At 5:00 a.m. on Sunday March 4th, 2012, the roar of an Arctic Cat T660 Turbo engine came to an abrupt halt, cutting a successful engine tuning session short and leaving Team Lead Alec Espie with second thoughts on the team’s journey ahead. An executive decision was made; with the cause of the failure a mystery and the extent of damage unknown, the University of Waterloo Clean Snowmobile Team had no clue of the adventure that awaited them.
Fourteen hours later they arrived in Houghton, Michigan having survived some snowy roads, sub-par convenience store sandwiches, and unmentionable gas station washrooms. The Society of Automotive Engineers hosted the 2012 Clean Snowmobile Challenge at Michigan Tech’s (MTU) Keweenaw Research Center, where fourteen schools from across North America compete in events to test exhaust emissions, sound quality and noise level, fuel economy, handling, and acceleration.
The week displayed a “one step forward, two steps backward” formation as troubleshooting led to coolant issues, fuel pressure troubles, and oil leaks. Through determination and the inability to give up, the team spent each night in the Keweenaw Research Center until its close at midnight turning wrenches and troubleshooting the problems of the day. When it seemed like all odds were against them, like nothing else could possibly go wrong, Waterloo broke the last thing left to break: their losing streak.
Rider Kristen Sperduti sent Waterloo’s sled down the 500-foot acceleration lane at a winning time of 8.45 seconds and a speed of 73 mph – a feat never before accomplished by a four-stroke snowmobile at this challenge. Team members Evangeline Rose, Nicholas Mulder and Alec Espie watched as the crowd went silent! Polaris Industry’s 2013 Rush 800 Pro-R (2-stroke) completed the run only 1/10th of a second faster than Waterloo.
The University of Waterloo Clean Snowmobile Team completed the 2012 Challenge taking home the International Engineering and Manufacturing (Woody’s) Award for Best Acceleration, as well as the HB Performance Systems Inc. Best Trail Trac Implementation Award. Waterloo learned to work well under pressure and strict time constraints, troubleshoot problems, and work through to solid solutions. They pulled through and left a shattering impression on the judges and industry professionals in attendance. The Clean Snowmobile Team would like to thank UW FSAE, Kettering University, and MTU for their support during the week, as well as the Dean of Engineering, the MME Department, WEEF, and EngSoc for their continued sponsorship.
For the first time in nearly a decade, the University of Waterloo Clean Snowmobile Team is in excellent standing for the 2013 Clean Snowmobile Challenge. The bar is set and plans are in place to raise it. Stay tuned for updates and progress as we prepare for 2013! Check out: sled.uwaterloo.ca, facebook.com/uwsled.
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