It was a cold morning at the motocross track in Arkansas, Wis. that was to host the 2007 UW-Stout mini-baja invite. There was even patchy snow on some of the fields in the surrounding area.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee mini-baja team, a little known entity that resides in EMS E388, has been preparing for months for the first event of the season. Even though it was only a regional competition, some of the most prestigious schools of the Midwest were represented, including the University of Wisconsin, the University of Iowa (Hawkeyes) and Michigan Tech.

Against these formidable opponents, your UWM Mini-Baja team entered the race with a vehicle that was too heavy, too slow and too old. From the beginning, the odds were against the Panthers.

All the other schools entered a minimum of two, and some entered three vehicles. All of these cars were 100-200 pounds lighter, had superior components, were built with all the necessary tools and were hauled in covered trailers with donated tow vehicles.

UWM refused to be fazed by all of this show. The team was gunning for a middle of the pack finish, and worked hard to attain it.

The start of the race offered a boost in morale that only an inexperienced freshman could gauge. As the flag hit the ground, Colin Westcot assumed the lead and was able to hold off the formidable Wisconsin car for four laps.

The only trouble UWM encountered the entire race came at the end of Westcot’s 45-minute stint when the brake light melted into the exhaust and the two front tires lost nearly all their pressure.

With those problems solved, Chris Pegalow assumed command and put the car to its limits. He commanded it with a precision allowing the Panthers to rack up laps while other less durable vehicles were punished in submission.

Kevin Rammer, proved his nickname, Ramrod, true as he maintained the momentum, gaining position in a true tortoise vs. hare race. He made his way through the field as others broke down, and was able to avoid any problems of his own.

Colin Wescot drove in ways that would make Tommi Makinen blush. He powered through the limping hares, as they were unable to stand the test of time. UWM encountered no further problems, as the team’s car was built as tough as they come.

It was not until dinner later that night that the team found out how well it had done. The buzz around the track at the end of the event indicated a possible 3rd place finish, which had everyone ecstatic.

After consuming ungodly amounts of pizza, the UWM racers sat at attention to hear the finish. “With 57 laps, the University of Iowa is our 3rd place recipient,” stated the host of the event.

Teammates were not sure what this meant for them; they knew the Iowa car had been out for a long time, but could also remember seeing it lap their car time and time again when it came back into the field.

“With 58 laps in an extremely close finish, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is our runner up.” The Panthers’ table erupted in cheers, as this was one for our record books. “In first place with 61 laps, Michigan Tech is the winner of the 2007 UW-Stout Backwoods Baja.” This was perhaps the most shocking fact; UWM had come so close to victory, against what is possibly the best Baja-Car in the Midwest. This truly gives some weight to the notion that, “Slow and steady wins the race.”

Next year the Panthers team will be entering its 30th year of competition in the SAE Mini-Baja series. It will be building a new Baja-Car that should greatly enhance its competitiveness in future events.

The current car will be fielded with the intentions of lasting the entire race. The new car will be built with newer, stronger and lighter components that should give it an edge. UWM wants to show off its engineering might by making a vehicle what will rival all others in the Midwest. The team is also looking for those who would like to be a part of forging the future of the organization. For more information, contact either President Cody Krueger at CJK4@uwm.edu or Mitchell Crawford at MSC@uwm.edu.

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