Specifications of #61

4130 "Chromoly" chassis
Front and rear parallel unequal length A-Arms w/ Fox Shocks
6 speed sequential shift w/ reverse gearbox
Standard 10HP Briggs and Stratton Model 20 engine w/ snorkel
Yamaha Limited-slip Differential
ITP 10" aluminum racing wheels; AT489 front tires / AMS "Swamp Fox" rear tires
Rack and pinion steering w/ 1.5 turns lock-to-lock
Tilton pedal assym. w/ hydraulic clutch
Kirkey aluminum seat with 4pt. harness
55W halogen lights

Weight: approx 450 lbs. Additional 100 lbs. with main and aft floatation
Max speed: approx 40 m.p.h. (land), approx 5 m.p.h. (water)
Suspension travel: 8" front / 4 " rear

Awards/Placing

Out of 75 registered teams, Missouri S&T placed:
1st in Mud Bog
10th in Land Maneuverability
16th Overall Dynamics
27th in Water Maneuverability
41st in Acceleration
46th in Sled Pull
26th position on starting grid for endurance race
Overall placed 35th
Excel version can be downloaded here.

The team got off to a great start. There were no major problems during the technical inspections or during the water roll test (inspectors tilt the vehicle 30 degrees to each side in the water and the vehicle must return upright when released). During the dynamic events, the car performed very well. The team could have done a better job during the water maneuverability, the result of not enough practice. The team gridded 26th for the endurance race. Once the race began, the team did an excellent job of staying with and ahead of the pack. Within the first three laps, S&T was among the top 15 teams. The cars faced many gruelling obstacles along the three mile track (with an integrated water course). About an hour into the race, a major problem occured. The shifter cable snapped, resulting in only having one selectable gear. The team successfully fixed the problem once but the cable failed again. The team was at a loss with only having the one cable. However, it was not the end for the team. The transmission was permanently placed in first gear, and it finished the race with no further problems.