Navigate Left
  • Lunar Market customers taking a look at a vendor business. Taken by Julianna Rose on Dec. 2, 2023.

    Arts & Entertainment

    Lunar Market’s growth in the Chico community

  • Damage to Pickup After Accident

    News

    Lane closed due to traffic accident at East Ninth and Bartlett Streets 

  • Arti-ji frying jalebis. Photo taken July 22 by Molly Myers.

    Food

    Arti’s jalebis: A life-changing Indian sweet 

  • Freshly harvested bok choi, baby spinach, cabbages and broccoli at a Wednesday Farmers Market from Lor’s Produce. Taken by Alina Babajko on March 13.

    Food

    Local produce benefits community and your health

  • My silver hero plant, in front of another variety of Scindapsus pictus. Taken by Heather Taylor on March 13.

    Opinion

    New growth: Reflections on houseplants and life

Navigate Right
Breaking News
Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Baja Club Stays Low in Plumas

Baja+Club+students+working+on+their+car.+Photo+credit%3A+Julian+Mendoza
Baja Club students working on their car. Photo credit: Julian Mendoza

Every Monday and Wednesday, dozens of students arrive in the parking lot located in Plumas Hall, discussing, experimenting, engineering and getting their hands dirty on the old version of their car for Baja Club.

IMG_1663.JPG
A baja club student working on a car part. Photo credit: Julian Mendoza

The Baja Club has been working on their cars until as late as four in the morning. They use what they learn in class for competitions against other schools across the nation.

Baja Club is part of the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers, a global organization specializing in getting engineering students to work together to create an off-road vehicle designed to navigate rough terrain.

Chico State has been a part of SAE Baja since 1986, where they have designed a new car every year and compete with other schools.

Perrey Cheney joined Baja Club two years ago when he came to Chico. He doesn’t remember whether he saw them at Wildcat Welcome or Choose Chico Day. He does remember thinking that Baja was cool.

“I saw it and I was like ‘These seem cool they know what they’re doing real engineering work, applying everything they’re learning in class,” Cheney, who is now the president of the Baja club said.

IMG_1657.JPG
Photo credit: Julian Mendoza

The club is split up by different groups of students working together on one part for their car. Areas of practice featured include:

  • Chassis
  • Suspension
  • Steering
  • CVT
  • Gearbox
  • Data Acquisition
  • Brakes and Throttle
  • Ergonomics

IMG_1660.JPG

“The club’s main purpose is to supplement all the students for applying what they learned in engineering coursework. That’s kind of the whole premise of why Baja exist as an international organization,” Cheney said.

The club organizes into their own sub-teams for each part of the car, letting younger students understand what design work is being done since it is master level coursework.

IMG_1662.JPG
An Arduino board used on the car. Photo credit: Julian Mendoza

Last semester, the Baja Club entered two competitions, there are only three official competitions throughout the year. In SAE Baja-Midwest, the 2019 Tennessee competition, their car got 12th place out of 89 and their suspension won second place.

The Baja Club designs a new car every year. The rules could change every year, such as getting bonus points for including four-wheel drive.

Desirae Jones is the main driver and the suspension lead for the car, and currently they are going through the geometry of the car. According to Jones, if the suspension is weak, then the car could get easily damaged.

She has been in the Baja Club for five years. According to Cheney, she is the smallest and lightest person, despite the fact that she has been the club the longest.

“We all just like it that’s it! That’s it!” Jones said. “You almost learn more in this club than you do in classes because you get to apply what you’re learning and it honestly helps you more with getting jobs or internships.”

Another reason Jones is the main driver is because she has had experience with off-road racing, seeing the car go from 600 pounds to today where it is 300 pounds.

“It’s super beneficial,” Jones said. “It’s definitely helped me and it can help any freshman that’s thinking about joining, definitely do it!”.

Julian Mendoza can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JulianMTheOrion.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover
About the Contributor
Julian Mendoza, Multimedia Editor
Hey there! I see you stumbled across my staff profile! Well if you want to learn a bit about me read on!   I’m originally from the Bay Area, I came to Chico State to pursue my dream of becoming an investigative journalist. This is my fourth semester on The Orion. I’ve done some freelance work at a small paper called the San Leandro Times, was an election stringer for the Associated Press on Super Tuesday and am currently the multimedia editor of The Orion this semester.   When I am not busy dealing with The Orion or school, you can find me playing video games or doing some form of cardio. Follow me on Twitter for Chico State news @JulianMTheOrion or check out my website! https://jmendoza374.wixsite.com/website

Comments (0)

All The Orion Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *