Wreck Racing is a Georgia Tech

Georgia Institute of Technology

The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...

 automotive competition team, based in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering is the oldest and second largest department in the College of Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The school offers degree programs in mechanical engineering and nuclear and radiological engineering that are accredited by ABET...

. The team is composed of undergraduate and graduate students from the various schools within GA Tech and is based in the Student Competition Center

Student Competition Center

The Student Competition Center is a building at Georgia Tech, also known as the Mechanical Engineering Research Building or the "Tin Building," is home to GT Offroad, RoboJackets, GT Motorsports, and Wreck Racing. The building, operated by the George W...

 on the North edge of Tech's Atlanta campus. The team's main focus is in the design, fabrication, testing, and racing of production-based sports cars. Wreck Racing primarily competes in the Grassroots Motorsports Annual Challenge, but also has competed in local SCCA and BMWCCA events.

History

The Wreck Racing team was founded by Andrew Sullivan and Andy Powell, both Tech Alumni, and has been an officially chartered student organization since 2005 . Since the team was founded, membership has grown rapidly, and the team currently has approximately 40 active members.

Competition

Since 2005 Wreck Racing has competed in six annual GRM $20XX events and has competed with three separate vehicles including a 1980's VW GTI, a turbocharged E30 chassis BMW, and a V8-powered Mazda Miata. In 2010 Wreck Racing won the GRM $2010 Challenge, placing 1st overall, 1st in autocross, and 1st in concours, placing above many veteran teams and entries by several professional race shops .

Education

Another primary focus of Wreck Racing is to fortify scientific design and analysis methods taught in the GA Tech classrooms through practical application. The team frequently utilizes finite element and signal analysis, circuit design, CAD modeling and drawing, thermodynamic and fluid dynamic analysis, along with advanced fabrication techniques, such as state-of-the-art CNC milling, radiator fin augmentation, waterjet and plasma cutting, lathe operation, welding, and precision measuring with the goal of producing exceptional vehicle performance while remaining within the severe budget and time restrictions mandated by the competition rules .