College Students Formula SAE Competition Returns to Pontiac, Michigan, May 19-23, 2004

PONTIAC, Mich., May 12, 2004 -- 1500 college students comprising 140 collegiate engineering teams will converge on Pontiac Michigan next week for the annual Formula SAE Competition. Since 1981, the competition has challenged student teams to design & build small formula-style (open-wheel racing) cars and compete with them, meeting strict safety and design guidelines. It is one of the world's most prestigious collegiate engineering competitions.

A truly international event, Formula SAE attracts both male and female engineering students from every major continent. General information is as follows:

   What:          Formula SAE
   Who:           SAE International
   Where:         Pontiac Silverdome Grounds, Pontiac, MI
   When:          May 19-23, 2004
   On-line Info:  http://www.sae.org/students/fsaeeventinfo.htm
   Schedule:      Wednesday, May 19 - Team Registration and Set-up
                  Thursday, May 20 - Design & Cost Judging (8 am to 5 pm)
                  Friday, May 21 - Dynamic Events (8 am to 5 pm)
                  Saturday, May 22 - Endurance Event (8 am to 5 pm)
                  Sunday, May 23 - Design Finals (7 am) - Awards
                   Ceremony (1 pm)

The competition is the culmination of a hands-on collegiate curriculum that gives students the opportunity to transfer engineering theories to real- world application. The program also teaches concepts of project management, budgeting, and teamwork vital to their future careers in the real-world of modern automotive engineering.

The outdoor events are free for the public to attend, however, space and amenities are limited. The dynamic events on Friday and Saturday are the most accessible and entertaining for spectators, and journalists.

SAE is a non-profit engineering and scientific organization dedicated to the advancement of mobility technology to better serve humanity. Nearly 84,000 engineers and scientists who are SAE members develop technical information on all forms of self-propelled vehicles, including automobiles, aircraft, aerospace craft, trucks, buses, marine, rail and transit machinery. This information is disseminated through SAE meetings, books, electronic products and databases, technical papers, standards, reports, and professional development programs.