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The 2024 Pittsburgh Shootout is scheduled for Saturday, September 14.

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For Interested Teams

Updated 1/29/2024

About Formula SAE and the Pittsburgh Shootout

Formula SAE is a student design competition organized by SAE International, headquartered in Pittsburgh's backyard in Warrendale, Pennsylvania. The competition was started in 1980. The concept behind Formula SAE is that a fictional manufacturing company has contracted a student design team to develop a small Formula-style racecar. The prototype racecar is to be evaluated for its potential as a production item. 

The team must be made up entirely of active college students which places obvious restrictions on available work hours, skill sets, experience, and presents unique challenges that professional race teams do not face with a paid, skilled staff. The program is an excellent supplement to STEM programs like Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering/Technology as well as for programs such as Finance, Marketing, Logistics, and more.

For more information about the SAE Collegiate Design Series and the Formula SAE challenge, please follow the hyperlink below:

The Pittsburgh Shootout is not sanctioned or organized by SAE International as a part of the SAE Collegiate Design Series. The event was started in 2016 by students at the University of Pittsburgh. Now run by the Pittsburgh Shootout LLC and a group of alumni volunteers, the event is a 1 day showcase of the teams in driving distance of Pittsburgh, PA. This event follows the official competition events, so it is a relaxed but competitive drive day for these schools.

Interested in recruiting at the event but not sure about sponsorship? Contact Emily at emily@pittsburghshootout.com and lets see what we can work out.

Event History

2016 

9 teams competed at the first Pittsburgh Shootout held on August 17, 2016. Carleton University from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada took first place at the event.

Teams that competed:

2017

After a first successful year, enrollment in the event doubled to 18 cars. Teams from as far away as Missouri drove in to compete. Again, Carleton's Ravens Racing took 1st place. The Ohio State University took 2nd, and Rutgers University with 3rd.

Teams that competed:

2018

The Pittsburgh Shootout grew to 20 teams in 2018 and proved to be a competitive day! It was blistering hot July day without a drop of rain and track activity from 10-5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor dethroned the defending champions Carleton Raven's Racing to take the 1st place trophy.

Teams that competed:

2019

The Pittsburgh Shootout grew to 28 teams in 2019! Mother Nature gave us two extremes over the 4th of July weekend with brutal heat and humidity and a vicious downpour at 3pm. However, the rain didn't dampen our spirits. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor defended their title of first place, with newcomers McGill Formula Electric and Michigan State Racing taking 2nd and 3rd.

The 2019 Pittsburgh Shootout was sponsored by ANSYS, Uber ATG, and ShelterLogic.

Teams that competed:

2020

Cancelled due to covid-19 pandemic

2021

The Pittsburgh Shootout celebrated her 5th(ish) anniversary in August 2022. A humble, smaller event compared to 2019, 26 cars arrived to fight for glory. University of Michigan Ann Arbor won once again in their last season as an IC team, with newcomers LSU Tiger Racing coming in 2nd and Purdue FSAE coming in 3rd. Thanks to a timing mistake, both LSU and Michigan State Racing got to take home 2nd place trophies. Oops!

The 2021 Pittsburgh Shootout was sponsored by Motional, ANSYS, and BRAID USA.

Teams that competed:


2022

The Pittsburgh Shootout hosted the 6th event on July 9 2022. Newcomers Formule ETS dethroned Michigan Ann Arbor for their 1st place victory in the Autocross event. The top 3 teams were all from the EV class: ETS, Ann Arbor, and Polytechnique Montreal respectively. 2022 marked the first event with showings from Canada, USA, and Mexico, and was a clear feather in the cap of our Quebecois  friends and the EV class.

The 2022 Pittsburgh Shootout was sponsored by Motional, ANSYS, and Gecko Robotics.

Teams that competed:

2023

The Pittsburgh Shootout hosted the 7th event on September 2, 2023. MRacing dominated the EV class, and Illini Electric Racing cleanly took first place in IC with their last internal combustion vehicle. 2023 marked the first time the Pitt Shootout offered more than one event, introducing the Skidpad event.

The 2023 Pittsburgh Shootout was sponsored by ANSYS, Tronix3D, Amick and Associates, and Gecko Robotics.

Team photo by Charles Lerch

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