LIGHTNING CATS RACING
Formula SAE at Montana State University
Lightning Cats Racing is the Montana State University Formula SAE Club. We are working hard with the goal of competing in the 2024-2025 Formula SAE season. As a new team, we are learning from the experiences of other teams who have agreed to aid us in getting our feet on the ground and starting on this amazing new challenge. We look for hard-working, dedicated students who are passionate about cars and motorsports.
Our Story
Beginning from the goal of racing in Formula SAE Electric, Lighting Cats Racing was created by MSU students with the passion to provide hands-on involvement in formula style racing to students at Montana state university. From our campus and surrounding towns, a focus on green/renewable energy inspired our team to join the electrical side of SAE. This comes with many challenges, the founders of the club have been working for over a year now to get the club up and running, through the ups and downs the perseverance of our founders has laid the groundwork for the work ethic and perseverance of all its members. For the 2024-2025 competition cycle, we are focusing on the basics - build an ICE car to pass technical inspection at competition. This will lay the groundwork to bring a truly competitive electric car to competition in 2026.
Formula SAE
Formula SAE is a collegiate design competition organized by the International Society of Automotive Engineers. In this competition, students from universities all around the country are tasked with designing and building a formula-style racecar. Within this competition, students apply classroom knowledge to real world applications that bolster their ability to communicate and work in teams. Leadership roles in the team further allow students to build professional relationships and develop skills in project and business management.