Racing toward innovation: Inside 窪蹋勛圖s fastest student organization
On any given weekend, tucked away in a Longmont workshop or tearing down a raceway in Daytona,泭窪蹋勛圖 students泭are泭doing泭something泭remarkable: building and racing their own cars. But 窪蹋勛圖 Racing is far more than a high-speed hobby勳喧s an engine of innovation, leadership, and community.
Led by Carson Malpass a senior in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, the team builds internal combustion race cars泭from泭the ground泭up to泭compete泭in泭the泭prestigious Formula泭SAE泭competition,泭travels泭the country泭racing泭endurance泭cars泭against professional teams,泭and泭is泭now泭venturing泭into泭the泭electric vehicle (EV) frontier. With about 300 members across engineering, business, arts and sciences, and even English majors, 窪蹋勛圖 Racing is one of the universitys largest and most multidisciplinary student-run organizations.
"梆喧s泭not泭just泭a泭race泭team,"泭Malpass泭said.泭"梆喧s泭a泭team泭where泭students泭become engineers,泭project managers, designers, and leaders."
The 窪蹋勛圖 Formula Racing team at this year's Formula SAE competition in Michigan.
That transformation begins with Formula SAE, one of the most rigorous student engineering competitions泭in泭the泭world. Each泭year,泭student泭teams泭design, build,泭and泭race泭a泭new泭single-seater open-wheel vehicle guided by a thick rulebook and strict deliverables. 窪蹋勛圖s Formula team has been on an upward trajectoryplacing 31st out of 120 teams in May 2025, their best finish since placing 20th in 2023. But the competition is about far more than speed. Teams are judged on design presentations, cost reports, business proposals, and how the car performs on the track.
A closer look at 窪蹋勛圖 Racing's 2025 Formula SAE vehicle.
The competition, held each May in Michigan, begins with a heavy number of technical inspections.泭Teams泭must泭pass泭a tilt泭test,泭brake泭tests,泭decibel泭limits, and泭a泭comprehensive泭safety inspection before even qualifying for the dynamic events. This year, the team encountered a major challenge the night before departure: a seized wheel bearing due to improper lubrication. With the trailer already packed, members stayed up overnight chiseling out the frozen part and grinding away each ball bearing. They ultimately secured liquid nitrogen through a helpful alum to泭finish泭the泭fix.泭Despite泭these泭obstacles and泭racing most泭events泭stuck泭in泭a泭single泭gear,泭the泭team completed every major section and walked away as the top Colorado team.
"That泭was泭a泭proud泭moment,"泭Malpass泭said.泭"The team泭was泭up泭all泭night泭solving a泭really泭technical problem and it all paid off. Those kinds of moments are what make this team special."
While the combustion team continues to fine-tune their design, 窪蹋勛圖 Racing is charging into泭the泭future泭with泭a泭full-fledged泭electric泭vehicle泭initiative. Their泭EV泭team泭is泭currently泭designing泭a brand-new race car set to debut at Formula SAE Electric in June 2026. According to Malpass, building泭an泭EV泭is泭an entirely泭different泭challenge.泭Some泭釵棗鳥梯棗紳梗紳喧莽l勳域梗泭suspension geometrycan carry over, but major systems like the frame and powertrain must be reimagined for electric power.
"啦堯梗娶梗s泭stuff泭you泭can泭tweak泭and泭carry泭over,"泭he泭said.泭"But泭喧堯梗娶梗s泭also泭stuff泭喧堯硃喧s泭totally different. Its a clean-sheet design in a lot of ways."
The transition has been years in the making, with early behind-the-scenes research now evolving泭into泭a泭dedicated泭team working泭on泭the泭design.泭As泭Malpass泭put泭it,泭"兜梗r梗泭optimistic.泭We know 勳喧s a massive undertaking, but the team has the knowledge and motivation."
窪蹋勛圖 Racing's endurance team standing alongside their endurance racing vehicle.
That same spirit of exploration and grit drives the 喧梗硃鳥s endurance racing efforts. 窪蹋勛圖 Racings endurance division competes in production-based Mazda Miatas at tracks across the U.S.,泭running泭in泭events泭that泭last泭anywhere from泭seven泭to泭24泭hours.泭Even泭club泭members泭with泭no driving experience are welcome to try out on their qualifying car.
"啦堯梗娶梗s a clear learning curve," Malpass said. "We have a lower-performance car to train people,泭and泭then泭the泭top drivers泭get泭into泭our泭719泭or泭303泭Miata. Weve泭had泭people泭start泭from scratch and become some of our best drivers."
And泭勳喧s泭not泭just泭for泭fun.泭The泭professionalism泭of泭the泭team泭has泭been泭noticed across泭the泭country.泭In some cases, 窪蹋勛圖 Racing has even outperformed fully professional or dedicated senior design teams.
Mentorship is at the heart of that success. Now in his fourth year, Malpass has shifted from building cars to building people. The club runs its own internal workshops in areas like computer-aided design (CAD), finite泭element泭analysis, and泭design泭for泭鳥硃紳喝款硃釵喧喝娶勳紳眶t棗梯勳釵莽泭that泭many泭students泭滄棗紳t泭see泭until late in their curriculum.
"We泭teach泭the泭stuff泭we泭wish泭滄梗d泭learned泭earlier,"泭Malpass泭said.泭"So泭when members泭get泭to those classes or internships, 喧堯梗聆r梗 already ahead."
This year, the team brought a record 42 members to the Formula competition in Michigan. Seeing泭them泭experience泭it泭for the泭first泭喧勳鳥梗s梗梗勳紳眶泭the泭payoff for泭all泭those泭late泭nights泭in泭the shop喧堯硃喧s what keeps people coming back, he said.
That commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive space also drives the 喧梗硃鳥s Women in Motorsports initiative. Though racing and mechanical engineering remain male-dominated fields,泭CU泭Boulder泭Racing泭is泭working泭to change that.泭In泭recent泭years,泭喧堯梗聆v梗泭seen泭significant growth in female membership and leadership. Some students have even joined the team specifically because of the welcoming environment.
"梆喧s泭not泭just泭about泭optics勳喧s泭about泭culture,"泭Malpass泭said.泭"兜梗v梗泭hosted dedicated泭meetings, events, and conversations to make sure everyone feels like they belong here."
And泭勳喧s泭working.泭Female泭leads泭now泭play泭a泭major泭role泭across泭multiple泭divisions. The泭initiative, which泭started泭as泭a conversation,泭has泭become泭a泭structural泭pillar of泭the泭喧梗硃鳥s泭recruitment泭and retention strategy.
窪蹋勛圖 Racing's Women in Motorsports division.
The泭results泭speak泭for泭themselves.泭Alumni have gone on to become professional race car drivers, compete in European NASCAR, pursue advanced degrees in automotive engineering and even join Formula One teams like Mercedes.
"One泭of泭our泭former泭members, Liam Travis,泭recently泭got泭hired泭by泭the泭Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS泭Formula One泭Team," Malpass泭said.泭"梆喧s泭wild泭to think that what starts in our little shop in Longmont can lead to that."
Malpass,泭who泭is泭also泭minoring泭in泭engineering泭management,泭credits泭the泭club with泭shaping泭both his resume and his mindset.
"The majority of what泭I泭talk泭about泭in泭interviews泭comes泭back泭to泭this泭team,"泭he said.泭"Whether泭勳喧s泭solving problems, leading people, or learning how to design something that actually gets builtit all comes from here."
As 窪蹋勛圖 Racing prepares for another year, they are gearing up to welcome new members.泭The泭club泭recruits泭each fall泭and泭spring泭at泭events泭like泭the Engineering泭Immersion泭and Be Involved Fair, where students can learn about both the Formula and Endurance divisions. Even those without prior experience are encouraged to dive in.
"You泭餃棗紳t泭need泭to泭know泭anything泭when泭you泭start,"泭Malpass泭said.泭"Just泭show up泭and泭be泭ready泭to learn. Thats all it takes."
In a university filled with clubs and organizations, 窪蹋勛圖 Racing stands out not just for its speed,泭but泭for泭its commitment泭to泭growth,泭inclusion,泭and real-world泭experience.泭Whether泭students are machining parts at midnight or giving their first design presentation, 喧堯梗聆r梗 gaining something far greater than trophies.
啦堯梗聆r梗泭becoming泭engineers.泭And泭in泭the泭process,泭喧堯梗聆r梗泭proving泭that泭college students泭餃棗紳t泭just competethey lead.