Grant Mitchell is a sophomore, majoring in mechanical engineering. He joined the team as a freshman and since day one, he has been a dedicated aerodynamics member and recently has become a driver for the team. This semester, he is taking part in an Additive Manufacturing Co-Op on top of the incredible work that he does for the team.
He has been working most recently on aero mapping but also works on a wide variety of projects with both the composite and suspension teams. As a general member, he appreciates the opportunity to be on multiple subteams, as it allows him to see how they integrate well together.
“Having a diversity of work gives me more understanding of how aero applies to the car and how it affects other subteams,” he says.
Despite joining the team as a freshman with nothing but a love for cars, he is super grateful for being given the platform to succeed and the chance to learn. He thanks both Ryan Hopke and Rayyan Sappayani for “welcoming him to the team with opening arms” and making sure he had the resources and support for his projects.
His biggest lesson learned?
“Perseverance”
Being able to see the team rise up to any challenge is something that continues to inspire him every day. Whether it’s at testing days, or at competition, seeing the team’s hard work payoff is an incredibly rewarding experience for him. He laughs fondly at the memory of the 2022 Competition in Michigan of the team walking through the pouring rain, defeated, yet still determined to finish their events.
Grant is also one of our main drivers for the team and was given this opportunity as an active and dedicated member of the team.
“I’m super proud that I have been able to improve my manual driving skills despite not owning a manual car,” he says.
To prepare for races and testing days, he spends a lot of time practicing on his racing sim at home. As a new driver, he says, “it is tough to learn tire management and suspension setups”, but having access to a racing simulator at home has helped him gain confidence and has allowed him to improve his lap times.
Reflecting on his time as a member and his current position at his Additive Manufacturing Co-Op, he says that the skills that he has learned are “invaluable” as it allows him to apply the things you have learned in class and have hands-on experience. For new members, he highly suggests being “open to any projects and work that is given to you.”
With the 2023 Competition quickly approaching, he is excited to continue practicing driving and finally see the aero package on the car. He has been attending every testing day, getting in more seat time, and getting a better feel for the car. Outside of aerodynamics, he also spends time helping the composites team create molds for various parts of the aero package. Beyond his current duties, he also hopes to find the time to learn how to weld.
We are incredibly grateful to have Grant on the team and we appreciate all the work he has done for us.
Thank you to Grant, for the laughs, positive attitude, and passion you bring to the team. We could not imagine a team without you and we are so lucky to have you!
To see Grant in action, please feel free to attend one of our testing days (contact us for more information) or join one of the aero meetings to get updates on his projects.
When do you guys have testing days scheduled? Will you be posting them on instagram?
Hi! We currently do not have any solidified testing dates, but feel free to join our Discord for any updates regarding potential testing days!