Cedarville students to compete in race car competition
Team in Florida this weekend for $2,000 challenge.
This weekend, a team of local university students will travel to Florida to compete in a unique competition that asks the question, “What kind of race car can you make with $2,000?”
Six senior mechanical engineering students and professor Jay Kinsinger from Cedarville University this will travel to Gainesville to compete in the Grassroots Motorsports $2,000 Challenge on April 6-7.
The team includes Tim Junker, of Cedarville; Ryan Cole, of Cedarville; Kennedy Southland, of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Will Hanak, of Hebron, Kentucky; Zach Denlinger, of Zionsville, Indiana; and John Thomson, of Greenwood, Missouri.
Their vehicle is a salvaged 1995 Mercedes C-class sedan, which the college said has been extensively modified to enhance its performance, including stripping 2,000 pounds from its total weight and redesigning its aerodynamics.
Vehicles in the competition are evaluated in three categories: autocross, drag racing and a concours d’elegance, testing the vehicle’s speed, performance and looks while keeping costs under $2,000.
Kinsinger said, “The tight budget necessitates creative problem-solving and unconventional approaches to engineering. Our goal is to build the best race car within the competition’s constraints.”
This year’s team has poured their hearts into the project, and we’re optimistic about our prospects,” he said. “We’re aiming for a podium finish.”
Cedarville University previous competed in 2022 with a 1957 Nash Metropolitan, with the team winning 11th place overall and taking first for the vehicle’s design.