AUBURN, Ala. (EETV) - The sound of hammers nailing in framework and welders fusing metal fill the workshop of Wiggins Hall in the engineering sector of Auburn’s campus.
The 15-person Auburn Off-Road team is busy working on their all-terrain car for the 2019 racing season. Right now, it looks more like a metal ball than a car, but come April, it will have four wheels and go up to 40 miles per hour as it races in the Tennessee Tech Baja SAE race.
Each person has a defined role on the team. Allison Nelson is the captain. Zachary Pace is both the design and manufacturing lead and the frame designer. And William Rud is the ergonomics lead and one of the safety officers.
Nelson joined the team her freshman year and was instantly drawn to the opportunities that she had. “Well everything I know about cars is from being on this team,” she said.
The organization is very hands on, a welcome change for students who spend the day taking notes and working equations in their engineering classes.
“After a long week of studying and what not, sometimes it’s nice to come in the shop and have something else to do, something more hands on, what not, let my brain relax, so to speak,” Pace said.
Students are in and out of the workshop all weeklong working on different aspects of the vehicle that they’re responsible for.
The team is about much more than constructing the cars, however. For many of the students, the team is like a family. They’ve traveled together and spent long nights in the workshop together.
Nelson said, “to me, this has been one of my biggest motivations. This is why I get up and come to campus is for this team.”
“The team dynamic has always been somewhat of a family in my opinion. That was always something that meant a lot to me when I first started, to have friends that were always around, always available,” Pace said.
The team is determined to build a high performing vehicle and win races. “I really like it because we’re all really driven people. We’re all pushing towards this one goal, to have a car, give it a race, have a good time,” Rud said.
Their first race this season is in April at Tennessee Tech. Until then, they’re working on building the rest of the frame and adding on wheels, an engine and a seat.
