There's no doubt: the University of Idaho's black and green championship Clean Snowmobile is the cleanest, fastest and quietest racing sled in the U.S.
UI's "Cleaner-Beemer" -- a BMW-powered 4-stroke Arctic Cat -- swept the 2003 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge last weekend, taking first place overall and awards for best fuel economy, quietest snowmobile, best performance, lowest emissions and best value. It also was the defending champion from last year's Challenge.
The UI team of engineering students competed with a dozen other teams from across the U.S. and Canada at Michigan Technological University March 19-22. The goal was to design a machine that reduces emissions and noise while maintaining or improving snowmobile performance.
Idaho's faculty adviser Karen Den Braven said her championship team has never stopped trying. "The members are hardworking, dedicated and they're really learning how to do engineering," she said. "After each competition, they ask what needs to be improved, and they work on it." Examples include increasing gas mileage by 131 percent, cutting carbon monoxide emissions by 93 percent and cutting unburned hydrocarbons by 98 percent, as compared to the control snowmobile.
Despite 30-degree rainy spring weather, the snowmobile teams were able to complete all the Challenge events. Events included an endurance trek, emissions, noise, acceleration, braking, handling and fuel economy testing and a handling event on the track. Teams also submitted a written paper and made an oral presentation.
Besides UI, other participating teams included Clarkson University in New York, Colorado State University, Idaho State University, Kettering University in Flint, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State University-Mankato, State University of New York at Buffalo, the University of Waterloo in Ontario, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and the University of Wyoming.
While eight of UI's team members went to the Challenge, as many as 15 worked throughout the year to build a new hood to cut down the noise, a more powerful engine, improve cooling capacity and a redesign the electrical system, among other "tweeks." The approximate $60,000 project and team travel was funded through grants from UI's National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology and the Federal Highway Administration.
UI's team members are Forrest French, Potlatch; Stephen Lyda, Hillsboro, Ore.; Christopher Dux, Middleton; Jon Pentzer, Winchester; Nathan Bradbury, Rathdrum; Billy Stannard, Wasilla, Alaska; Todd Freeman, Cascade; Nate Wasankari, Moscow; Jonathan Millet, Marsing; Scott Wemhoff, Nezperce; Dana Wenstrom, Jason Stevens and Brad Devorak, Lewiston; Michael Fernald and Jason Harwood, Walla Walla, Wash.; and Andrew Findlay, McCall.
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