Ready for the race!

Manipal: Team Manipal Racing (TMR), Manipal’s only Baja racing team, is ready for its stint at the Baja New York 2010 to be held in June this year. The prestigious race, held in Rochester in New York, is one of the few races in the world which incorporates competitions on off-road terrains, and has participants from colleges from all over the world.

Manipal’s only entrant for the Baja New York is TMR, which comprises of members from Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT). “Learning from our Baja Wisconsin experience in 2009, our technical team has come up with a commendable design this year which will give the other teams a tougher competition,” said Karan Sharma, a final year student of MIT, and the team captain. “The design of the car is ready, the steel and the other parts have arrived from the US via Europe and Singapore, the University has provided us with necessary permissions, and the manufacturing of the car will start on February 15”, he added.

The team has also decided to start a course on the functioning and working of all-terrain vehicles, which will be open to all first and second year's of MIT. The course is designed to enable the participants to be able to design a similar vehicle all on their own. It will also serve as a means to finding potential members for the team who are qualified and passionate enough to carry it forward. Registrations for it have started and will end on February 15. Each participant will be charged Rs 3000 for the course, all of which will go towards the sponsorship of the team. It is a 22 hour long course, to be conducted three days a week for an hour and a half per day. TMR has tied up with Metawings, a company dealing in all-terrain vehicles, and are trying to get professionals from the company to teach the course, which will also include the management aspect of such a race.

The University has given the team a deadline of Mar 31st for the preparation of the car which will participate in the race from 10th-30th June. As of now, 17 members are going to New York for the race. The sponsorship money will cover the accommodation. If it is not enough to pay for their travel, that will be borne by the members themselves.

“Delhi College of Engineering and Maharaja Agrasen College in Delhi are also sending teams of 10 and 13 respectively, for the same event. We are in talks with them, and we will collectively volley for a corporate discount on our travel,” said Sharma.

Once the race is over, the University will evaluate the car and will give sponsorship money accordingly. After last year’s race, the University agreed to clear a Rs 3.5 lakh deficit of the team.

“We are more experienced now, and are confident of a good position. It will also be a good learning experience. The team might get more members to go to New York, depending upon the interest shown by its members. We are even ready to send first and second years. We are looking forwards to a good race and a rich experience,” added Karan.

Sub-edited by: Kerban Billmoria