ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell University's Formula SAE race car team won its eighth FSAE World Championship May 23 in Pontiac, Mich., roaring past 130 universities from 13 countries. The Cornell engineering students scored 926 points out of a possible 1,000 in a series of events that ranged from design evaluation to competitive driving.

In addition to capturing first place, the team brought home a variety of other awards for design and performance, including cash awards totaling $4,950 that will help finance next year's entry.

The competition, sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Sports Car Club of America, challenges students to design and build a race car and drive it in a series of events. The final score is determined by adding points for driving, design and presentation.

The climax is a 22-kilometer (nearly 14 miles) race over a one-kilometer (1,094 yards) road course, at speeds up to 60 mph. Each team fields two drivers who each drive 11 kilometers (nearly 7 miles). Although this is primarily a race against time, five cars drive the course at once, so overtaking and passing skills contribute to a driver's success. In the first 11 kilometers, Cornell driver Kyle Williams was passed once; in the second 11 kilometers, Cornell driver Dylan Cooke passed three other cars, including that of close rival, Texas A&M University. "In the first half, Texas had a really insane driver, but their second driver wasn't as good, and spun out three times," Cooke said. Texas A&M came in second over all. Auburn University was third.

Other driving events included an acceleration test, driving around tight circles, and autocross, in which drivers race a short but unfamiliar course. Teams also were judged on their designs, on a "business presentation" -- pitching designs as if to potential investors -- and on what the car would cost if put into production. Cornell placed either first or second in all the dynamic events and came in second in design, fourth in cost and seventh in business presentation.

The Cornell team begins design work in the early fall, completes construction of the frame by the end of the fall term, and finishes the car in the spring. The only components that are bought off the shelf are the tires and a Yamaha YZS600 motorcycle engine. Over the two semesters students practice driving on local courses that simulate the actual competition. Six students participated as drivers in the various dynamic events.

Cornell first entered the competition in 1987 and won in 1988, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002. "We win often because we take a systems approach," said Al George, the J.F. Carr Professor of Mechanical Engineering and principal adviser to the team. He summed up the systems approach as "I'm designing a part but I know it has to fit in with the other parts." He added, "We have an unfair advantage, you might say, because we have a very good engineering school. Our students really do understand everything they're doing." Brad Anton, Cornell associate professor of chemical engineering, was co-adviser.

Principal sponsors of the Cornell team include General Motors, Heller Industries and Hunter Industries. Some 50 other firms contributed parts and other support.

Related World Wide Web sites: The following sites provide additional information on this news release. Some might not be part of the Cornell University community, and Cornell has no control over their content or availability.

oCornell FSAE team site: http://fsae.mae.cornell.edu/

oFSAE competition: http://www.sae.org/students/formula.htm