The MSU Texas Formula SAE Racing Team gained experience after producing its first race car in the Spring of 2022, capped by competing in a national event at Michigan.

But getting a car ready for the Formula SAE Michigan (May 17-20, 2023) in Brooklyn, Michigan, is still quite an undertaking that requires teamwork in the garage and sponsorship from the community.

Having a car to show sponsors is a positive for the 2022-23 team, said Trevon Antoine, Chief of Safety/Powertrain & Drivetrain Team Lead.

“The whole team enjoyed going to Michigan last year, and we had the opportunity to see that we could build a car,” said Trevon Antoine, Chief of Safety/Powertrain & Drivetrain Team Lead. “Being able to know that we can actually build a car did a lot for us, especially being able to motivate the next generation.”

The ability to show sponsors the car is a positive for the 2022-23 team. A year ago, they were selling a dream. This time they have the 2022 car for display, and it's a constant reminder of success. To make a gift to the Formula SAE team, visit the team’s web page.

“In the start it’s all theoretical, all design,” Antoine said. “You don’t see anything being built, so some of the guys might be like, hey, are we really building something, or are we just going through calculations?"

The team says the Wichita Falls community came together to “push us over the line” in 2022, and they’re hoping for more sponsorship again this year. “This year, we actually have a car and can welcome sponsors to the garage. We’ve had the car downtown and had kids take pictures in it. We want them to feel as involved as possible, and we have something to show them.”

The trip to Michigan is a chance at making important connections, too. There is dialogue with other college teams who have gone through the same challenges and networking opportunities in the industry.

Students of the MSU Texas FSAE gain additional practical engineering experience, are competitive in the job search, and go on to become brilliant engineers, project managers, and inventors. “We had some guys do internships at General Motors and Tesla interviews and other companies in the automotive field, too,” Antoine said.

Chief Engineer Sharome Burton recently accepted an engineering internship with Applied Materials in Austin.

The team, which has more than a dozen members this year, is open to students from any major, not just engineering. “As long as you’re interested in what we do, we need people from marketing and communication, too,” Antoine said.

The team has to submit its document submissions by April 3 and plans to launch in mid-April to give the sponsors and supporters a chance to see the new race car when all the design meetings and work in the garage transition to a dream realized.

The team’s sponsors include Airgas Wichita Falls, the Sharp Iron Group, The Friedkin Group, The Burn Shop, Greg Ciuba’s Paint and Body, Liberty’s Forge, MasterCam Solidworks, 4 Wheel Performance, and McCoy College of Science, Mathematics & Engineering.  

“I would like to sincerely thank the sponsors who are supporting our cause this season for taking their valuable time and resources to help us see our vision take physical form,” Burton said. “Their investments in the team will help current, and future students thrive in our program and encourage us to become exceptional, responsible professionals who will give back to the community in turn.”