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Racing toward innovation: Inside CU Boulder’s fastest student organization

Racing toward innovation: Inside CU Boulder’s fastest student organization

On any given weekend, tucked away in a Longmont workshop or tearing down a raceway in Daytona, CU Boulder students are doing something remarkable: building and racing their own cars. But CU Boulder Racing is far more than a high-speed hobby—it’s 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 from the ground up to compete in the prestigious Formula SAE competition, travels the country racing endurance cars against professional teams, and is now venturing into the electric vehicle (EV) frontier. With about 300 members across engineering, business, arts and sciences, and even English majors, CU Boulder Racing is one of the university’s largest and most multidisciplinary student-run organizations.

"It’s not just a race team," Malpass said. "It’s a team where students become engineers, project managers, designers, and leaders."

 
CU Boulder Racing team posing for group photo with Formula vehicle in front, at this year's Formula SAE competition in Michigan

The CU Boulder 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 in the world. Each year, student teams design, build, and race a new single-seater open-wheel vehicle guided by a thick rulebook and strict deliverables. CU Boulder’s Formula team has been on an upward trajectory—placing 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.

 
black FORMULA SAE vehicle with driver inside, dark background, CU Racing logo in front

A closer look at CU Boulder Racing's 2025 Formula SAE vehicle.

The competition, held each May in Michigan, begins with a heavy number of technical inspections. Teams must pass a tilt test, brake tests, decibel limits, and a comprehensive 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 finish the fix. Despite these obstacles and racing most events stuck in a single gear, the team completed every major section and walked away as the top Colorado team.

"That was a proud moment," Malpass said. "The team was up all night solving a really 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, CU Boulder Racing is charging into the future with a full-fledged electric vehicle initiative. Their EV team is currently designing a brand-new race car set to debut at Formula SAE Electric in June 2026. According to Malpass, building an EV is an entirely different challenge. Some components—like suspension geometry—can carry over, but major systems like the frame and powertrain must be reimagined for electric power.

"There’s stuff you can tweak and carry over," he said. "But there’s also stuff that’s totally different. It’s 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 into a dedicated team working on the design. As Malpass put it, "We’re optimistic. We know it’s a massive undertaking, but the team has the knowledge and motivation."

 
a group of male students standing outside, posing for group photo behind endurance racing vehicle with CU Boulder branding

CU Boulder Racing's endurance team standing alongside their endurance racing vehicle.

That same spirit of exploration and grit drives the team’s endurance racing efforts. CU Boulder Racing’s endurance division competes in production-based Mazda Miatas at tracks across the U.S., running in events that last anywhere from seven to 24 hours. Even club members with no driving experience are welcome to try out on their qualifying car.

"There’s a clear learning curve," Malpass said. "We have a lower-performance car to train people, and then the top drivers get into our 719 or 303 Miata. We’ve had people start from scratch and become some of our best drivers."

And it’s not just for fun. The professionalism of the team has been noticed across the country. In some cases, CU Boulder 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 element analysis, and design for manufacturing—topics that many students won’t see until late in their curriculum.

"We teach the stuff we wish we’d learned earlier," Malpass said. "So when members get to those classes or internships, they’re already ahead."

This year, the team brought a record 42 members to the Formula competition in Michigan. “Seeing them experience it for the first time—seeing the payoff for all those late nights in the shop—that’s what keeps people coming back,” he said.

That commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive space also drives the team’s Women in Motorsports initiative. Though racing and mechanical engineering remain male-dominated fields, CU Boulder Racing is working to change that. In recent years, they’ve seen significant growth in female membership and leadership. Some students have even joined the team specifically because of the welcoming environment.

"It’s not just about optics—it’s about culture," Malpass said. "We’ve hosted dedicated meetings, events, and conversations to make sure everyone feels like they belong here."

And it’s working. Female leads now play a major role across multiple divisions. The initiative, which started as a conversation, has become a structural pillar of the team’s recruitment and retention strategy.

 
Group of women standing, leaning into each other and smiling for a photo

CU Boulder Racing's Women in Motorsports division.

The results speak for themselves. 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 of our former members, Liam Travis, recently got hired by the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team," Malpass said. "It’s wild to think that what starts in our little shop in Longmont can lead to that."

Malpass, who is also minoring in engineering management, credits the club with shaping both his resume and his mindset.

"The majority of what I talk about in interviews comes back to this team," he said. "Whether it’s solving problems, leading people, or learning how to design something that actually gets built—it all comes from here."

As CU Boulder Racing prepares for another year, they are gearing up to welcome new members. The club recruits each fall and spring at events like the Engineering Immersion 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 don’t need to know anything when you start," Malpass said. "Just show up and be ready to learn. That’s all it takes."

In a university filled with clubs and organizations, CU Boulder Racing stands out not just for its speed, but for its commitment to growth, inclusion, and real-world experience. Whether students are machining parts at midnight or giving their first design presentation, they’re gaining something far greater than trophies.

They’re becoming engineers. And in the process, they’re proving that college students don’t just compete—they lead.