Who is RIT Baja SAE?

RIOT Racing, RIT's Baja SAE club, has been a staple of the RIT community since the 80s. For decades, we have provided a space for engineering students (and beyond) at RIT to tie in their classroom learning with real-world applications through the design, manufacturing, and building of off-road racing vehicles.

Each year, our team creates a brand new race car to compete in three races against other schools from all across the country and the globe. The car races in rough, muddy, and exhilarating off-roading challenges that include going over jumps, agile maneuvering, and traversing rock gardens. Culminating in the pinnacle of the Baja SAE events, a four-hour-long endurance race, where all competitors race wheel to wheel to get as many laps around an obstacle-filled course as possible. The endurance race is unique because if a vehicle is taken off course at any point within those four hours, teams can work as quickly as possible to fix the damage and send their vehicle back out into the fray. However, the challenge begins long before the team arrives at a race.

Our team members spend over a year working together to research, test, and analyze previous years' vehicles to fuel innovative designs for next year’s vehicle. As a part of this, students work through the design process, including benchmarking, research, modeling, simulations, and prototyping. They also learn how to manufacture the parts they’ve designed, either by hand, working with fellow team members, or working with sponsors. Their tireless work and constant pursuit of knowledge have led to RIOT Racing placing within the top 10 in the competition for going on 15 years!

Connect with RIT Baja SAE!

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook