Information For parents, Guests, and spectators

Updated 7/6/2026

• The 2026 Shootout is scheduled for August 21-22 at Summit Point Motorsports Park.

• Families of student competitors are welcome to attend the Shootout. Please be aware that you may be charged the ~$25 gate fee, though we have requested that families of student competitors be exempted. The track controls the gate fee, not us, sorry! Please review their park rules before arriving.

• Sponsors, vendors, student competitors, and volunteers are participants and therefore are not subjected to a gate fee.

• All persons are required to sign a waiver to enter the park.

• Rules apply to all attendees,  whether spectators or participants. 

• The schedule of events is available at the "Handbook" tab.

• Parking locations and other important info may be found at the "Venue" tab.

• Shootout Rules may be found at the "Rules and FAQ" tab.

• Questions may be sent at the "Contact" tab or email us at info@pittsburghshootout.com.

Common questions:

• Unregistered vehicles such as golf carts, ATVs, motorcycles, and similar vehicles are permitted with restrictions - see unregistered vehicle pass on website.

• Drones and firearms are not permitted at the Pittsburgh Shootout.

• Alcoholic beverages are permitted in coolers (no glass bottles) for personal consumption. Consumption must comply with all state laws and regulations.

• Smoking is allowed in the paddocks and campground, but not anywhere on track, in technical inspection areas, or in buildings, structure or covered area, nor is it permitted within 25 feet of any building entrance or exit. Proper disposal of tobacco, nicotine, and Vape biproducts into trash receptacles is required. Please be aware that marijuana products are not legal in West Virginia.

Information For Interested Teams

Updated 3/12/2026

The 2026 Shootout is scheduled for August 21-22 at Summit Point Motorsports Park.

• Cost to register: $750. Cost covers the track rental, insurance, equipment rentals, and 15 t-shirts for each team. Registration fee is sent via Stripe invoice and due June 30 2026.

  • Registration of a 2nd car from the same team shall be $450. This cost applies to additional (3rd, 4th, etc) cars from the same team.

    • What defines a team? Are the same students/alumni running two different cars? It's one team. The extra cost is for your t-shirts.

  • Registration shall open March 15 2026 at 00:00 ET.

  • Registration shall close June 30 2026 at 23:59 ET.

  • Camping headcounts are due June 30 2026. A roster of campers from each team is due before they arrive on site.

    • Camping teams must immediately notify the Shootout of additions to their expected headcount after June 30. Extra students will be relegated to the non-powered spots in the grass and, at worst case, asked to camp elsewhere on site at an overflow location.  

    • Student teams are expected to notify the Shootout of special camping needs such as RV space or accessibility considerations.

  • Registration is capped to 45 cars.

  • New for 2026: Registration fees are nonrefundable.

  • New for 2026: Vehicle Eligibility

    • Any IC car from any year built to a FS or FSAE ruleset.

    • Any EV car or FH+E car built to the FSAE or FH+E 2025-2026 rulesets that has passed Rain test at any competition. FS-built and older FSAE EVs/FH-E's may participate by replacing the TSAL with the TSSI from the FSAE rules.

    • EV and Hybrid vehicles that have not passed Rain test at any competition but have passed other inspection steps may be eligible at the discretion of the Pittsburgh Shootout. Please contact us at info@pittsburghshootout.com if this applies to your team.

    • All Vehicles must pass technical inspection steps at the Pittsburgh Shootout to be eligible to compete in the racing events.

• Rules may be found at the "Rules and FAQ" tab.

• Questions may be sent at the "Contact" tab.

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:

• SAE Collegiate Design Series

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 501(c)3 and a group of alumni volunteers, the event is a weekend 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.

From 2016 to 2025, the Pittsburgh Shootout was hosted at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Following the closure of the facility, the event moved to Summit Point Motorsports Park.