Within the Gene Haas Laboratory of Jacaranda Hall, there is a small team of highly motivated individuals with the goal of creating one thing: a near perfect machine of aerodynamics and speed. This group calls themselves Matador Motorsports but they are more formally known as CSUN Formula SAE.

The production of Matador Motorsport’s car began last August, and the team has been growing in size ever since. The program has been a vigorous ongoing initiative for the department since 1988.

Every year, the team competes with 109 universities across the country. While most schools have professional drivers at the helm and a budget to buy components from across the U.S., the Matadors have stayed local, supporting several small businesses and sponsors that help provide components necessary for assembling their car.

What makes Matador Motorsports stand out in the competition aspect is that the team mainly consists of mechanical engineering majors while most other teams have several varying engineering majors.

Students participating in the project are allowed to throw their hat in the ring to race the car during competition, honoring their hard work and giving the students an opportunity to tame their creation and take home their own win.

The engine team lead Xinping Wang is one of four student-drivers that were selected to participate in the races. Wang brought the car to the F10 parking lot with the rest of the team on Sept. 6, and took a few laps in the vehicle for the first time.

“This is my first time driving this track and this car – my line is not perfect. I got to do better, cut the corners better and just get faster,” he said.

The team has been an ever revolving door of students since 1988, and the car is ever-changing.

Chief Financial Officer of the team, Romeo Canteno, said, “Each year the car is rebuilt from scratch. We are building on past success by learning a lot from previous cohorts.”

The loyalty to the program stems from generations of Matadors, going back all the way to 2002, coming to assist the current team if they require help.

After months of preparation, the team will set their sights towards their big competition in Michigan in the spring where they will race against 109 different schools of a variety of calibers.

Last year the Matadors placed 11th nationally and first in California, making last year’s team extremely successful with their project.

Now, the team looks to improve as CSUN Formula SAE reckons to take the competition by storm. For now, they are taking it one practice lap at a time.