Aztec Racing Formula SAE Team is a 501(c)3 non-profit student-run organization at San Diego State University. The purpose of the team is to promote collegiate education through the design, manufacturing and marketing of a small, open wheel racecar. The cars are built with a team effort in under one year and are taken to the annual competition for judging and comparison with approximately 80 other racecars from colleges and universities throughout the world. The end result is a great experience for young students in a meaningful engineering project as well as the opportunity of working in a dedicated team effort.
Lormac Plastics is an official sponsor of the program and is working with the student engineers on the design and production of custom vacuum formed plastic body panels. Lormac Plastics will donate design assistance, machine time, and materials to assist the students and program. “We are excited and proud to be working with such a talented group of engineering students” says Steve Klopf, President of Lormac Plastics. “Lormac strives to give back to the community in meaningful ways, especially when its students and race cars!”
The engineering students spend most of their time focused on the functionality of the car to ensure that it will perform without breaking down. With limited time and resource, the body panels and aesthetics of the car take a back seat. “Historically, body panels have been the ugly duck of our car in that there were never enough resources to put in the grueling time and effort in order to make our car look as good as it can. When I heard about the possibility of going plastic with our car, and the ease with which we can accomplish this goal, I was truly excited” said Rida Alvi, President of the Aztec Racing Team. “… having a sponsor as engaged and willing as Lormac Plastics provides the added dimension of a true partnership and keeps the team excited to pursue goals that were previously out of reach.”
About San Diego State University Aztec Formula SAE Team: San Diego State University’s SAE student chapter has a history of collegiate racing teams. It started with a number of successful showings in the Mini Baja Competition, with such achievements as 4th place in cost analysis, 3rd place in maneuverability, and a 7th place finish in the 1980’s and early 1990’s.
SDSU then moved on to the larger Formula SAE competition, with their first successful showing in 1994. The team struggled with a lack of funding and organization for the next few years. However, they were determined to succeed, and in 2004 began building a car that would reinvigorate the Aztec Racing tradition. The hard work paid off, as SDSU Formula Racing’s 2008 team was given the SAE Perseverance Award for being one of the top three rookie teams at the FSAE West Competition in Fontana, California. In 2012, the team presented a newly designed “AR-12” formula racing car that was very successful, and for the first time in Aztec Racing History, completed all racing events – a feat less than half of teams were able to complete.
About Lormac Plastics, Inc.
For over 45 years Lormac Plastics has specialized in providing high quality, custom vacuum and pressure formed products for a variety of modern design technology industries. Lormac Plastics occupies a modern, well-equipped, 10,000 square foot facility conveniently located between San Diego and Los Angeles in Escondido, California.
