Happy November!

Welcome to November! It has been an action-packed month filled with many accomplishments, events, and notable milestones. Take a moment to catch up on everything we’ve achieved together!

Special Guest: President Benson

President Benson visits the shop!

President Benson with the team
Photo Credit - Cristobal Santamaria

This month, we were delighted to host UT Dallas President, Dr. Richard Benson, for a special tour of our workshop. During his visit, he had the opportunity to see firsthand the remarkable work our team is doing. Dr. Benson was impressed by our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and engineering excellence, recognizing the dedication and passion that it takes to drive our projects forward.

The visit provided a chance for our members to discuss our goals, share the story behind our latest vehicle, and showcase how each part of our build process embodies the spirit of Dallas Formula Racing.

We’re grateful to President Benson for his encouragement and ongoing support—seeing our hard work recognized by UT Dallas leadership was truly rewarding!

Honey, We Got a Trailer!

A brand-new look to an old trailer

The new trailer and the 2024 car
Photo Credit - Rithvik Kaniganti

The Dallas Formula Racing trailer has arrived, and it’s a beauty! Custom-designed and freshly painted, the trailer symbolizes our team’s evolution and professionalism.

This new addition not only ensures that our car travels safely but also represents us proudly wherever we go. Shoutout to Gunnar Long, Keith Crossland, and all team members who worked diligently on this project.

From design concepts to logistics, every detail has come together, making it an achievement we’re all excited to celebrate. Next stop: taking our car to new places in style!

Behind-the-Scenes at Peterbilt: Facility Tour

A tour of Peterbilt

The team next to a Peterbilt truck
Photo Credit - Grant Mitchel

Thanks to our friends at Peterbilt, a group of us had the privilege of touring their facility this month. The tour offered insight into Peterbilt’s manufacturing techniques, from precision engineering to quality control measures.

This hands-on learning opportunity showed us the scale and discipline of a professional manufacturing operation, sparking fresh ideas for our team’s own processes.

Visits like these are crucial in connecting classroom knowledge to industry realities, and we are grateful to Peterbilt for their warm hospitality and inspiration!

The IC Chief Engineer, Zheer Seyan, excited to sit in a truck
Photo Credit - Grant Mitchel

Alumni Night: A Memorable Evening

A DFR throwback

Left to Right: Uday Matta, Arib Dhuka, Trey Howard, Ruger Carstens, Kevin Stack, Griffin Callahan, Rayyan Sappayani, Rachel Soetarman, Liam Hubbard
Photo Credit - Anastasia Garel

Our annual Alumni Night was a wonderful celebration of our team’s legacy, connecting our current members with those who have paved the way.

Alumni shared stories of past builds, discussed the lessons they learned in the world beyond university, and offered valuable advice to our current members. The evening highlighted how each generation of Dallas Formula Racing members contributes to our continuous improvement and resilience.

It’s always motivating to see how past members have taken the skills and experiences from DFR into successful careers, and we look forward to carrying on their legacy.

Engineering Gala

Time to get fancy!

On December 12th, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Dallas Formula Racing is proudly hosting its first inaugural Engineering Gala at the UTD Alumni Center. This milestone event brings together a diverse group of sponsors, alumni, faculty, and students to celebrate the team’s achievements and highlight its commitment to engineering excellence and innovation.

The event not only celebrates past achievements but also looks ahead, fostering excitement for the team’s upcoming competition season and future endeavors. The Engineering Gala will mark a new chapter in DFR’s journey, uniting the community in support of its mission to push the boundaries of engineering and design.

Click on the link below to RSVP for the Gala.

Member Shoutout

Carrigan Glatz

Carrigan Glatz posing with the trailer
Photo Credit - Rithvik Kaniganti

We’d like to recognize Carrigan Glatz, SAE Safety Lead, for her incredible work in creating a comprehensive safety document for the team. Her attention to detail ensures that our procedures and practices are safe and up to the latest standards.

Whether it’s designing safe work environments or ensuring that all team members understand safety protocols, her leadership in this area is essential for protecting both our team and our project.

Your commitment to safety doesn’t go unnoticed—thank you for your dedication!

Subteam Shoutout

The Treasurers

Abby Ayala (Left) and Safaa Siddiqui (Right) working on the tires at UTA Autocross.
Alondra Lopez and Keven Diaz are also our treasures.
Photo Credit - Renee Menezes

A special shoutout goes to our Treasury Subteam, who have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to manage DFR's finances.

They’ve been instrumental in organizing and tracking our budget, ensuring we have the necessary funds for materials, events, and competitions. From managing sponsorship funds to keeping our books in order, their contributions are crucial to our team’s smooth operation.

Thank you to the Treasury team for your hard work and dedication to keeping us on financial track!

Sponsor Shoutout

Sherwin-Williams

We’re thrilled to shine a light on Sherwin Williams, whose support has played a pivotal role in bringing our trailer vision to life.

Their contribution allowed us to create a custom-painted trailer that reflects our team’s identity and dedication to quality. With Sherwin Williams on board as a partner, we’re proud to carry their brand with us wherever we go.

Thank you, Sherwin Williams, for your commitment to Dallas Formula Racing and for helping us stand out on the road!

Thank you for reading, see you next month!