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Knights Racing collection, 1972-2021

 

Summary

Creator:
University of Central Florida. Knights Racing
Elgohary, Tarek
Abstract:
This collection contains materials related to the Knights Racing program, which spawned from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) chapter at Florida Technological University, now University of Central Florida. Materials found in this collection include newspaper clippings, chapter documents, photographs, plaques, racing car designs, and more. This collection provides insight into the Knights Racing program at Florida Technological University (University of Central Florida) and the groups involved. The Knights Racing Program has been a staple of the University of Central Florida since the creation of the FTU chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in 1972. Before the program became widely known as "Knights Racing," the racing teams were simply referred to as simply the members of the ASME chapter. The program's name, "Knights Racing," originated with UCF's mascot change in 2007 which shortened the UCF's mascot from "The Golden Knights" to "The Knights." The Mini Baja Competition was coined under the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), who began to hold competitions for the Baja carts. This competition consists of students designing, building, and operating a recreational offroading vehicle. At the time of their creation, the Baja Racing Team and the Formula SAE team were one team; however, they separated in 2019 due to Student Government Association funding limitations. Since their divorce in 2019, the teams compete, design, and build their cars independently. As of 2021, the Formula SAE and Baja Racing Teams remain under the umbrella of the "Knights Racing Program" though they act independently.
Extent:
5 Linear Feet 9 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Knights Racing collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains materials related to the Knights Racing program, which spawned from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) chapter at Florida Technological University, now University of Central Florida. Materials found in this collection include newspaper clippings, chapter documents, photographs, plaques, racing car designs, and more. This collection provides insight into the Knights Racing program at Florida Technological University (University of Central Florida) and the groups involved.

Series I: Knights Racing, 1972-2017, undated, contains documents, newspaper clippings, negatives, slides, photographs, and award plaques relating to the general Knights Racing SAE program at UCF. The newspapers featured in the collection include the Seminole Outlook, Orlando Sentinel, Central Florida Future, The Planter, Outlook, Apopka Planter, CitizensÂ’ Outlook, and the Winter Garden Times. The corresponding film for the photographs in the "Developed Photos" folder in Box 7 is also included within Box 7.

Series II: Baja Racing Team, 1979-2017, undated contains documents, reports, calculations, scoring sheets, designs, media, photographs, and award plaques relating to the Baja SAE Racing Team under the Knights Racing Program.

Series III: Formula Racing Team, 1996-2021, undated contains documents, photographs, data analyses, a CD, and a USB drive relating to the Formula SAE Racing Team under the Knights Racing Program. The USB drive containing a copy of the FSAEM 2017 Cost Report was burned onto a CD and placed with the folder.

Biographical / historical:

The Knights Racing Program has been a staple of the University of Central Florida since the creation of the FTU chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in 1972. Before the program became widely known as "Knights Racing," the racing teams were simply referred to as simply the members of the ASME chapter. The program's name, "Knights Racing," originated with UCF's mascot change in 2007 which shortened the UCF's mascot from "The Golden Knights" to "The Knights." Much of the history surrounding the Knights Racing Program is unknown; however, the Knights Racing Program launched an unofficial effort to recover some of its history in 2021.

The Mini Baja Competition was coined under the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), who began to hold competitions for the Baja carts. This competition consists of students designing, building, and operating a recreational offroading vehicle. The first Mini Baja SAE Competition that UCF, then Florida Technological University (FTU), attended was the Mini Baja competition at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. As of 2021, these vehicles are tested on an off-road track where the car must survive a series of obstacles and a four-hour endurance race. According to the Knights Racing website, UCF has been a part of the SAE Baja competition from the humble beginnings of the competition. It was hosted on the FTU campus first in 1978, and again several times through to 1996. Since 1996, UCF has entered at least one car into the competition per year. According to the SAE website, there are three Baja competitions held per year: the West, East, and Central Competitions. The UCF Baja Racing Team attempts to compete in two out of the three competitions held annually.

The Formula SAE Team was developed later on in UCF's history. According to the 2021 president of the Formula SAE Team, Rebecca Vollmann, the Formula competitions began in 1981, but UCF did not begin to compete until 2000. As of 2021, SAE holds two Formula SAE competitions: the West Coast and the East Coast Competitions. The West Coast Competition is typically held in the California-Nevada region, whereas the East Coast Competitions is typically held in Michigan. The Formula SAE Team attempts to attend at least the East Coast Competition annually.

At the time of their creation, the Baja Racing Team and the Formula SAE team were one team; however, they separated in 2019 due to Student Government Association funding limitations. Since their divorce in 2019, the teams compete, design, and build their cars independently. As of 2021, the Formula SAE and Baja Racing Teams remain under the umbrella of the "Knights Racing Program" though they act independently.

Acquisition information:
Dr. Tarek Elgohary transferred these materials to the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives in 2018 (Accession no. CFU2018_28).
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in three series all of which are arranged chronologically and if they are undated, they are arranged by like-item.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Terms of access:

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Knights Racing collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Location of this collection:
John C. Hitt Library
12701 Pegasus Drive, Building 2
Orlando
FL
32816-8030
USA