About us
eagle racing
Our mission is to design, build, and race innovative off-road vehicles that push the boundaries of engineering and technology, while representing Marquette University with pride and sportsmanship. We strive for excellence in all aspects of our work, from concept and design to testing and competition. Our team is committed to safety, sustainability, and collaboration, and we seek to inspire the next generation of engineers and motorsport enthusiasts through outreach and community engagement. Together, we aim to elevate the standards of engineering and motorsport, while upholding the values of integrity, innovation, and excellence found in the Marquette Community.
Our vision is to be a world-class motorsports team that consistently pushes the limits of engineering, design, and innovation. We strive to be leaders in efficiency and safety, and to create a culture of excellence and collaboration that inspires and empowers our team members and the broader motorsports community.
Above all, we believe that our team members have the potential to make a meaningful impact on the world, and we are dedicated to pursuing our vision with passion, creativity, and dedication.
EAGLE RACING
VAULT
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Eagle 3
Eagle 3 was completed in 2017 in time to compete in the SAE International 2017 in June at Peoria, Illinois. This car was based off the very successful and competitive chassis of Eagle 2. Overall, the car was designed to be shorter, wider, lighter, faster, stronger, and have a greater suspension capabilities than Eagle 2. The design leads for Eagle 3 were Gerald Zucca on the frame, Thomas Arlotta on the suspension, Zach Bernaden on the drivetrain, Jacob Krakauer on the driver controls and Alex Zucca on the steering.
Since its completion Eagle 3 has proven to be a better and stronger design than Eagle 2, leaving behind may of the Eagle 2 issues. That is not to say that Eagle 3 hasn't had it's own issues. The biggest challenge with Eagle 3 is that it wasn't build high enough off the ground causing the yellow bars you can see in the image above connecting the tires and body to snap any time something hits them, pulling us out of the race until repairs are made. This became an issue during a number of races. Fortunately our drivers learned fast not to hit anything on the track.
​Eagle 3 is still in operation today, with no foreseeable plans of retirement. The car can be seen in the Discovery Learning Center in Engineering Hall, on Marquette University's campus.
THE
Eagle 2
Eagle 2 was the second car designed, built, and raced by Eagle Racing. Unlike Eagle 1, this car was designed to be made out of all chromoly tubing, at various diameters and wall thicknesses. Eagle 2 underwent design in the fall of 2014 and underwent build in the spring of 2015. After 6 months of constant fabrication and welding, the car was completed from SAE International Competition in Portland, OR.
Unfortunately, due to issues with the brakes, the car was unable to pass SAE international Technical Inspection and the team could not race the car. After Oregon, the car competed at UW-Stout's backwoods baja, placing 11th out of 14 team. Then in February 2015, the car took a 5th place finish at Michigan Tech's Blizzard Baja. This was the first time Eagle Racing placed within the top 10 at any event. To finish off the school year, the car competed at SAE international 2016 in Rochester, NY. The car placed 34th our of 95 international teams. This was also Eagle Racing's best finish at an international competition. After the brakes were figured out, and the car went through constant weekend bench-marking and testing at Wisconsin Off-Road Adventures, it was clear Eagle Racing had designed a successful car.
After spending the summer working on new designs for Eagle 3, the team looked towards Midnight Mayhem in Louisville, KY, for Eagle 2 to make a podium move. This was the first time the team has ever competed at Midnight Mayhem, and thanks to all the hard work the team put in at the beginning of the school year, the team laid down very fast laps. The laps were so fast and so consistent, that it put the team within 2 seconds of second place, out of 90 cars. This podium finish would be the the best finish Eagle Racing has had until Backwoods Baja 2 weeks later.
In early February of 2017, Eagle Racing competed with Eagle 2 at Blizzard Baja 2017. Instead of the fifth place finish they got last year, Eagle 2 got out in first earlier, and stayed out in first until the end of the 4 hour endurance race. This was the first win for the team and the first win ever for Eagle 2, not bad for a teams 5th year in the series.
E2 is not currently operational, but there have been talks about using the chassis as the base for an electric drift car in the near future.
Eagle 1 was the first car designed and built by Eagle Racing back in 2012, by its founding members. When the team was first started in 2011, they began work on designs for a baja car, with the intention of competing in the SAE Baja Collegiate Design Series. Knowing that many "first year" teams do not pass technical inspection at SAE International competitions, the team decided to focus on "crossing their I's and dotting their T's" so they can pass the inspection and focus on optimization later. Unfortunately, after a rear frame failure at their first competition in Washington, the team was forced to redesign the rear of the car, this time with stronger chromoly tubing.
After the rear frame of Eagle 1 was redesigned, cut apart, and re-welded, the team brought the car to Illinois for their second SAE International competition. Like any new team, issues still plagued the team, but this time, it was with the CVT and the steering. Once the competition was over, the team went back to the drawing board and had Eagle 1 operational for their first "un-sanctioned" competition, Backwoods Baja in the fall of 2014.
Backwoods Baja would be the last time the soft steel frame of Eagle 1 would haunt the team. Two hours into the spirited endurance race, one of Eagle Racing's drivers, rolled the car on a fast off camber turn. (1:00) The front of the car was crumpled and the car was not allowed back out onto the track. Luckily the driver was not harmed and team drove knowing a re-design was in the works. So, for the last time on the frame, the team went back to the drawing board, and that is more or less the car you see above. Besides changes in suspension, steering, and driver controls, Eagle 1 has remained mostly the same.
Eagle 1 spent a number of great years with the team, helping them learn and overcome tremendous obstacles. Everything great must come to an end though as Eagle 1 was retired in 2018 and is on display in Engineering Hall, on Marquette University's Campus. The car itself may be done racing, but the lessons learned with it have been passed on from team to team as we continue to race and innovate for the future.
Eagle 1
