Pennsylvania College of Technology students reaped the benefits of their hands-on education and tireless dedication by finishing fourth out of 89 cars in the Baja SAE Williamsport endurance race, the international competition’s premier event.

The 13-member Penn College Baja team devoted several months and countless hours to designing, manufacturing and building a single-seat, all-terrain vehicle to survive various challenges, including the four-hour endurance event, a race featuring rugged terrain, obstacles, sharp turns, hills and lots of mud.

The fourth-place showing is the college’s 15th top-10 finish in the endurance race since 2011.

“I am very proud of the team and their performance,” said John G. Upcraft, instructor of manufacturing and machining and faculty adviser to Penn College’s Baja SAE club since its inception 19 years ago. “It’s difficult to put into words how hard they’ve worked to produce a car that proved to be one of the best in the competition. I truly believe the hands-on nature of our educational approach at Penn College allows our students to meet the high standard to be successful at Baja competitions.”

The students made about 95% of the car’s parts and components using the industry-standard resources of the Larry A. Ward Machining Technologies Center and the Gene Haas Center for Innovative Manufacturing.

“They devoted nights, weekends and school breaks to work on the car,” Upcraft said. “They sacrificed a great deal of personal time to make their car a reality. Their effort is very commendable.”

Penn College’s effort at Baja SAE Williamsport included two other top-10 finishes: fourth in suspension and traction and eighth in maneuverability. Overall, the team placed 10th out of the 102 teams competing. Those teams consisted of about 1,800 students representing colleges and universities from throughout the United States, Canada and Brazil.

“The team pulled it off. It’s not just one person. It takes an entire team to put this car together,” said Penn College captain Marshall W. Fowler, of Sellersville. “I’m super proud of how everybody worked to get us to this point, and I think it paid off.”

Despite starting 22nd in the endurance event, Penn College methodically maneuvered to be among the leaders about 90 minutes into the race. The driving duties were split between Fowler and Isaac H. Thollot, of Milford. Both Fowler (engineering design technology) and Thollot (manufacturing engineering technology) graduated earlier in May. Students are eligible to participate in Baja SAE for several months post-graduation.

“The design team knocked it out of the park with the endurance course. The obstacles were awesome. They were challenging,” Fowler said. “The mud pits in the lower section were causing everybody to get stuck. It was also a fast track, so everybody got to really test the full capability of their vehicles.”

Despite the track being built at Penn College’s Heavy Construction Equipment Operations Site in Brady Township, the “home” team couldn’t see the track until all participants converged at the location for Baja SAE Williamsport.

“Our students were dying to see the layout,” remarked Bradley M. Webb, dean of engineering technologies and one of the chief organizers of the competition. “I think it drove them crazy that it was only about 20 minutes from campus, yet they weren’t permitted at the site. Once they got on the track, we obviously were quite proud of their effort. The team’s performance is a testament to the quality of students we have at this college.”

Penn College’s performance in the endurance event reflected the car’s craftsmanship and durability. Fowler and Thollot combined to complete 51 laps in the race won by Virginia Tech. For perspective, 46 teams recorded fewer than 20 laps, and 24 teams didn’t manage 10 times around the treacherous track.

Penn College had its best lap time (3:44.813) on lap 48. Only one other team recorded its fastest lap that late in the race.

The fourth-place finish by Penn College bested the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa, Maryland, UCLA, UNLV, Oklahoma, RIT, Cornell, Alabama, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Clemson and Georgia Tech.

“The team learned from last fall when they finished ninth in endurance at Baja SAE Ohio,” Upcraft said. “They knew the car needed adjustments. They made the necessary changes, and now they can enjoy the rewards from that effort.”

Changes included a larger chassis to accommodate the car’s four-wheel-drive system, as well as a new front suspension and continuously variable transmission. The team also dropped the weight of the car from 394 pounds to 375 pounds and shifted the weight distribution from 51% bias in the front to 49%.

“We transferred the weight back to the rear and lightened up the front so the car wouldn’t nosedive when going off jumps,” Fowler explained.

About 30 minutes after the endurance race and with the car still caked in mud, the Penn College team had already turned its attention to the next competition, Baja SAE Michigan, scheduled for Sept. 11-14.

“We have a working car now,” Fowler said. “Hopefully over the summer, we can test a bunch of things and tune everything we want and come back strong for Michigan!”

“I wouldn’t be one bit surprised to see the team do even better at Michigan,” Webb added. “They are a talented and determined bunch.”

In addition to Fowler and Thollot, other Penn College team members for Baja SAE Williamsport were manufacturing engineering technology students Nick J. Benninger, of Bloomsburg; Trevor J. Lindsay, of Mechanicsburg; Alec D. Rees, of Centerport, New York; and Brian P. Rogers, of Kunkletown. Engineering design technology majors were T.J. J. Bodei Jr., of Toms River, New Jersey; Casey B. Campbell, of Kennerdell; and Johnmichael S. Weaver, of Greenville. The team also included Leo W. Cooke, of Easton (automated manufacturing technology); Matthew J. Rotundo, of Abingdon, Maryland (applied management); Davis I. Rowell, of Boalsburg (heavy construction equipment technology: technician emphasis); and Jack J. Stump, of York, who graduated earlier this month with an associate degree in machine tool technology.

Top political analysts in Pennsylvania say the state is in the midst of a major demographic and electoral shift, which is likely to prove beneficial for the GOP. According to the latest figures coming out of the commonwealth, Republicans gained more than 10,000 new registrants in the last two months.

An analysis of data from the Pennsylvania Department of State conducted by the news outlets PoliticsPA and SpotlightPA found Pennsylvania’s running totals of Republican registrants as of mid-May had increased nearly 11,000 since March 29. Democratic rolls lost about 4,600, and nearly 20,000 Democrats have decided to switch parties or re-register as independent or third-party voters.

Up until recently, Pennsylvania could be counted on for flipping its gubernatorial seat every two terms and has showcased a diverse range of U.S. senators, from the conservative Rick Santorum to the late Arlen Specter, who famously switched from Republican to Democrat. Political strategists said the latest figures show the GOP may have a lot to celebrate in November despite recent Democratic dominance.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro upset that gubernatorial trend when he defeated retired Army Col. and state Sen. Doug Mastriano in 2022 to succeed fellow Democrat Tom Wolf. And former President Trump failed to repeat the upset win he notched in 2016 while running against President Biden in 2020.

TRUMP’S VISIT TO WORKING-CLASS PA TOWN EVOKES FOND MEMORIES, BUSINESSES SAY

However, the numbers tell the true tale, said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania political strategist and former vice chairman of the American Conservative Union.

“Republicans have been gaining on the Democrats in Pennsylvania for a number of years, and the gap right now is very narrow,” Gerow said, noting how Democrats once outnumbered Republicans by 1 million in the commonwealth.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN LEANS INTO PENNSYLVANIA ROOTS

When asked about recent Republican losses in light of Democrats’ declining registration advantage, Gerow said campaigns and registration figures have their differences.

“I have good news for the folks wringing their hands [about the Democrats’ recent successes]. [With] Donald Trump and David McCormick, Republicans are going to have a lot to celebrate.”

Gerow predicts McCormick will defeat Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., who observers said in 2012 was helped into office by the name recognition and aisle-crossing popularity of his late father, former Gov. Robert P. Casey, the pro-life Democratic namesake of the landmark “Planned Parenthood v. Casey” case.

While Philadelphia and the suburbs see an influx of more moderate or liberal voters from the cities and a shift against populist conservatism, the numbers taken statewide appear to be moving in the GOP’s favor.

“The difference between the two parties’ registration is what is significant,” Gerow said. “What you’re seeing here is a very big demographic shift. The Republican Party is increasingly more populist. The Democrats are increasingly more elitist.”

Mastriano, who ran against Shapiro in 2022, told Fox News Digital he was heartened by the latest statistics.

“The trends under multiple measures can’t be making Democrats happy,” he said. 

“Besides seeing statewide and even blue-centered areas like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh showing significantly more Republican registrations, even Gov. Shapiro’s big push for automatic registration when getting a driver’s license has resulted in bigger GOP gains, which I doubt Josh was expecting when he got behind this.”

While its major cities — Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown — remain reliably in Democratic hands, one of several spreadsheets provided by the State Department showed about 2,200 Philadelphia voters left the Democratic Party so far this year, while the GOP lost about 400.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro addresses the media after casting his ballot at the Rydal Elementary School West polling location Nov. 8, 2022, in Rydal, Pa. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, lost just under 1,200 Democrats and 500 Republicans.

Once reliably-Democratic areas like Schuylkill County now swing Republican, and Trump notably flipped several blue-friendly areas like Luzerne, home to Wilkes-Barre, and Northampton counties in 2016. But Republicans have suffered recent losses around Philadelphia, where once-red, middle-class Delaware County now leans reliably Democratic.

However, overall, there are 3,894,593 Democratic voters registered in Pennsylvania to 3,504,984 Republicans, according to state data.

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State Sen. Jarrett Coleman of Lehigh County added he believes the registration gap narrowing is indicative of public sentiment increasingly favoring the GOP.

“[It] is due to the fact that the Republican Party is more focused on kitchen table issues, and that resonates with voters,” Coleman said. “The people I talk to are more concerned about being able to pay their bills and making ends meet. They’re turned off by the Democratic Party’s unrelenting focus on social issues and making every election about abortion.”

Sam Chen, a top Pennsylvania political analyst and professor at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, called the recent trends “fantastic” for Republicans and “worrisome” for Democrats.

Chen called attention to Pennsylvania voters’ proclivity to split their tickets

“In 2016, we saw Donald Trump win the presidency, Pat Toomey win his Senate seat, and then, down the row offices, it was all Democrats,” Chen said. He added that it may “take the edge off” such shifts in voter registration, and that that may not mean all of the “new” Republican voters will automatically support Trump or McCormick.

He argued that while some may try to delineate conservative and moderate Republicans, the true variable is populist via non-populist, regardless of party.

At the same time, Chen said there are things on the populist side of the party that voters for former Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., a longtime respected lawmaker who was not afraid to criticize Trump at times, would not support. Chen later added that some of the gross declines in party registrations, regardless of net gains and losses, are likely attributed to voter distaste with the entire body politic.

“They may not necessarily be conservative or moderate or populist,” Chen said. “They may also just be fed up and feel like they don’t have a home in their own party.”

State department officials who supplied data for purposes of this story declined to comment. 

TRCP’s Colorado staff recaps some of this year’s conservation highlights from the Centennial State

As we near the midway point of 2024, TRCP’s Colorado staff takes a look back on this year’s conservation accomplishments and future opportunities.

2024 in Colorful Colorado

The TRCP, alongside other great partner organizations, submitted comments to the Bureau of Land Management regarding big game habitat conservation and energy development in Colorado in response to the BLM’s draft Big Game Corridors Resource Management Plan Amendment, and the BLM’s draft Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement in February and April respectively. THANK YOU to those who submitted comments through TRCP’s comment portal and calls to action related to those two very important, ongoing planning efforts.

Additionally, we provided the Forest Service with feedback on their final Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests Plan revision in February. We advocated for important big game management policies within highest priority habitats and Wildlife Management Areas, and for closer management and conservation of the GMUG’s bighorn sheep herds. Bighorn sheep have since been added to the Forest’s list of Species of Conservation Concern.

The Colorado state legislative session ended last week and a few highlights for hunters and anglers include:

Senate Bill 2024 – 026, Agriculture & Natural Resources Public Engagement Requirement was signed into law on May 1 and requires Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Department of Agriculture, and Colorado Water Conservation Board commissioners to participate in two public meetings per year, specifically to facilitate discussion with the constituencies for which they were appointed to represent. For example, Parks and Wildlife commissioners appointed to represent sportspersons will make themselves available for public discussions, questions, and feedback twice per year outside of normal Commission meetings. Please take advantage of these opportunities to build relationships with those who represent your interests in important policy decisions! Thank you, Senators Roberts and Will, and Representatives McLachlan and Catlin for sponsoring this legislation.

Senate Bill 2024 – 212, Local Govs Renewable Energy Projects passed the legislature and awaits the Governor’s signature. This renewable energy and transmission development study bill will require the Colorado Energy Office to submit a report to the general assembly by September 30, 2025, that evaluates counties’ regulatory processes for permitting renewable energy and transmission projects and the impacts these projects have on wildlife resources. It also requires that the Colorado Energy Office provides the public with the opportunity to review and comment on the report before it’s finalized. We will continue to partner with other stakeholders, track this process closely, and advocate for wildlife habitat avoidance as well as minimization and mitigation of adverse impacts from energy development. It’s important for Colorado to utilize diverse energy resources without sacrificing wildlife populations, migration habitats, or the hunting, angling, and conservation values that TRCP members love so much. Thank you, Senators Hansen and Fenberg, and Representatives Brown and McCormick for sponsoring the bill.

Senate Bill 2024 – 171, Restoration of Wolverines passed the legislature and awaits the Governor’s signature. This bill authorizes reintroduction of historically native wolverines following thorough analysis, public process, and coordination between the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Colorado law requires the legislature to first approve any efforts by CPW to reintroduce species. We support this science-based, measured approach to species reintroduction. Thank you, Senators Will and Roberts, and Representatives McLauchlan and Mauro for sponsoring the bill and incorporating lessons learned from past restoration efforts.

House Bill 2024 – 1379, Regulate Dredge & Fill Activities in State Waters passed the legislature and awaits the Governor’s signature. The bill directs the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to establish a state-level wetland and stream permit program that safeguards these important habitats for fish and wildlife. The legislation was introduced to address a gap in regulatory protections for wetlands and streams following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA which drastically reduced federal protections for most wetlands and many streams under the Clean Water Act. Colorado is among the first states to pass legislation creating state-level safeguards. Thank you, Senators Roberts and Kirkmeyer, and Representatives McCluskie and McCormick for sponsoring this important conservation legislation.

Science-based wildlife management by our state’s wildlife experts is critical to maintaining ecosystem balance and quality opportunities for hunting, angling, and outdoors pursuits for generations to come.

In the second half of 2024 we are looking forward to:

• The US Forest Service’s final record of decision related to the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests. We are optimistic that this will include habitat conservation and connectivity-oriented forest management direction within newly defined Wildlife Management Areas as well as enhanced big game species-specific conservation and management direction. We hope the plan will be finalized this summer so implementation can begin, and we thank all of you who’ve commented on the GMUG Forests Plan Revision over the years!
• The Colorado BLM’s proposed final draft of its statewide Big Game Corridors Resource Management Plan Amendment being announced sometime in late summer or fall. Thank you again to all who submitted comments to the Colorado BLM regarding avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating adverse impacts to key big game habitats from oil and gas development on public lands!
• The BLM’s proposed final draft of its Programmatic Solar Environmental Impact Statement highlighting areas worthy of excluding from development vs. areas where lower-impact development should be prioritized across 11 Western states. The BLM is still reviewing the many comments they received on their draft Solar PEIS. We look forward to reviewing changes made when the final draft is released, and hope they incorporate TRCP and partner organizations’ request that the BLM exclude the highest-priority big game habitat on BLM land in Colorado from utility-scale solar development.
• Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, Regional Caucus, and Sportspersons Caucus meetings, which are all open to the public and include important discussions relevant to hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation across Colorado. See the Colorado Wildlife Conservation Partnership events calendar or Colorado Parks and Wildlife website for more information.
• Helping ensure Colorado voters understand Colorado’s long history of responsible and highly successful species and ecosystem restoration and management, and have access to the latest data and science before signing to support, or potentially voting on ballot initiatives that will impact hunting and angling. Science-based wildlife management by our state’s wildlife experts is critical to maintaining ecosystem balance and quality opportunities for hunting, angling, and outdoors pursuits for generations to come. Please check out and share: https://wildlifedeservebetter.com/ 

Thank you for staying up to date on Colorado-based issues that impact hunters, anglers, fish, wildlife, and wildlife-based businesses across the state. I hope you’ll take action on important issues with us again as we move forward.

The TRCP is your no-B.S. resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.

Photo Credit: Christian Collins