First, congratulations to Cynthia Xu, who has been elected as our new Comms chair! Cynthia is a 2023 SPIRIT Alum and we’re excited to have her join the board!
Second, we recently sent out our October member’s newsletter. If you are a member (check the list), and you didn’t get it in your email, please make sure we have your most recent contact information by filling in this member update form.
Finally, we’re running a survey for everyone who considers themself a part of the buggy community to let us know what matters most to you. Regardless of if you are a student, alumni, or just a fan, please give us your feedback!
UPDATE: The BAA Officers have nominated Cynthia Xu as Comms Chair. If there are no additional nominations by November 5, she will be automatically elected as per our Vacancy rules.
We currently have a vacancy at the position of Communications Chair. Would you or any of your friends like to run the BAA’s social media pages, coordinate posts for the website, and handle communications and newsletters for the BAA membership? If so, please nominate yourself or someone else here. This position is a two-year term through Spring 2026.
If you might be interested but have questions about the role, feel free to reach out to me or our previous Comms Chair, Dave Singh.
The Buggy Enhancement Grant Committee, and the BAA have two new options for teams that would like additional financial support.
If your team has not rolled a new buggy in the past 4 years, the BAA will reimburse up to $500 of build related expenses. This applies to new and ongoing builds. Reach out to Diya Nuxoll <diyanuxoll@cmubuggy.org> if you are interested in taking advantage of this funding!
Existing buggies have been granted up to $200 for improvements to the harness attachment system. This Buggy Enhancment Grant includes funds for 10 buggies, with the option for some discretionary funding for tools and bulk purchases. Reach out to Wade Gordon <wadegordon@cmubuggy.org> if you are interested taking advantage of this funding.
Even if neither of these apply to your team, reach out to the BAA Teams Committee if you would like help finding sustainable sources of funding for your team, need advice to support your build, or need to find an extra set of hands for a critical work session.
Rolls were not held this weekend due to the Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race. This 10K winds from Squirrel Hill near Frick Park down to Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, necessitating many road closures and detours. (Given the weather we had this weekend, we might not have had rolls anyway.)
Fear not, buggy fans- we still have content to bring you this week! The Sweepstakes committee was kind enough to take time from catching up on sleep to share a little bit about themselves with our alumni. These are the people that really make buggy happen, and I speak for all alumni when I say- THANK YOU! Read on to meet them!
The roads were closed Sunday for runners, not buggies- weird!
Welcome to the course! Whether you follow along while you take a walk around Schenley Park or opt to explore the course virtually, this tour aims to provide some insight into the sport of Buggy at CMU! This tour begins at the intersection of Margaret Morrison and Tech St and works clockwise around Flagstaff Hill. You can use either the map below or the link to Google Maps to navigate!
Welcome to the Buggy Course! During this self-guided tour, you’ll be able to follow along along the 0.8 mile course that the buggies complete.
2006 – The start of Men’s Heat 1, with SDC C’s Rage in Lane 1 (left), SigEp D’s Quest in Lane 2 (middle), and CIA B’s Firebird in Lane 3 (right).
(2) Hill 1 — Overview of Buggy
Buggy, formally known as the Sweepstakes Races is a race held annually at Carnegie Mellon’s Spring Carnival where teams of students race vehicles that they have designed and built around Schenley Park. Buggy originally started in 1920 and has remained an ongoing tradition at Carnegie Mellon over the past 100 years. In that time, the rules and regulations of the sport have evolved along with technological advances that make the buggies what they are today.
2013 – Hill 1 of Women’s Prelims Heat 5, with CIA C’s Amy Hung pushing Impulse in Lane 2 (left) and Fringe B’s Gloriana Redondo pushing Beacon in Lane 3 (right). Credit: Joseph Anderson
(3) Hill 1/2 Transition — A Relay Race (of sorts)
Of course, this race is different from many others. The buggies themselves aren’t able to have internal power sources, but the course consists of 2 uphill sections and 1 downhill section. A team of pushers is required to move the buggies uphill. The first uphill portion is broken into 2 sections, known as Hill 1 and Hill 2. There are an additional 3 “Hills” for the second uphill portion. This area around this stop sign is the first of four transition zones, where one pusher is able to pass off control of the buggy to the next pusher.
2023 – SigEp A’s Matt Adetula shoves Barracuda to Jayson Shin and goes down at the Hill 1-2 Transition in Lane 1 of Men’s Prelims Heat 3, as CIA C’s Emperor is pushed up Hill 1 in Lane 2 in the background. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University
(4) Hill 2 Pushoff — The Freeroll
Now, we start into the downhill portion of the race, known as the “freeroll.” At this point, the driver is in complete control of the buggy. The roads look a lot different from 2 inches off the ground! They get experience from a lot of practice and some teams like to review their driving with the aid of go pros. There are a couple of navigation aids that the drivers use as well. There is a flag that aids them as they come over the 3 way intersection and cross over the road. Teams have another flag set up right before drivers make a big turn into the chute.
Fall 2024 – Fringe’s Baltic travels down the Freeroll during Rolls on September 15, 2024. Credit: Matt Gallabrese
(5) Circuit Road — What are Rolls?
We aren’t able to come out and practice on the public roads whenever we want. Each weekend (weather permitting), the governing body of Sweepstakes secures road permits that allows teams to practice safely without road traffic during Freeroll practices, or “rolls”. The time teams have to practice runs from sunrise to 9AM. However, students really come out even earlier as each buggy has to pass a safety check and each team completes their chores necessary to prepare the course for practice. Outside of these weekend rolls, many teams continue to work on their buggies throughout the week.
Fall 2024 – Spirit’s Seraph travels down the Freeroll during Rolls on September 15, 2024. Credit: Matt Gallabrese
(6) Trisection — Buggy Mechanics
We’re now passing the three way intersection where buggies turn off to the right, back towards Pitt. Now, we’ll also be going over some of the different roles look like from a student’s perspective. First up are the mechanics. The responsibilities for what these people do varies from team to team. Generally they do all of the work to make sure their buggies are maintained in order to roll each weekend, however some mechanics also end up leading major repairs, or own the design and construction of new buggies. Each team has their own schedule for how they perform maintenance or how frequently they build. Some teams build every year, while others build every few years. Some teams, especially when they’re first getting started may even have a “loaner” buggy that they can use to get used to the week-to-week operations before committing to a build of their own.
Fall 2019 – Apex’s Phoenix travels down the Freeroll during Rolls on October 19, 2019. Credit: Ben Matzke
2022 – A CIA mechanic looks at the pushbar of Aurora at Design Comp. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University
(7) Transition Flag — Different Teams
We’re now at the location of the first signal flag that directions drivers across the road. While this sport started out an activity for fraternities, the sport has continued to expand, with a roster of teams split between fraternities, sororities, independent organizations, and even some teams developing robotic buggies. Students have a wide variety of choice when it comes to choosing a team that best fits them. For drivers, this is a literal fit! Each team has a different method for building their buggies, different cultures, and expectations for involvement.
Spring 2018 – Spirit’s Kingpin travels down the Freeroll and approaches the Transition Flag during Truck Weekend on April 15, 2018. Credit: Lou Conley
(8) Chute Flag — Buggy Drivers
We’re now around where the second signal flag is. These flags are essential, since yes, there really is a person inside! The driver is responsible for navigating the buggies around the course. They practice over the course of the year to get well accustomed to their steering and brakes, as well as being able to locate themselves on the course when 2 inches off the ground! They also work to get more comfortable driving faster and improving their racing line.
Fall 2015 – CIA’s Icarus takes the Chute Flag during Rolls on November 7, 2015. Credit: Ben Matzke
(9) Chute Entrance — The Chute Turn
We’re now coming up on one of the most prominent features of the course — the Chute Turn. This section of the course is where both buggies and drivers can show off what they’re capable of! Experienced buggy watchers look for the racing line each driver takes, how cleanly they take it, and how much speed they are able to maintain going up to Hill 3.
2023 – SDC A’s Inferno travels through the Chute in Exhibition Heat 4 on Friday. Credit: Lou Conley
(10) Chute — Safety in the Bylaws
Over time, we have developed an extensive set of regulations to ensure our drivers are safe. There are rules that deal with the construction of the buggy, checking the steering, brakes, and safety anchors. Drivers also must complete training to help them learn about their safety equipment and the course before they ever get on the course. We also limit their speed for the first few times around the course to familiarize themselves with being in a buggy.
2023 – PiKA A’s Banshee travels through the Chute in Women’s Prelims Heat 11. Credit: Guillermo Gomez
Fall 2016 – Apex’s Phoenix is loaded during Rolls on October 16, 2016. Credit: Ben Matzke
(11) Hill 3 — Buggy Pushers
At the end of the chute, we reach the location where the “Back Hills” pushers pick up the buggy and run with it up our second hill. For each team, there are 5 pushers spread out and assigned to the different hills. While originally these pushers were made up of all men, we have slowly introduced other divisions over time. The women’s races began in 1979, and the mixed All Gender division was introduced in 2023. Today, the course records stand at 2:02 for the men’s, 2:23 for the women’s, and 2:36 for the all gender. Pushers get in practice during rolls, not only as a workout, but to train the technical aspect of pushing a vehicle smoothly while running.
Spring 2024 – Spirit’s Kingpin is pushed up Hill 3 during Rolls on March 30, 2024. Credit: Rob Siemborski
(12) Hill 3/4 Transition — Different Hills
We talked earlier about the different hills for each of the 5 pushers. However, while all of these section are uphill, each requires a slightly different skill set in order to be a successful pusher. While for all hills it’s useful to be strong and fast, the hills each have their own character. The first hill, Hill 1 requires explosive power to bring a buggy up to speed and up one of the steepest sections of the course. Hill 2 is about getting the buggy as much energy as possible before the freeroll, but they don’t have to worry as much about pushing uphill or stamina as it’s fairly short and ends with a downhill. Hill 3 is fairly technical, with the most important part being the “pickup” — this is all about matching the speed of the buggy as it starts to roll uphill and maintaining as much speed as possible heading into the back hills. Hill 4 is another steep section and test of endurance, as it’s slightly longer than Hill 1. Hill 5 is a test of pure speed. This hill levels out and is almost a pure sprint for around 150 meters.
Spring 2023 – Spirit’s Mapambazuko is pushed from Hill 3 to Hill 4 during Rolls on March 26, 2023. Credit: Declan Kelly
A Map of the Course
(13) Hill 4/5 Transition — Carnival
All of this training and preparation is done in services of the races themselves, held during Spring Carnival, which runs from Thursday through Saturday. On Thursday, buggies compete in the Design Competition, which seeks to judge a team on their engineering merits when designing and building a buggy. Friday holds the preliminary races — a set of time trials that narrows the field down to the top 10 teams of each division. The finals are then on Saturday, when the teams that advanced to the finals are able to race for the overall top time.
2024 – SigNu A’s Emily Fan shoves Jaeger to Zoe Hausner at the Hill 4-5 Transition in Women’s Heat 5. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University
2024 – DG A accepts its 6th Place Women’s trophy at Awards Ceremony. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University
2024 – Robobuggy accepts its 3rd Place in Design Competition for Short Circuit at Awards Ceremony. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University
(14) Finish Line — Conclusions
We’ve arrived at the finish line! You’ve officially walked the entire length of our buggy course. To put that in perspective, the current men’s course record stands at 2:02, and the women’s at 2:23. Thanks for coming on this tour and being interested in learning about Buggy. If you still want to learn more, the BAA serves as a great resource for historical data, current news, and ways to support the sport.
2024 – Apex C’s Riona Duncan pushes Scorch across the Finish Line in Women’s Heat 2. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University
We at the BAA Teams Committee are taking advantage of a weekend without rolls to run our first ever “Composites 101” course for current buggy students.
When? Saturday 9/28, 2-3pm Where? Wean Hall, 4625
We’ll be covering topics such as:
What are the pros and cons of different carbon fiber weave types?
What are the best core material choices for a team on a budget?
What is the difference between a wet layup and resin infusion? Can I use the same materials? And what the heck is prepreg carbon fiber?
How do we validate composite parts in industry… and why does that not necessarily work for us in the buggy world?
This course is geared to be accessible to new teams and freshmen buggy mechanics– but there should be plenty of interesting info for more experienced buggy mechanics as well.
Alumni– no need to feel left out! If you’re interested in getting involved with the BAA Teams Committee, to help us expand our collection of open-source buggy resources, please email Diya (BAA Quartermaster / Teams Committee Lead) at diyanuxoll@cmubuggy.org.
The application window for Spring 2024 Buggy Enhancement Grants is closing Sunday night! This is your last chance to submit your application before rolls. Get your application in early, and take a well deserved nap Sunday afternoon. If you have any last minute questions or would like someone to proofread your proposal, please reach out to any BAA Officer on Discord!
For more information about Buggy Enhancement Grants, including tips from the committee on how to strengthen your grant proposal, the actual text of previously approved grant applications, how to access shared resources from previous grants, and how you can support this program, please read All About Buggy Enhancement Grants!
The committee’s initial review is scheduled for Thursday, Sept 19. Applicants should expect to receive their initial feedback and any questions from the committee by Thursday evening. The final voting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept 26, and we expect for the committee’s decisions to be sent out that evening.
Thank you to everyone who already submitted their application!
There are 6 days left to apply for a Buggy Enhancement Grant for Fall 2024! There is $12,000 available in this semester’s funding pool. This money belongs to you as a member of the buggy community to help make the most of your buggy experience! Applications are open until Sunday night. Don’t wait, get your application in today!
If you are looking for inspiration, for your grant proposal, you can view previously approved grant applications here. For your one stop shop to learn everything there is to know about Buggy Enhancement Grants including tips from the committee on how to strengthen your grant proposal, please read All About Buggy Enhancement Grants! If you have any questions or would like early feedback on your proposal, please feel free to reach out to any BAA or Sweepstakes officer on Discord.
Thank you to everyone who already submitted their application!
You didn’t think we were done, did you? Yes, the 100 Years of Buggy History series began as a celebration of Buggy100, and we covered 100 Years during the 2019-2020 school year. But then I realized – Just because the school year (abruptly) ended, Buggy didn’t. Buggy history continues to be made. And why force someone celebrating the 200th anniversary in 2120 to try and find some random notes on this old thing from 100 years ago called the “internet” to piece together what went on in those years. I continue to try and come up with new ideas for how to uncover information about 1937 (to no avail as of yet), but wouldn’t it ave been easier if my counterpart in 1937 just put together a full recap of the year way back then?
So the 100 Years of Buggy History series lives on…with a couple of tweaks. First of all, you’ll notice that the name of the series has changed slightly. We can’t really call it “100 Years of Buggy History” anymore, because we’re headed to years 101 and beyond. So we did what all good CMU students who stay longer than 4 years do…we’ve added a “+”. Second, we’re taking things a little slower. My goal is, and has always been, to tell whatever stories I can find about the year in Buggy, whether good or…not as good. But as I learned while doing Rolls Reports, it does feel a little awkward to talk about current goings-on as if the people doing those things aren’t actively doing them. So going forward, the 100+ Years of Buggy History series will be on a 4 year delay. That means that for the year being covered, most (though maybe not all) of the students that participated in that Raceday will have graduated. I’m hoping that this also makes those alumni more willing to share their own stories in the comments, because as a reminder, once you’ve got that degree from CMU, they can’t take it away from you! The goal for the series will be to release a new article each year around the start of the Fall Semester, just in time to remind everyone that Buggy is back!
So for the first article of the 100+ era of the 100+ Years of Buggy History series, we turn the clock back to 2021. The world has been shut down for the better part of 6 months, the COVID vaccine is still being formulated, and CMU and its students are still figuring out how they’ll handle a return to normalcy. Within that environment, a ragtag group of Buggy folks are doing everything they can to keep a sport, that requires so much hand-on participation and knowledge transfer, alive.
The start of the fall semester is right around the corner, and with that a whole new year of buggy! I hope you’re ready to hit the ground running, and brimming with ideas to make the sport faster, safer, and more fun!
Applications for Fall 2024 Buggy Enhancement Grants are now open! We have a whopping $12,000 available for this round of funding! This money belongs to you as a member of the buggy community to enhance your enjoyment of the sport. If you have ideas that you think will make buggy more enjoyable for you, your team, and the greater buggy community, we want to hear from you!
The deadline to submit applications is Sunday, September 15th.
Keep an eye on your news feed for announcements about brainstorming and grant writing sessions. If you would like to get early feedback from a member of the committee to give your proposal the greatest possible chance of receiving funding, please feel free to reach out on the BAA Discord.
Submissions open today and are due by Sunday, September 15th. The Buggy Endowed Fund Committee will meet on 19th to give you feedback and ask questions about your proposals. Applicants will have 1 week to respond to committee feedback before the final vote on September 26th.
Last year we received 23 grant proposals from 10 different organizations, and funded 11 projects for a total of $5,853.66! Details about these projects can be found here.
Please feel free to take inspiration from these suggestions from the Buggy Endowed Fund Committee:
Improve the experience of driving a buggy by improving visibility, safety, or the quality of the roads.
Improve the quality of life for the people that help support buggy around the course with a warming hut, covered storage, or better tools (ie. higher flow leaf blowers).
Make a new addition to the BAA’s historical data by professionally digitizing old photos or course footage, buying software to upscale low resolution photos and videos, or hiring a professional to capture an event.
Proposals can even be specific to your team. Please include some details on how the community as a whole will benefit from funding your project. For example, you might share documentation of your process, publish a video, or give a talk summarizing your results. You might build something to collect better data during rolls, test out a new material, or design a wheel mold that can be shared among teams.
For more information about Buggy Enhancement Grants, including tips from the committee on how to strengthen your grant proposal, and the actual text of previously approved grant applications, please read All About Buggy Enhancement Grants. If you have any comments or suggestions to improve the Buggy Enhancement Grant program, please fill out our feedback survey.
