Zips Racing team members, from left to right are Ben DiMarco, David Burky, Kevin Musial, Daniel Lough, Dominick DeMasi, Michan Limbacher, Madeline Mann, adviser Dr. Richard Gross, associate professor emeritus of mechanical engineering; Logan Micham, Ryan Kruse and Dustin Zacharyasz (in car). Other members are students David Burky, Madeline Mann, Ben DiMarco, Ryan Kruse, Michinari Limbacher, Logan Micham and Kevin Musial.
The University of Akron's Formula Racing Team, Zips Racing, won first place in an invitation-only Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) student design competition held at the Goodyear proving grounds in Akron Sept. 17. The team also won high rankings at competitions held in Austria and Germany last summer.
Led by captains Daniel Lough, Dustin Zacharyasz and Dominck Demasi, the team competed against seven other teams at Goodyear and more than 100 teams comprised of nearly 2,800 students in Europe. In Germany, Zips Racing placed 12th, and in Austria, 16th, with its car, No. 73.
The Formula SAE competition allows students from around the world to design a small Formula One race car for a fictional manufacturing company. The single-seated prototype race car is evaluated —on criteria ranging from fuel efficiency to acceleration — for its potential as a production item. Students also create a business plan for their product, dealing with issues such as cost analyses.
At Goodyear, Zips Racing placed first in the endurance event and third in the autocross event. In Europe, each aspect of the competition is ranked separately and then compiled for an overall result. With No. 73, Zips Racing received higher rankings in some individual categories. In Germany, for instance, the team ranked ninth for the endurance test. In Austria, Zips Racing broke into the top 10, at ninth place, for the acceleration test.
Media contacts: Joshua Bane, jhb19@zips.uakron.edu, or Denise Henry, 330-972-6477 or henryd@uakron.edu.