Racing toward innovation: Inside 猫咪社区鈥檚 fastest student organization
On any given weekend, tucked away in a Longmont workshop or tearing down a raceway in Daytona,听猫咪社区 students听are听doing听something听remarkable: building and racing their own cars. But 猫咪社区 Racing is far more than a high-speed hobby鈥斁背兮檚 an engine of innovation, leadership, and community.
Led by Carson Malpass a senior in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, the team builds internal combustion race cars听from听the ground听up to听compete听in听the听prestigious Formula听SAE听competition,听travels听the country听racing听endurance听cars听against professional teams,听and听is听now听venturing听into听the听electric vehicle (EV) frontier. With about 300 members across engineering, business, arts and sciences, and even English majors, 猫咪社区 Racing is one of the university鈥檚 largest and most multidisciplinary student-run organizations.
"滨迟鈥檚听not听just听a听race听team,"听Malpass听said.听"滨迟鈥檚听a听team听where听students听become engineers,听project managers, designers, and leaders."
The 猫咪社区 Formula Racing team at this year's Formula SAE competition in Michigan.
That transformation begins with Formula SAE, one of the most rigorous student engineering competitions听in听the听world. Each听year,听student听teams听design, build,听and听race听a听new听single-seater open-wheel vehicle guided by a thick rulebook and strict deliverables. 猫咪社区鈥檚 Formula team has been on an upward trajectory鈥攑lacing 31st out of 120 teams in May 2025, their best finish since placing 20th in 2023. But the competition is about far more than speed. Teams are judged on design presentations, cost reports, business proposals, and how the car performs on the track.
A closer look at 猫咪社区 Racing's 2025 Formula SAE vehicle.
The competition, held each May in Michigan, begins with a heavy number of technical inspections.听Teams听must听pass听a tilt听test,听brake听tests,听decibel听limits, and听a听comprehensive听safety inspection before even qualifying for the dynamic events. This year, the team encountered a major challenge the night before departure: a seized wheel bearing due to improper lubrication. With the trailer already packed, members stayed up overnight chiseling out the frozen part and grinding away each ball bearing. They ultimately secured liquid nitrogen through a helpful alum to听finish听the听fix.听Despite听these听obstacles and听racing most听events听stuck听in听a听single听gear,听the听team completed every major section and walked away as the top Colorado team.
"That听was听a听proud听moment,"听Malpass听said.听"The team听was听up听all听night听solving a听really听technical problem and it all paid off. Those kinds of moments are what make this team special."
While the combustion team continues to fine-tune their design, 猫咪社区 Racing is charging into听the听future听with听a听full-fledged听electric听vehicle听initiative. Their听EV听team听is听currently听designing听a brand-new race car set to debut at Formula SAE Electric in June 2026. According to Malpass, building听an听EV听is听an entirely听different听challenge.听Some听肠辞尘辫辞苍别苍迟蝉鈥攍颈办别听suspension geometry鈥攃an carry over, but major systems like the frame and powertrain must be reimagined for electric power.
"罢丑别谤别鈥檚听stuff听you听can听tweak听and听carry听over,"听he听said.听"But听迟丑别谤别鈥檚听also听stuff听迟丑补迟鈥檚听totally different. It鈥檚 a clean-sheet design in a lot of ways."
The transition has been years in the making, with early behind-the-scenes research now evolving听into听a听dedicated听team working听on听the听design.听As听Malpass听put听it,听"奥别鈥檙别听optimistic.听We know 颈迟鈥檚 a massive undertaking, but the team has the knowledge and motivation."
猫咪社区 Racing's endurance team standing alongside their endurance racing vehicle.
That same spirit of exploration and grit drives the 迟别补尘鈥檚 endurance racing efforts. 猫咪社区 Racing鈥檚 endurance division competes in production-based Mazda Miatas at tracks across the U.S.,听running听in听events听that听last听anywhere from听seven听to听24听hours.听Even听club听members听with听no driving experience are welcome to try out on their qualifying car.
"罢丑别谤别鈥檚 a clear learning curve," Malpass said. "We have a lower-performance car to train people,听and听then听the听top drivers听get听into听our听719听or听303听Miata. We鈥檝e听had听people听start听from scratch and become some of our best drivers."
And听颈迟鈥檚听not听just听for听fun.听The听professionalism听of听the听team听has听been听noticed across听the听country.听In some cases, 猫咪社区 Racing has even outperformed fully professional or dedicated senior design teams.
Mentorship is at the heart of that success. Now in his fourth year, Malpass has shifted from building cars to building people. The club runs its own internal workshops in areas like computer-aided design (CAD), finite听element听analysis, and听design听for听尘补苍耻蹿补肠迟耻谤颈苍驳鈥攖辞辫颈肠蝉听that听many听students听飞辞苍鈥檛听see听until late in their curriculum.
"We听teach听the听stuff听we听wish听飞别鈥檇听learned听earlier,"听Malpass听said.听"So听when members听get听to those classes or internships, 迟丑别测鈥檙别 already ahead."
This year, the team brought a record 42 members to the Formula competition in Michigan. 鈥淪eeing听them听experience听it听for the听first听迟颈尘别鈥攕别别颈苍驳听the听payoff for听all听those听late听nights听in听the shop鈥敵俪蟛钩兮檚 what keeps people coming back,鈥 he said.
That commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive space also drives the 迟别补尘鈥檚 Women in Motorsports initiative. Though racing and mechanical engineering remain male-dominated fields,听CU听Boulder听Racing听is听working听to change that.听In听recent听years,听迟丑别测鈥檝别听seen听significant growth in female membership and leadership. Some students have even joined the team specifically because of the welcoming environment.
"滨迟鈥檚听not听just听about听optics鈥斁背兮檚听about听culture,"听Malpass听said.听"奥别鈥檝别听hosted dedicated听meetings, events, and conversations to make sure everyone feels like they belong here."
And听颈迟鈥檚听working.听Female听leads听now听play听a听major听role听across听multiple听divisions. The听initiative, which听started听as听a conversation,听has听become听a听structural听pillar of听the听迟别补尘鈥檚听recruitment听and retention strategy.
猫咪社区 Racing's Women in Motorsports division.
The听results听speak听for听themselves.听Alumni have gone on to become professional race car drivers, compete in European NASCAR, pursue advanced degrees in automotive engineering and even join Formula One teams like Mercedes.
"One听of听our听former听members, Liam Travis,听recently听got听hired听by听the听Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS听Formula One听Team," Malpass听said.听"滨迟鈥檚听wild听to think that what starts in our little shop in Longmont can lead to that."
Malpass,听who听is听also听minoring听in听engineering听management,听credits听the听club with听shaping听both his resume and his mindset.
"The majority of what听I听talk听about听in听interviews听comes听back听to听this听team,"听he said.听"Whether听颈迟鈥檚听solving problems, leading people, or learning how to design something that actually gets built鈥攊t all comes from here."
As 猫咪社区 Racing prepares for another year, they are gearing up to welcome new members.听The听club听recruits听each fall听and听spring听at听events听like听the Engineering听Immersion听and Be Involved Fair, where students can learn about both the Formula and Endurance divisions. Even those without prior experience are encouraged to dive in.
"You听诲辞苍鈥檛听need听to听know听anything听when听you听start,"听Malpass听said.听"Just听show up听and听be听ready听to learn. That鈥檚 all it takes."
In a university filled with clubs and organizations, 猫咪社区 Racing stands out not just for its speed,听but听for听its commitment听to听growth,听inclusion,听and real-world听experience.听Whether听students are machining parts at midnight or giving their first design presentation, 迟丑别测鈥檙别 gaining something far greater than trophies.
罢丑别测鈥檙别听becoming听engineers.听And听in听the听process,听迟丑别测鈥檙别听proving听that听college students听诲辞苍鈥檛听just compete鈥攖hey lead.