Passion, Tenacity, Resilience, and Courage:  

This is the story of Formula Racing at UC Davis, which was founded by four pioneering co-captains in 1998. 

The Formula Racing founding co-chairs, Paul Ko (’99) and Ben Wong (’98), bonded over their shared passion for cars starting in their Junior year. In the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering program, they collaborated on a project that involved developing auto-shifting/electronic-shifting technology, but as they approached their senior year, they decided to initiate their own Formula SAE club, inspired by SAE programs at other universities and by their shared love of cars. 

Despite initial skepticism from staff, the club received significant guidance from Dr. Don Margolisa nd Dr. Dean Karnopp, along with other faculty members. Their first recruitment meeting was a success, with around 20 eager participants. The club secured a corner lab in the Bainer wind tunnel, although they occasionally disrupted neighboring projects with their noise. An adjacent club testing on erosion once the FSAE cars covered in dirt, highlighting the challenges they faced in their early days.

The University didn't provide support, making funding a hurdle, which forced them to rely on sponsorships and creative solutions. They managed to scrape together resources, utilizing a new bank account and line of credit, and receiving free parts and materials from various sources. With a modest budget of a few thousand dollars, they leaned heavily on teamwork and assistance from other teams, such as the human tricycle team's aid with composites.

In the early pioneering years, the journey was riddled with obstacles. Sean Stieper (‘00) and Tommy Lo (‘01), co-captains of the 2000-2001 team, spent long hours in the machine shop, juggling classwork and hands-on fabrication. Tom Bell, a welder in the Aggie shop, became involved, adding his expertise to the team's efforts. Paul's visit to Michigan, where he showcased their project, garnered excitement among faculty members and generated additional interest in the vehicle build.

There was even more to overcome on the journey to competition in Michigan, with a memorable 42-hour drive there and last-minute car painting sessions before the start of the competition. Administrative support from the MAE Department proved invaluable as they helped in renting vans from the University for transporting the competition vehicle across the country.

In the end, it was worth it; their Formula SAE experience taught them invaluable lessons in project management and real-world engineering, bridging the gap between academia and practical application. Through their passion for cars and hard work, Formula Racing became a well-established club at UC Davis and continues to be a successful team at UC Davis. Thank you to these early pioneers!