Ann Arbor Times

Eastern Michigan University's Baja Racing Club achieved a significant milestone by securing the title of second-fastest four-wheel drive motorsport vehicle in Michigan at the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2025 competition. The event took place in Mechanicsville, Maryland, and saw EMU's team placing 66th overall among 98 competing teams.

Travis Kurth, an electrical and computer engineering senior and vice president of the club, expressed pride in their achievement. "Our placement in Maryland means everything to me," Kurth stated. He highlighted that this success reflects the dedication and hard work of students from EMU’s engineering school.

The racing club faced challenges last year during the Williamsport competition in Pennsylvania when they were unable to complete the final inspection despite passing multiple rounds. This year, with renewed determination, they improved their vehicle named "Eagle I" and successfully competed against other universities including Lake Superior State University and Michigan State University.

Natalie Falerios, a recent mechanical engineering graduate and former chief of engineering for Baja, emphasized the unseen efforts behind their accomplishment. “What everyone doesn't see are the long days, late nights, stress... my team and I had to make throughout this past school year,” she said.

The Baja SAE Racing Club comprises students from EMU’s GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology. Their mission is to design, build, test, and compete with a top-performing Baja vehicle for national competitions. This hands-on experience provides students with practical skills beyond classroom theory.

“The results of the race just further validated that working hard... will always pay off,” Falerios noted.

Andrew Mansfield, associate professor and faculty advisor for Baja praised the team's efforts: “The students on the team truly did an amazing job.” He acknowledged student leaders Dan DiGiovannantonio, Travis Kurth, Natalie Falerios, and Isaac LeBlanc for their contributions.

EMU's GameAbove College supports various initiatives including cybersecurity research and autonomous vehicles. For more details on these programs or about Eastern Michigan University itself—founded in 1849 as Michigan’s second oldest public university—interested parties can visit their official websites.