Eastern Michigan University’s Baja racing team ranks second-fastest in Michigan, making history at the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers 2025 competition.
By Jahnavi Rambus, EMU
Eastern Michigan University’s Baja Racing Club made a bold return to competition this year, charging into the record books with a breakthrough performance. Earning the title of second-fastest four-wheel drive motorsport vehicle in Michigan and 66th place overall at the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2025 competition in Mechanicsville, Maryland, this marks the first time the team has officially qualified to compete, making their placement a defining milestone for EMU’s engineering and motorsports legacy.
“Our placement in Maryland means everything to me,” said Travis Kurth, an electrical and computer engineering senior and the club’s vice president. “Not only does it emphasize EMU’s exceptional engineering school, but it also reflects years of effort from dedicated students who took time out of their busy semesters to work together toward a common goal. It shows the hours of meetings, designing, and manufacturing needed to build a vehicle like this.”
During the 2023-24 academic year, the racing club prepared its Baja car to make an impression at the nationally acclaimed Williamsport competition in Pennsylvania last May. However, after passing multiple rounds built to test different areas of the car, the team was unable to complete the final inspection.
This year, the team was determined to reach the starting line with a new and improved “Eagle I”, a vehicle they’d been tinkering with since 2021. Out of 98 competing teams, EMU secured 66th place overall, outperforming programs such as Lake Superior State University, St. Clair County Community College, Lawrence Technological University, and Michigan State University.
“What everyone sees is the final result of how the car looks and performs,” said Natalie Falerios, a recent mechanical engineering graduate and former chief of engineering of Baja. “What everyone doesn’t see are the long days, late nights, stress, many discussions, problem solving, and sacrifices my team and I had to make throughout this past school year, where a majority of us were balancing heavy course loads and working.”
Comprised of engineering students from EMU’s GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology, the Baja SAE Racing Club’s mission is to design, build, test, and compete with the ultimate goal of engineering a top-performing Baja vehicle for national SAE competitions. Through this hands-on experience, team members gain real-world skills by translating classroom theory into practical design solutions and managing the complexities of a full-scale engineering project.
“The results of the race just further validated that working hard and doing everything with good intentions will always pay off,” said Falerios.
“The students on the team truly did an amazing job and deserve all the credit for this success,” said Andrew Mansfield, associate professor and Baja’s faculty advisor. “I would particularly like to recognize our student leaders, Dan DiGiovannantonio, Travis Kurth, Natalie Falerios, and Isaac LeBlanc for their hard work and dedication.”
The Baja Racing Club is part of the overall excellence of Eastern’s GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology, which supports engineering and technology initiatives that support student careers, including Digital Divas/Dudes, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicle research, and aviation, among others.
For more information on the Baja Racing Club, visit the website. For more information about the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology, visit the website.
Photo courtesy of EMU
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