258 Organizations BAJA Blast Harding students drive innovation on and off the track Harding University’s Baja Racing team provided students with a unique opportunity to design, build and race a single-seat off-road vehicle as part of the Society of Automotive Engineers collegiate design series. The team, made up of engineering and business students, embraced a hands-on approach to learning by tackling real-world challenges in design and competition. Senior Lucas Rambo described the design process as one that started with building the car “from the ground up.” “This year, we prioritized weight reduction while maintaining or even increasing the strength of the components,” Rambo said. In September, the team competed near Flint, MI, finishing 25th overall out of 85 teams. Despite being in the bottom 5% in terms of funding, team size and student population, Harding’s team consistently performed well against competing universities. For team members, the competition marked the culmination of months of preparation. Senior Creed Daniel played a critical role in securing sponsorships and managing the team’s finances. “We were the only team competing from Arkansas, so we focused on utilizing sponsorships and marketing the vehicle,” Daniel said. The collaboration between engineering and business students demonstrated how diverse skills contributed to the team’s success. Beyond the competition, seniors like Rambo and Daniel saw the Baja team as a way to gain valuable life experience. Daniel emphasized how participating in the project boosted his resume. “We worked toward a common objective that went beyond a grade, delivering results to an audience outside the classroom,” Daniel said. Freshman Emily Miller expressed excitement about joining the team, sharing her enthusiasm for hands-on learning. TEAM PIC At a competition near Flint, Michigan, the Baja Racing team poses with their car. The team built the car from scratch. Photo courtesy of Paris Campbell “I’m excited to get some hands-on experience and problem-solving opportunities,” Miller said. “Designing things is really cool, and I can’t wait to be more involved.” As the Baja team prepared for the next competition, they applied lessons learned from previous years, particularly the importance of teamwork and collaboration. Rambo pointed out that a lot of knowledge had been passed down, but new members were always starting fresh, building everything from the ground up. “It’s really cool to build on this project over the next few years,” Rambo said. The team aimed to improve their design and performance, already making plans for the upcoming season. Their efforts created a strong foundation for success, blending technical expertise with business acumen and fostering long-term collaboration among Harding students. Written by Aja Griffin
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