Baja NOW Weekly Update: Week of January 28, 2018
It was a special day for the Iowa Baja team. For the first time, the entire team traveled to the Iowa Baja Off-Site Vehicle Testing Area for new members to have a chance to learn how to drive one of the Baja Vehicles.
The Iowa Baja Off-Site Vehicle Testing Area is new to Iowa Baja for this year. Spanning over 13.5 Acres, it is used to ensure our designs are capable enough to withstand real-world abuse. While our designs are acutely based on proven formulae and design, some scenario's are better tested in the real world.
Car 88 moving through the maneuverability portion of the Test Site
After a quick drivers briefing to ensure all members were aware of the layout of the track, members began to get their first experiences with the Baja vehicles. They tested high-speed stability on the gravel track, then learned how to maneuver the vehicles in adverse conditions properly
“With the Off-Road Testing Track, we are able to teach newer members how to handle the vehicles in a safe & controlled environment. This not only teaches them what the limits of the car are but will give them more confidence before they compete in an actual race”
As expected, the members enjoyed determining the unique handling characteristics of the car. At the same time, the vehicles were able to display the durability of our designs, having no issue handling the terrain.
To cap off the day, the members of the Baja Team competed against one another to see who could enter the vehicle and strap into the safety belts in the shortest amount of time. To test this, members were required to get into the driver's seat, buckle the 5-point racing harness, complete a lap around an obstacle, unbuckle and get out of the car. It is quite difficult, due to the small nature of the cockpit of the vehicle. Unsurprisingly, this competition was won by Members Rob Pohren & Mitchell Evens, aided by their experience racing other vehicles with a similar harness design.
“I’m happy we had the opportunity to take members out to our newly acquired test-site for the first time. The team loves the site and we are excited about all the potential it has for us as we test, and prove our, designs.”