SIUE Cougar Baja Team Takes Third Place at Winter Baja
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering’s Cougar Baja team earned a place on the podium at the 2024 Winter Baja hosted Saturday, Jan. 27 at the Range Snowmobile Club near Michigan Technology University. The Cougar Baja Team led by, Treasurer Dillon Halley, Secretary Aiden George, Vice President Carson Spies, and President Caleb Hildebrandt, competed against universities from across the country. This year’s competition had 33 vehicles from 20 universities.
The Cougar Baja Team placed third in the endurance race making it the first time the team has podiumed in the main event. The team recorded outstanding results, placing seventh in the hill climb and sixth in the pickled egg slalom.
“For us one of the most fun things about the endurance race is problem solving our way through any damage our car may take as mechanical challenges are inevitable during the event,” said Hildebrandt. “You need to get any damage fixed quick; the goal is to is to finish as many laps as you can in the four hours allotted.”
“The car who got third, ‘Larry,’ had a brake caliper and a shock fail resulting in the car coming off of the track for repairs and thanks to our supply of spare parts we were able to get back very quickly,” said Hildebrandt. “As far as I know it’s the first time we’ve podiumed in the endurance race.”
The Cougar Baja team joins the student-led Blizzard Baja team, part of Michigan Tech's award-winning Enterprise program, at this annual event. Winter Baja showcases teams that design and build new vehicles in order to enter in one or more of the national SAE Baja events. Students use leading-edge engineering and manufacturing processes to enhance vehicle performance. They focus on reducing vehicle mass, maximizing drivetrain efficiency, improving driver visibility and comfort, and optimizing off-road vehicle handling and maneuverability.
PHOTOS: Cougar Baja Team; Team Car entry; photos by Caleb Hildebrandt, president of the Cougar Baja Team