Off-Road Illini compete at Winter Baja

Over Valentine’s Day weekend, the Baja SAE team traveled eight hours to Michigan Tech in Houghton, MI to compete in an annual unofficial competition known as Winter Baja. There were a total of 36 cars competing, two of them Off-Road Illini vehicles, racing in two main competitions: the dynamic event and the endurance race. The dynamic event is extremely different at Winter Baja than at any other competition. It is in a relay race style format, completed by two drivers, and a pickled-egg eater. The egg eater is only allowed to eat the egg once the first driver has both feet on the ground, and the second driver is only allowed to be strapped in, once the egg is completely gone. The endurance race, which is more similar to other competitions, lasted for four hours. However, instead of dirt hills covered in mud like at summer competitions, the track was constructed of hills of snow covered in ice to make them more difficult to maneuver. Overall, the Off-Road Illini had a successful race with neither car breaking throughout the entire endurance race and many team members being able to drive.