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SAE's Mini-Baja(R) West in El Paso: CSU-LA Wins

18 April 1998

CSU Los Angeles Wins SAE's Mini-Baja(R) West in El Paso

    EL PASO, Texas, April 18 -- California State University, Los
Angeles won the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Mini-Baja(R) West here
today, driving an off-road vehicle powered by an 8-hp Briggs and Stratton
engine 50 laps over rough terrain at the University of Texas -- El Paso's
Charlie Davis Field.
    CSU-LA edged out a strong rookie team from Brigham Young University,
scoring 898.68 points to 779.42 for the Utah team.
    The University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fl came in third with 773.20
points and New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, was fourth at 718.04.
    CSU-LA was leading going into the final day of competition, having scored
498.68 points in a series of static and dynamic events on Thursday and Friday.
Mini-Baja West is a student design competition for college engineering
students.  Fifty-eight teams from throughout the U.S., and Mexico competed in
this year's event.
    Today's final event, the four-hour endurance race, tested the student's
ability to design and build a vehicle that would stand up to a punishing
off-road course.  Events on Friday included a hill climb, acceleration and
braking and maneuverability.
    Mini-Baja West began on Thursday with static events including a sales
presentation, cost estimate of the vehicle and mechanical design.
    Mini Baja West in one of three competitions held each year by the Society
of Automotive, Engineers.  Mini-Baja(R) East will take place at Tennessee Tech
University, Cookeville, Tennessee on May 14-16.  The series will conclude with
Mini-Baja(R) Midwest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin June 5-7.

    MINI-BAJA(R) WEST TOP TEN FINISHERS

    California State University, Los Angeles        889.68
    Brigham Young University                        779.42
    University of Central Florida                   773.20
    New Mexico State University                     718.04
    Oregon State University                         707.35
    University of Utah   (Car #105)                 683.05
    Instituto Tecnologico de Chihuahua              678.55
    Southern Methodist University  (Car #31)        675.65
    South Dakota School of Mines & Technology       674.43
    University of Utah        (Car #107)            649.87

SOURCE  Society of Automotive Engineers