RIT Baja Racing secures top-10 finish against more than 100 teams at prestigious national off-road competition

Rochester, New York – A combination of engineering talent, teamwork, and fearless driving helped Rochester Institute of Technology’s Baja Racing team secure a place among the nation’s best this month, finishing ninth overall at the Baja SAE New York competition.

The event, held June 11-14 at the Hogback Hill Motorcross site, brought together 102 collegiate teams from across North America and beyond. More than 1,800 student engineers representing universities in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico spent months designing, building, and testing off-road vehicles before putting them through a demanding series of challenges designed to push both machines and teams to their limits.

For RIT, one of the standout moments came during the maneuverability event when driver Cole Fenton delivered a run that immediately captured attention.

Fenton, a mechanical engineering student from Vermont, guided the team’s Baja vehicle through a difficult course filled with tight turns and obstacles. At times, the racecar appeared to balance on only two wheels as it navigated the track at high speed. The dramatic performance thrilled spectators and judges alike.

His 54-second run was good enough for second place in the maneuverability competition, one of the event’s key dynamic challenges.

“Cole three-wheeled it; it was beautiful,” said Miles Tallia, his teammate, about the exciting 54-second run that put Fenton in second place in one of the four dynamic events at Baja New York.

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That performance contributed significantly to RIT’s strong overall showing. The team, consisting of nearly 40 students from various engineering disciplines, finished ninth overall among the international field. Along the way, RIT recorded top-10 finishes in design, cost, and business-related evaluations, demonstrating excellence beyond the racetrack itself.

The Baja SAE competition is designed to mirror real-world engineering projects. Teams are responsible for every aspect of the vehicle’s development, from concept and design to manufacturing and testing. Once completed, the vehicles must survive challenging conditions that include rough terrain, steep climbs, rocks, and endurance races that place tremendous stress on both machinery and drivers.

Success requires far more than speed. Students must solve technical problems under pressure, make strategic adjustments, and work effectively as a team throughout the event.

RIT’s racecar performed reliably throughout the competition weekend. Team members spent time fine-tuning different systems between events, making adjustments intended to improve handling and overall performance based on the unique demands of each challenge.

The team’s strongest results in dynamic competition came in maneuverability, but RIT also earned top-20 finishes in acceleration, suspension and traction events, as well as the grueling four-hour endurance race that traditionally concludes the competition.

Beyond the competitive aspect, Baja SAE events also serve as an important connection between students and industry professionals. Many companies attend the competitions to identify talented future engineers for internships, co-op opportunities, and full-time positions.

“The event is not only a competition for best car design and endurance but an opportunity for companies to recruit prospective co-ops or interns as well as employees,” said Steve Skurski ’15 (mechanical engineering technology), one of Baja SAE New York’s co-organizers with Andrew Beckmann ’15 (mechanical engineering). “This continues a long tradition of Baja alumni giving back to the series that jump-started their careers.”

Skurski knows the competition well. Now employed as a development engineer with The Raymond Corp., he previously served as RIT Baja’s team manager during the 2014-2015 season. Since graduating, he has remained involved with the event, helping organize and support the regional competition.

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For current team members, Baja Racing offers lessons that extend far beyond the classroom. Students gain hands-on experience solving complex engineering challenges while learning leadership, communication, and project management skills that will be valuable throughout their careers.

“Our biggest strengths are human power and tool power. This is a learning opportunity as much as a great event,” said Tallia, a fourth-year software engineering student from Brooklyn, N.Y. “We are able to take innovative, sometimes crazy ideas —and they work. My college career wouldn’t be the same without Baja.”

The strong finish adds another chapter to RIT Baja Racing’s history of competitive success and student innovation. As Baja SAE celebrates its 50th anniversary throughout 2026, the organization continues to showcase the next generation of engineers through competitions held across the country.

With events taking place this season in Oregon, New York, and later in Ohio, students continue to prove that engineering excellence is built not only in laboratories and classrooms, but also in muddy fields, rugged tracks, and high-pressure competitions where creativity and determination are put to the ultimate test.