KU News Release

LAWRENCE — The Jayhawk Motorsports team from the University of Kansas placed in the top 10 in three categories at the Formula SAE Michigan 2010 competition held last month in Detroit.

Teams from universities around the world spend the academic year designing, building, testing and racing their Formula cars. In mid-May each year, they converge on the Motor City for the three-day competition that showcases design, presentation and racing skills.

The Jayhawks tied for fourth in design, placed fifth in presentation and finished 10th in endurance. The team placed 19th overall at the competition.

Engine problems forced the KU team to miss two events, costing valuable points that could have earned the team a much higher ranking.

“We figured out late on Friday (the second day of the competition) that we blew a head gasket in our engine,” said Matt Petty, team captain and a 2010 mechanical engineering graduate from Chanhassan, Minn. “It was pretty heartbreaking realizing we were going to miss an event (the autocross competition) that we usually shine in.”

But, Petty said, the team is extremely pleased with its showing in the endurance category, which is regarded as the best overall test of complete vehicle performance.

The endurance competition challenges teams to race the clock in a 20-kilometer, 22-lap race around a single-lane track lined with orange cones. Teams are required to change drivers at the 11-lap mark. Scores are based on overall time, with penalties assessed if a vehicle strikes any cones or goes off the course.

To see video of the car in an endurance competition, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r3KDQ_B2Kw.

“Only 40 out of the 102 teams were able to complete the competition.” Petty said. “So to be one of the top 10 finishers in that event says a lot about our car, especially in the conditions we were running.”

Petty said the disappointing engine problems forced to the team to unite and regain momentum for a strong finish.

“It was neat to see everyone as a team come together and get the car repaired, so given the overall conditions, we’re still pretty happy,” Petty said.

The team will learn from what went wrong in Detroit and work every day to improve.

“It’s weird to think that you’d get 19th place and say you’re disappointed,” Petty said. “Most schools would be very happy with that. We’re really motivated now and we really want to push it until the next competition.”

The team’s final competition for the year — the swan song for the 20 seniors on the team — will be at the next major Formula SAE event, set for June 16 to 19 in Fontana, Calif.

“We’re now focusing on the reliability of our vehicle,” Petty said. “We want a car that every time we’re ready to go race it hard, it’s ready to go race. We’re looking at increasing our radiator size and dealing with some cooling issues, especially since it’s going to be a lot hotter for the California competition.”

Team members are listed below by hometown, level in school, major, parents’ names and high schools (when available) and team assignment.

ATCHISON COUNTY
From Atchison 66002
Jon Griffith, senior in mechanical engineering; son of David and Veronica Griffith; Pleasant Ridge High School, Easton; suspension team member.

BUTLER COUNTY
From Andover 67002
Jon Hill, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Lary and Diane Hill; Andover Central High School; chassis team member.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Baldwin City 66006
Sam Pippert, junior in mechanical engineering; son of Larry and Lisa Pippert; Baldwin High School; volunteer/test team member.

From Baldwin City 66006 and Lecompton 66050
Cameron Bryant, freshman in mechanical engineering; son of Tracy Rockers, Baldwin City, and Mike Bryant, Lecompton; Baldwin High School; volunteer/test team captain.

From Lawrence 66044 and Espanola, N.M.
Len Necefer, junior in mechanical engineering; son of Edward Necefer, Lawrence, and Maggie George, Espanola, N.M.; Armand Hammer United World College of the American West, Montezuma, N.M.; volunteer/test team member.

From Lawrence 66046
Tim McClintock, senior in engineering physics; Council Grove (Kan.) High School; bachelor’s degree from Laguna (Calif.) College of Art and Design; power train team captain.

From Lawrence 66049
James Borner, sophomore in preparing to major in fine arts; Durango (Colo.) High School; volunteer/test team member.

ELLIS COUNTY
From Hays 67601
Mark Adams, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Alan and Elaine Adams; Hays High School; chassis team member.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66206
Cole Helbert, freshman in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; son of Tammy Johnson; Blue Valley North High School, Overland Park; volunteer/test team member.

From Leawood 66209
Adam Jeffries, freshman in mechanical engineering; son of Kevin and Laura Jeffries; Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Overland Park; volunteer/test team member.

From Olathe 66061
Nick Roberts, nondegree-seeking graduate student in engineering; son of Steven and Karen Roberts; Olathe North High School; bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from KU, summer 2007; volunteer/test team member.

From Olathe 66062
Hans Walther, freshman in mechanical engineering; son of Klaus and Alina Walther; Olathe Northwest High School; volunteer/test team member.

From Overland Park 66204
Rusty Benson, sophomore in aerospace engineering; son of Theresa Benson; Shawnee Mission West High School; volunteer/test team member.

From Overland Park 66212 and 66215
Steve Hinton, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Laura Miller (66212) and David Hinton (66215); Shawnee Mission South High School; power train team member.

From Overland Park 66223
Josh Rasa, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Gael and Sabrina Rasa; Blue Valley High School, Stilwell; power train team member.

From Prairie Village 66208
Kyle Hamer, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Douglas and Rebecca Hamer; Shawnee Mission East High School; suspension team captain.

From Shawnee 66216
John Solar, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Rick and Debbie Solar; Bishop Miege High School, Roeland Park; suspension team member.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
From Leavenworth 66048
Patrick Rielly, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Robert and Anne Rielly; Leavenworth Senior High School; suspension team member.

PRATT COUNTY
From Pratt 67124
Chris Hedden, doctoral student in aerospace engineering; son of Richard Hedden; Pratt High School; bachelor’s degree in engineering physics from KU, spring 2007; volunteer/test team member.

RILEY COUNTY
From Manhattan 66502
Jeff Dickinson, sophomore in mechanical engineering; son of Robert and Torry Schaeffer; Manhattan High School; volunteer/test team member.

From Manhattan 66502 and Wichita
Matt Mantyla. SEE SEDGWICK COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Derby 67037
Jared Anderson, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Kevin and Belinda Anderson; Derby High School; chassis team captain.

From Maize 67101
Steven Heger, senior in mechanical engineering; son of John and Lori Heger; Maize High School; volunteer/test team member.

From Wichita 67205
Alex Vincent, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Rolland and Jennifer Vincent; Wichita Collegiate School; suspension team member.

From Wichita 67207 and 67230
Ashton Bitner, senior in mechanical engineering; daughter of Vicki Hamer (67207) and Tony Bitner (67230); Wichita High School Southeast; power train team member.

From Wichita 67212 and Manhattan
Matt Mantyla, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Margo Ottman, Wichita, and Kenneth Mantyla, Manhattan; Maize High School; power train team member.

Michael Simon, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Joe and Kim Simon; Wichita High School Northwest; volunteer/test team member.

From Wichita 67226
Colin Snyder, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Alan and Beth Snyder; Wichita High School Southeast; team systems engineer.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Silver Lake 66539
Trent Strunk, freshman in mechanical engineering; son of Michael and Kathleen Strunk; Silver Lake Junior/Senior High School; volunteer/test team member.

From Topeka 66606
Clay Cooper, junior in mechanical engineering; Topeka High School; volunteer/test team member.

COLORADO
From Centennial 80015
Ethan Ames, freshman in design; son of William and Jane Ames; Regis Jesuit High School, Aurora, Colo.; volunteer/test team member.

MINNESOTA
From Chanhassen 55317
Matt Petty, senior in mechanical engineering; son of David and Elizabeth Petty; Chaska (Minn.) Senior High School; team captain.

MISSOURI
From Lee’s Summit 64082
Adam Suppenbach, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Michael and Julie Suppenbach; Lee’s Summit Senior High School; power train team member.

From Wildwood 63040
Amy Erdbruegger, senior in mechanical engineering; daughter of Mark and Joy Erdbruegger; Eureka (Mo.) High School; suspension team member

Blake Slagle, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Morris and Bretta Slagle; Eureka (Mo.) High School; power train team member.

NEW MEXICO
From Espanola 87532 and Lawrence, Kan.
Len Necefer. SEE DOUGLAS COUNTY

OKLAHOMA
From McAlester 74501 and Okmulgee 74447
Phillip Twist, sophomore in mechanical engineering; son of Kevin Twist, McAlester, and Sherry O’Mara, Okmulgee; Morris (Okla.) High School; volunteer/test team fundraising chair.

TENNESSEE
From Memphis 38125
Alexander “Zandy” Woodruff-Hall, junior in mechanical engineering; son of Jacqueline Hall; Houston High School, Germantown, Tenn.; volunteer team member.

TEXAS
From Houston 77079
Alex Gladbach, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Joe Gladbach, Stratford High School; chassis team member.

JAPAN
From Urasoe
Hideki Onaga, senior in mechanical engineering; son of Seiji Onaga; chassis team member.

NIGERIA
From Lagos
Edirin Aghoghovbia, freshman in electrical engineering; son of Titi Aghoghovbia; Lawrence (Kan.) High School; volunteer/test team member.

SAUDI ARABIA
From Riyadh
Faisal Al Madani, senior in mechanical engineering; chassis team member.