From designing, fabricating, and building automobiles to homework and classes, Central Michigan University’s Baja Team has a lot on their agenda, including the groups’ plans for this year’s upcoming races.

The team focuses on designing and creating a single seat off-road vehicle right from scratch. After designing the vehicle, the team takes their finished product to a variety of races across the country. Some of the races that the team travels to focus on acceleration, rock climbing, maneuverability and hill climbing. The team tests and drives the car numerous times before competition dates.

Engineering classes at CMU offer students insight and knowledge when it comes to off-road vehicles, providing the students with many tools they can use while building and designing for the Baja Team.

“Through all of our classes here at Central we learn how different parts of a vehicle work, and we get to put them into play with our car,” Derek Donovan, Baja Team Secretary and Farmington Hills junior, said. “We go to class, then come here and see how everything works.”

Aside from building and designing a new vehicle, the team also builds a business. Each year, the team comes up with a sales presentation that is pitched to large motor vehicle companies like Honda, Polaris and Yamaha.

Being a member of the Baja team has many benefits. Not only do the students get excessive hands-on training, they get to build onto their resume.

“Everyone who has been on this team has gotten job offers from different companies,” Donovan said. “It’s great for careers and it’s a huge resume builder.”

Lake City senior, Walter Robertson, is especially glad to be a part of this year’s Baja Team.

“As an engineer, we spend a lot of time in the classroom, we spend a lot of time doing homework, and we don’t necessarily get to put our hands on things,” Robertson said.

Hands-on activities are what help the students learn the full concept of designing and building a vehicle.

“This is a perfect opportunity to get your hands dirty, apply what you’ve learned, and apply what interests you. It’s one of those things where it looks good on paper, and it’s a good way to spend your free time,” Robertson said. “There is a lot of camaraderie. For the people who want to put the time and energy into it, it’s a lot of fun.”

Building friendships and communicating with one another plays a big role in the Baja Team. Being able to work on activities outside of class helps build a strong bond among the members.

“I like to be working on stuff,” Donovan said. “That’s my favorite thing. I’m always tinkering with stuff, whether it be my truck, my motorcycle, I like to work on stuff and build stuff, get dirty, and hang out with people at the same time. I’ve met a lot of my friends through here. It’s an easy way to meet people.”

Race season goes on throughout the year, and the team is constantly learning and innovating their vehicle. Races help the team learn more about different vehicles and what they can improve on in the future.

“Even when it fails, you learn from your mistakes,” said Michael Gollin, Vice President and Livonia junior. “You see what you can do differently, you can expand different design techniques and innovations. It’s a huge team aspect, you learn how to work with people by communicating ideas back and forth.”

Travel is huge for the Baja Team. This year, they will be traveling to Oregon, Alabama, Maryland, Kentucky, as well as to Michigan Technological University. Teams compete nationally as well as internationally with teams coming from India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Mexico and Venezuela.

“We do lots of traveling, you get really comfortable with the guys you bring with,” said Justin Wade, President and White Lake senior.

The Baja Team has opened many doors for Wade. At the end of the year, he is happy seeing the team’s hard work pay off.

“Everything on that car is something that you built, designed, created, and dreamt up,” he said “At the end of the year when you actually get to see it out on the race track doing laps, that’s probably the coolest feeling.”