Wheaton Baja Racing Team Announces Its First-Ever Entry into the 2026 Competition!
Members of the Wheaton BAJA Team
Wheaton College is preparing for its first-ever appearance at the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2026 competition, scheduled for September 2026 in Ohio. Led by team captain Abby Craw (’27), the team is currently engaged in vehicle modeling, dimensional analysis, and subsystem-level design for a purpose-built off-road vehicle. This milestone marks a bold step forward for engineering at Wheaton. Wheaton.
What is Baja SAE?
Baja SAE is one of the world’s most prestigious and technically demanding intercollegiate engineering competitions, organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Participating teams design, engineer, manufacture, and validate a single-seat, all-terrain vehicle intended for rugged, real-world use by non-professional off-road enthusiasts. The competition mirrors a real industry product development cycle, emphasizing safety, durability, manufacturability, and performance. Wheaton College will compete against more than 110 undergraduate and graduate engineering teams such as Cornell University, Purdue, John Hopkins, and many others.
For those unfamiliar with Baja, the vehicles resemble high-performance dune buggies. They must endure rugged terrain, traveling over logs and boulders, through mud, and up steep dirt hills. Although every team uses the same engine, students design and assemble the drivetrain, suspension, frame, and braking systems. During the competition, students fill every role, from driver to pit crew, making it a fully immersive engineering experience.
Suspension & Steering Team
Building Wheaton's
Baja Racing Team
Founded in 2024 by Abby Craw with the help of Luke Fugere (’27), Drew Burkhart (’25), and Asher Jones (’27), the Wheaton Baja SAE team is preparing to enter competition for the first time after establishing a strong leadership structure and technical foundation. The team is organized into three engineering subteams—Suspension & Steering, Drivetrain & Ergonomics, and Frame & Brakes—each responsible for subsystem design and system integration. Leadership for the 2025–2026 academic year includes Abby Craw, Luke Fugere, Sofia Tavarez (’27), and Auden Spencer (’27). Since Fall 2025, the team has met weekly to advance Computer-aided Design (CAD) development, ensure rules compliance, and validate design decisions.
Drivetrain & Ergonomics Team
As a first-year competitor, the team initially faced the challenge of defining a clear roadmap. However, following Abby Craw’s internship with Polaris Inc. in Summer 2025, the team gained valuable exposure to industry-standard vehicle design. Craw secured the internship through the Society of Women Engineers Conference career fair and primarily worked in the Advanced Product Development group on model utility products. Her focus included prototype suspension systems, an essential component of any Baja vehicle. Reflecting on her experience, Craw shared that she dedicated the entire summer to understanding vehicle architecture and the product development process—knowledge that proved crucial for launching the team.
Frame & Brakes Team
“I know that competition drives inspiration and pushes people to work hard, but having a shared purpose builds community really well. Building a strong engineering community and lasting friendships through Baja is a huge goal.”
Abby Craw ('27)
Although this is Craw’s first time starting a team, her vision is clear: to create a collaborative and inspiring community for vehicle enthusiasts regardless of major. She emphasizes that the process matters most: learning together, gaining hands-on experience, and understanding how engineering decisions unfold in real time.
This hands-on experience allows students to apply classroom knowledge in a setting where they make real decisions and learn from the outcomes. Additionally, as a Christian liberal arts college, the team seeks to demonstrate that Wheaton aims to demonstrate that its engineers design with excellence while remaining deeply committed to caring for others.
Preparing for the Competition
According to Craw, the team’s first objective is to successfully pass technical inspection, a rigorous evaluation of safety and functionality that enforces strict engineering standards. Passing inspection is essential as it is the gateway to every dynamic event. Beyond inspection, the vehicle will compete in multiple dynamic events, including acceleration, maneuverability, hill climb and traction, suspension testing, and a demanding four-hour endurance race that tests mechanical durability and reliability. Teams must also deliver a formal business presentation, pitching their vehicle as if presenting to a potential consumer. This event evaluates the product’s value proposition and market feasibility, offering students a glimpse into the real-world business side of engineering.
Baja SAE demands more than technical skill. It requires collaboration, project management, formal design reviews, presentations to industry judges, and active fundraising. The Wheaton team’s mission is not only to compete, but to cultivate a thriving community of Christian engineers and passionate vehicle enthusiasts.
Support the Team
As the Wheaton College Baja Racing team prepares for its first-ever competition, sponsorships and financial support are welcomed to support manufacturing, testing, and competition logistics. Click the button below to make a gift for the team and designation to Wheaton College Baja Racing Team!
This hands-on experience allows students to apply classroom knowledge in a setting where they make real decisions and learn from the outcomes. Additionally, as a Christian liberal arts college, the team seeks to demonstrate that Wheaton aims to demonstrate that its engineers design with excellence while remaining deeply committed to caring for others.
Preparing for the Competition
According to Craw, the team’s first objective is to successfully pass technical inspection, a rigorous evaluation of safety and functionality that enforces strict engineering standards. Passing inspection is essential as it is the gateway to every dynamic event. Beyond inspection, the vehicle will compete in multiple dynamic events, including acceleration, maneuverability, hill climb and traction, suspension testing, and a demanding four-hour endurance race that tests mechanical durability and reliability. Teams must also deliver a formal business presentation, pitching their vehicle as if presenting to a potential consumer. This event evaluates the product’s value proposition and market feasibility, offering students a glimpse into the real-world business side of engineering.
Baja SAE demands more than technical skill. It requires collaboration, project management, formal design reviews, presentations to industry judges, and active fundraising. The Wheaton team’s mission is not only to compete, but to cultivate a thriving community of Christian engineers and passionate vehicle enthusiasts.
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Members of the Wheaton BAJA Team /prod02/channel_1/t4_pending/media/engineering/Steering--Suspension-Subteam-(1)-920X630.jpg)
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