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A damaged wheel knuckle proved to be a knuckle sandwich for the �ձ�av��Ƶ team competing at the national Baja SAE competition in Maryland June 12-17.

The wheel knuckle, which connects the wheel hub to the suspension and steering components, was damaged while the �ձ�av��Ƶ team was competing on the suspension course at Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland, according to Matthew Anderson, president of Desert Hare Offroad Club.

The contest, sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers, drew 98 teams from around the nation to the motocross park in southern Maryland.

As the team was making repairs, the course for the hill climb and maneuverability races closed two hours early because of impending weather. Earning zero points in those two races and just four out of 75 points in suspension and traction pretty well tanked the team’s chances for a high finish.

�ձ�av��Ƶ finished 64^th with 243 points out of a 1,000. Cornell University won the event with 979 points.

However, there were bright points. In the business presentation, �ձ�av��Ƶ went from 15 points in 2024 to 57 points in 2025. In the endurance race, �ձ�av��Ƶ set a team record of 15 laps (about 22.5 miles) and scored 98 points compared to last year’s 85 points.

Anderson said the team came away feeling positive about its efforts, adding, “We have a group of freshmen and sophomores that were excited to attend competition, and we are already thinking of ways our team can improve for next year.”

Baja SAE challenges engineering students to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain and, in some competitions, water. Each team’s goal is to design and build a prototype of an all-weather, rugged, single-seat off-road vehicle intended for sale to the nonprofessional off-road enthusiast.