for high school graduates wanting to explore careers in the Motorsports industry. The four-class sequence can be completed in one semester and provides hands-on training in fabrication and welding.
The two schools formed the first race car building team in the history of the competition that modeled the approach used in NASCAR race shops. With financial help from Hendrick Motorsports, Team CPCC and UNCC conceived, designed, and fabricated a small, formula-style race car in just eight months.
Out of the 54 schools that entered the competition, only 32 made it to the competition in Virginia. The team will have a second chance at competing on May 14-18 at the next competition in Detroit, Michigan.
“We combined the technical skills of CPCC motorsports students with the theoretical skills of UNCC motorsports engineering students to create this winning Formula SAE car,” states Dave Bowen, CPCC motorsports coordinator. “CPCC machining students, welding program students, auto body students, and motorsports certificate students made up the CPCC portion of the team.”
According to Aurora Medoza, a CPCC student on the team and the first Hispanic female in the auto body repair program at CPCC, it was a fast-paced and eye-opening experience. “Our success was the result of the total team’s effort,” says Mendoza. “We learned a great deal about patience, team work, and our dependency on each other to make this car a success.”
This fall, CPCC will debut its Motorsports Institute at the North Campus (11930 Verhoeff Drive in Huntersville). The program will be kept small and focused with an initial intake of eight students growing to a maximum of ten students. “Our goal is to keep our Motorsports Institute hands-on,” states Laurie Walker, CPCC Division Director for Transport Systems Technologies. “This program will focus on quality and offer candidates an opportunity to study and train for a new career while still having a full-time job.” The course will run for eight weeks and include key skills in fabrication, painting, welding, decaling, and assembly.
The College also offers a Motorsports Certificate program, which is ideal for high school graduates wanting to explore careers in the Motorsports industry. The four-class sequence can be completed in one semester and provides hands-on training in fabrication and welding.
CPCC recently received a $12,500 grant from the state as well as an additional $99,000 to purchase motorsports lab equipment for a state-of-the-art facility.
For more information on the Motorsports program at CPCC’s North Campus, visit www.cpcc.edu (keyword search – motorsports).
For more information on the Motorsports program at CPCC’s North Campus, visit www.cpcc.edu (keyword search – motorsports).
CPCC is the largest community college in North Carolina, offering 100 degree and certification programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing education, and special interest classes. CPCC is academically, financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of Mecklenburg County. In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers through innovative educational and training strategies.