Natalie Bell racing in a Clemson Sports Car auto-crossing event.
Bell as a young child.
I grew up surrounded by my dad’s love of cars, specifically BMWs. He even bought me my own BMW to push around the house, and I spent Sundays with him watching F1 races in my lucky checkered flag socks, cheering on Kimi Raikkonen. I spent hours in the garage while he worked on his autocross car, so much so that when I was three, I begged him for my mechanic’s creeper to see what he was doing.
My dad was constantly fixing up his car for autocross- a racing event where drivers race one at a time through a cone-lined course. The objective is speed and agility, as hitting a cone results in a time penalty. The event organizers calculate all the times, and drivers can see where their times compare to their peers. As I watched him draw out autocross courses for our local Baltimore autocross group, I told him that I couldn’t wait to turn thirteen so that I could ride in the car with him as he raced.
Bell’s dad ready to compete in 24 hours of Lemon.
That dream would end up on pause for a while. My dad sold his tan BMW to go back to school and didn’t race for a decade. Eventually, my dad stumbled upon 24 Hours of Lemons, which is probably the weirdest racing event you could ever partake in. 24 Hours of Lemons is a riff off of 24 Hours of Lemans, a prestigious professional racing event. However, Lemons is not prestigious and is not 24 hours long.
Lemons is a two-day endurance event with various locations across the country where drivers and mechanics give old “lemons” of cars new lives as race cars. Each team must buy a car for $500 and then outfit it with a roll cage and additional safety features. My dad gathered a team of his coworkers to form Team Race Team, fixed up a BMW 318ti that hadn’t run in 10 years, and turned it into Oscar the Grouch. Or Otto, because he’s German.
Bell and Father preparing to race.
Watching my dad race again renewed my interest in racing. Eventually, I want to race alongside my dad in 24 Hours of Lemons, and autocrossing is one of the first steps. I have autocrossed as a part of Clemson Sports Car Club for the past two semesters, and I plan to continue to autocross post-grad. I love the sport of constantly trying to beat my own time while simultaneously trying to stay near my dad’s time (which is much faster than mine.)
It’s so rewarding to participate in autocross with my dad and finally fulfill my childhood dream of racing with him. He has taught me not to give up on my passions- sometimes, they take time.
A photo from clemsonfae.com featuring a former student-designed car
As the spring semester continues to pick up, so do the actions of the students of Clemson Formula SAE (CUFSAE), who are preparing for important events in April and May.
CUFSAE is a student race team that focuses on design, fabrication and competition of an open-wheeled, formula style race car. The team competes in the Society of Automotive Engineers student design competition.
In addition to the formulation of a race car, students have to work in all other facets of the racing business, including team management, public relations and sponsor procurement. The Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute is proud to sponsor CUFSAE for another year.
For Clemson’s team, their sights are on the Michigan FSAE Competition in May for the planning and the creation of the racecar, called Tiger 25, where they will race at the Michigan International Speedway.
Student members of CUFSAE can join five different divisions: aerodynamics, business, chassis, electrical, powertrain and suspension.
Clemson Formula SAE team, Fall 2024.
The team lead of the group is Grant Harley, who is studying Electrical and Computer Engineering in his first year of graduate school at Clemson. One of Harley’s main focuses is to keep the team focused on the design timeline for the car. In doing so, he sets weekly meetings with the leadership team and remains in contact with the Department of Mechanical Engineering faculty advisor.
“The biggest thing I have to do before our car release is make sure the car is following the necessary production timeline and keeping the entire team on the same page about what needs to be done and when it needs to be done,” Harley said.
A Charleston native, Harley is also a part of the electrical team, where he helps design the brake system plausibility device (BSPD) – a safety component that shuts the car off if the throttle position or brake pressure stop reading.
“This helps protect the driver in the case of a malfunction in the car and protects the car from dangerous operating procedures,” Harley said.
Cameron Boerst, Vehicle Operations Manager.
Harley works closely with Vehicle Operations Manager, Cameron Boerst, a Mechanical Engineering junior with an Electrical Engineering minor. Boerst’s job focuses on test-day operations, planning when the car will run, whether on or off campus.
“This requires communication and planning between divisions to make sure the rear and front wings are ready, the electronics are working, the powertrain is running, and the suspension is tuned for a day of running,” Boerst said.
Another Charleston native, Boerst is also designing the drivetrain of the car, which is what he looks forward to the most out of this project.
“The drivetrain is responsible for delivering power from the engine to the hubs of the rear wheels,” Boerst explained. “This includes a lot of CAD modeling in SolidWorks paired with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) on the forces experienced by the drivetrain.”
Peter Gaspich, Brooks Scholar
No matter how strong the engine may be, suspension is incredibly important to the car’s success. This is led by fellow junior mechanical engineer and recent Brooks Scholar, Peter Gaspich, an inaugural member of the new class of automotive engineers at Clemson. Gaspich and his team focus on manufacturing and testing of the car’s suspension system ahead of the May event.
“In other words, my goal is to ensure that the driver can get optimal performance from the tires and maximize grip throughout each lap, as maintaining grip to the road is the most essential part of a fast lap time,” Gaspich said. “No matter how powerful the engine is, it won’t be going anywhere very fast if it’s just spinning tires.”
The Greenville native also has one of the most important tasks on race day: constantly studying the car’s responses and making needed changes to the car to help the driver with the ride.
At this point in the semester, the suspension team is working on manufacturing all of the suspension parts, something that Gaspich heavily takes part in.
“This includes outlining manufacturing plans, training new members on shop equipment, coordinating with sponsors to outsource the manufacturing of more complex components and spending late nights at the shop with my closest friends!” he said.
The Tiger 24 racing in the Pittsburgh Shootout
With a project as big as designing and building a formula race car, it’s the little steps that count. For Harley, he is most looking forward to seeing the car run on its own for the first time.
“I am most looking forward to the first time the car runs under its own power,” he said. “It’s an extremely fulfilling moment watching this project that you’ve spent almost a year designing and building culminate into this one moment.”
Every week means the team is one step closer to the first race. With March beginning, it’s crunch time for CUFSAE. The team hopes to see successes similar to, or greater than, last year’s Tiger 24 design.
Clemson Formula SAE team member working on the Tiger 25
From Gaspich’s perspective, as well as many others on the team, the opportunity to work on an ongoing project to present it in front of 119 other schools is something that the classroom doesn’t provide.
“I cannot express enough how important being involved in Formula SAE is to anyone interested in a career in motorsports, or even engineering in-general, as engineering is so much more than what you learn in the classroom,” Gaspich said.
Whether participating as a passion project or looking for experience for a future job in the motorsports industry, all eyes look to May where Tiger 25 will be racing on asphalt that has hosted NASCAR and IndyCar events.
The Clemson University Formula SAE (CUFSAE) team is a student-run organization dedicated to designing, manufacturing and competing with a formula-style race car. They aim to provide students with the tools to learn relevant skills while exploring the possibilities of employment in the automotive industry.
The Fall 2024 CUFSAE team
This past weekend, the CUFSAE team travelled to Pennsylvania to compete in the annual Pittsburgh Shootout. They took their newest formula-style race car, Tiger 24, to the competition and had a great experience.
The team placed an impressive 6th overall out of 23 competing internal combustion (IC) teams. On Friday night, they passed the technical inspection part of the competition and then competed in all three dynamic events – autocross, acceleration and skidpad – placing in the top 10 in each event.
They faced a few difficulties throughout the weekend, but were able to overcome them and perform great. To learn more about their experience in Pittsburgh and what they have coming up, check out their Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Tiger 24 competing in Pittsburg the weekend of Sept. 14
CUFSAE has a variety of sponsors that they credit with making their projects possible, giving them the opportunity to apply their education and learn within this unique international competition. As one of their sponsors, the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute (RHBSSI) is thrilled to celebrate this success and wishes the team the best of luck with the rest of their season.
CUFSAE has agreed to showcase one of their Formula One cars at RECESS, RHBSSI’s inaugural sports science research symposium. The event will take place on Thursday, October 24 from 5-8 p.m. in the Madren Center’s Grand Ballroom. To RSVP to this innovative and fun event, click here.
Clemson Formula SAE (CUFSAE) is a student-led organization at Clemson that is focused on designing, manufacturing and competing with a formula-style race car. Each year, they design and build a new vehicle from the ground up that meets competition rules while also pursuing innovation. May 8-11, CUFSAE competed in the Formula SAE Michigan competition with their newest race car, the Tiger 24.
The Clemson Formula SAE team and their formula race car, Tiger 24, compete at the Formula SAE Michigan competition May 8-11, 2024
Michigan FSAE Competition
The Formula SAE Michigan competition was a chance for CUFSAE to showcase Tiger 24’s capabilities and their astounding efforts. 120 cars competed, making this one of the larger competitions CUFSAE has participated in. Of those 120 cars, the Tiger 24 displayed great competitive attributes finishing 20th in design and 60th overall.
In the midst of the competition, the Tiger 24 required an unexpected engine swap leading to some unforeseen challenges the following day. However, this situation led to new opportunities for learning and improvement, allowing the team to focus on future successes and ultimately strengthen their resilience and determination.
Tiger 24 placed 20th in design and 60th overall at the Michigan FSAE competition.
In the Pipeline for CUFSAE
This competition will not be the last chance for the team to display the Tiger 24’s capabilities. They will have the opportunity to further test these abilities in upcoming test days as well as competitions occurring later this year.
CUFSAE team members working on Tiger 24 before the competition.
Upcoming Competitions:
Pittsburgh Shootout (September)
Michelin LPG Shootout (October)
Barnesville Shootout (November)
There have also been changes to the team, as they have recently elected new team and division leads.
Tier 1 Leaders:
Team Lead – Rajan Chitrao
Chief Engineer – Ryan Bishop
Production Lead – Alec Huber
Finance and Logistics Officer – William Wei
Additionally, Rowen Smith is the new Sponsorship Coordinator for CUFSAE. With these changes to the team, Smith says that they will aspire to focus on reliability, better teamwork and earlier production for next year’s car, the Tiger 25, which will undergo design this summer.
The Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute logo is showcased on Tiger 24 alongside other sponsors.
A part of the Tiger 24’s success has been credited to the support of CUFSAE’s sponsors. The team has expressed their unwavering gratitude towards their sponsors, including the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute (RHBSSI), saying that the sponsors’ continuous assistance and investment gives the team added strength to keep pushing creativity and build the most competitive car they can. We at RHBSSI commend the CUFSAE team on all their successes to-date and wish them best of luck in their upcoming competitions this season.
Be sure to follow CUFSAE on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay current on all of the innovative things they are doing.
Clemson Formula SAE (CUFSAE) is a student-run organization dedicated to designing, manufacturing, and competing with a formula-style race car. Clemson FSAE competes on an international level through events hosted by SAE International, formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers. Each year, they design and build a new vehicle from the ground up that meets the competition rules and pushes for innovation. The summer and fall are spent designing the new vehicle, which is then built in the spring. Throughout the year, the team also travels to different competitions to compete against other teams from all over the world.
In May 2023, Clemson FSAE competed in the Michigan International Speedway. The team finished 11th in design and 39th overall out of 120 teams.
From engineering to marketing to financial planning to graphic design, CUFSAE strives to provide students from all backgrounds with hands-on and real-world experiences. The team is broken down into six divisions, including business, aerodynamics, chassis, electrical, powertrain, and suspension, that collaborate in a fluid and integration-focused manner to create the finished product. The business division gives students the opportunity to gain experience running a small business by dealing with recruitment, sponsorship relationship management, and finances. On the engineering side, the aerodynamics division is responsible for the car components that harness the air around the moving vehicle; the chassis division is responsible for the chassis of the vehicle, as well as the ergonomics and braking subsystems; the electrical division is responsible for the electrical components, mainly the electrical harness; the powertrain division is in charge of the vehicle’s engine and all of the subsystems that harness the power it generates; and finally, the suspension division is responsible for how the car handles and controlling the interactions between the tires and the ground. Working closely with Clemson’s Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering and Science, Graphic Communications Department, and the Facilities Department, CUFSAE provides students with the tools to learn relevant skills while exploring the possibilities of employment in the automotive industry.
A member of the Clemson FSAE team shown working on building the structure of their new race car.
The Competitions
During the competitions, each team is judged on their engineering skills and ideas as well as production quality through a design review. The design review is hosted by a panel of industry engineers specializing in a variety of automotive fields. The vehicle must go through a rigorous technical inspection along with tilt, sound, and brake testing before it is allowed to compete. The drivers must also prove they have all the required safety gear and the ability to egress the car quickly. The dynamic portion of the competition includes acceleration, skidpad, autocross, and endurance events. Lastly, each team is scored based on their vehicle cost report as well as a business marketing presentation. Each competition is an incredible experience showcasing the preparedness and camaraderie it takes to compete in the automotive world.
The team’s race car for this season, the Tiger 23, shown in action during the Michigan International Speedway competition.
The Formula SAE series was developed as a way for student’s to put their classroom knowledge into motion. The competitions are primarily engineering-based but have expanded to include all aspects of racing, including the business side.
Finding Success
The Clemson Formula SAE has found much success this year. In November, the CUFSAE team traveled to Kennesaw State University in Barnesville, GA, for the Barnesville Shootout. Among the four competing teams, Clemson FSAE emerged victorious, securing a well-deserved 1st place. Bringing both of their cars, the Tiger 22 and 23, to the competition, they were able to showcase their dedication and craftsmanship from the past two years. The event not only celebrated success on the track but also served as a platform for new drivers to gain valuable experience during the driver trials competition. With 35 members, a mix of seasoned veterans and eager newcomers, the team demonstrated exceptional teamwork and skill, making this competition a standout moment in their racing season.
Clemson FSAE’s team cars, Tiger 22 and Tiger 23, pictured with their 1st place trophy from the Barnesville Shootout competition that took place in early November.
Season highlight performances:
In October, the Clemson FSAE team secured another victory at Michelin’s first-ever Formula SAE event, the Michelin Formula SAE Shootout. They came in 1st out of 6 teams in the Internal Combustion (IC) Class and also won 1st place overall. Additionally, back in September of this year, the team competed at the Pittsburgh International Raceway in the 2023 Pittsburgh Shootout, placing 7th out of 30 for the IC-class. The CUFSAE team is still in the process of testing and refining their car in preparation for the premier competition, the Formula SAE Michigan, taking place on May 8-11, 2024.
Additional highlights:
2018 Pittsburgh Shootout – 3rd Place 2018 Barnesville Match Race – 1st Place 2019 Formula South – 1st Place 2019 Michigan Int. SAE – 18th Place 2022 Formula South – 1st Place 2022 Michigan Int. FSAE – 36th Place 2023 Michigan Int. FSAE – 39th Place
Behind the scenes, the success of the Tiger 23 is largely attributed to the unwavering support of sponsors who have played a crucial role in shaping the car’s capabilities. The team has expressed heartfelt appreciation for these sponsors, including the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute. Their success has not only showcased their skill on the track but has also highlighted the collaborative spirit and dedication that fuels a winning team in automotive engineering. We congratulate the Clemson FSAE team on the success they have accomplished so far and wish them luck with the rest of their competition season!
Be sure to follow the Clemson Formula SAE team on Facebook and LinkedIn @ClemsonFormulaSAE to stay up-to-date on the amazing things they are doing.
