<'2017 PRIME Baja SAE Korea' Car Parade>
The PRIME Baja SAE KOREA at Yeungnam University 2017 completed a passionate three day schedule and closed its curtains on the 15th.
This year marks the 22nd anniversary and was joined by three universities from abroad including Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi and Chulalongkorn University of Thailand, and Singapore Polytechnic, as well as Chungnam National University Korea University of Technology and Education, Korea Aerospace University, and Hongik University for a total of 34 teams from 24 universities from Korea and other parts of the world to take part in a passion-filled race.
<'YUSAE 16' team that won best overall>
Lee Gyu-ik (21), a sophomore at Keimyung University Department of Mechanics and Automobile Engineering, who participated in this event as the driver for the 'Speeding' team, said, "This is the third time I am participating in this event following 2014 and 2015. I've taken part in various self-made automobile competitions not only at YU, but also in the US and in Gunsan. However, Baja SAE Korea held at YU has the best off-road track. It is a shame that compared to the excellent infrastructure, there are not that many participating teams. I hope that next year more students will participate and create a festival for everyone." He added, "I've finished my military service so I am now starting to study my major in earnest as a sophomore and I am highly interested in the automobile design field. My experience participating in self-made automobile contests for several years will help me greatly in studying my major."
At this year's competition, the YU 'YUSAE 16' team took the overall best award and received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award, a trophy, winner's flag and a cash prize of 3 million won. 'YUSAE 16', which is a team comprised of students in the YU self-made automobile club 'YUSAE', won the event for two straight years now once again demonstrating that it is the top in self-made automobile competitions. Second place overall went to the ‘S.E.C-TU’ team of Tongmyung University, and third place went to the 'Dynamics' team of Hannam University.
<Participants preparing for the static test>
At 9 a.m. on the 13th, which was the first day of the event, the participants completed their registrations and then proceeded with the static test to check the creativity of the automobile design, structural safety, driver convenience, ease of maintenance, and potential for mass production, and also held basic braking tests and rule meetings late into the evening.
<Dynamic test>
In the morning of the 14th, with the attendance of all of the participating teams, volunteers, sponsors, etc., the official opening ceremony was held and the participating teams held a car parade at the main field and roads near the school. In the afternoon, dynamic tests on acceleration, top speed, and rock climbing were held. On the last day of the 15th, the durability test, which is the highlight of the event, was held at a 3.5km long off-road track at the mountain behind the YU water purification center.
<'Durability test', the highlight of the competition>
YU Department of Automotive Engineering Professor Hwang Pyeong, who was the chairperson of the event, said, "I am convinced that the students will have experienced and felt many things while running around in the hot weather and taking part in the automobile design, production and operation." He added, "Regardless of the results and rankings, the theories they learned in the classroom and the on-site experience through this contest will be valuable assets to students."
The 'Baja SAE Korea' is a contest in which college students demonstrate automobiles that they made and first began in 1996. In 2001, it received approval from the US SAE for the first time in Korea and has become an international event and is being held annually at YU. The results are announced to the entire world through the official homepage of SAE (www.sae.org) and publications.
