Sigma Phi Epsilon | Pennsylvania Theta Chapter at Carnegie Mellon University

What is Buggy?

Buggy is a cross between street luge, track, and a design competition. Buggies, aerodynamic teardrop shaped pushcars designed and built by student groups during the year, are pushed and driven through and around campus over a course measuring more than 4,400 feet. The buggies are driven and maneuvered about this buggy course by small, light-weight CMU students. Each buggy has a team of pushers who train year round for the grueling uphill stretches of the course. The competition not only promotes investigating lightweight materials for faster uphill pushing, but also requires computer modeling for precision steering parts. The buggy races, the highlight of each year's Spring Carnival, began in 1920 as the "pushmobile races" of Campus Week. Now the Sweepstakes committee runs the competition, which dictates rules and regulations to the participating organizations. Over the years, buggy has become much more than just a race -it's a passion.

SigEp Racing - Spring 2011 

SigEp in Buggy

Sigma Phi Epsilon's involvement in Buggy began when we fielded a push team for Fringe in Spring of 1996 and continued pushing for them through Spring of 1999.  In 1999, after moving into the new house (1057 Morewood), we finally had the facilities and manpower to start our own buggy program. With Jon Zubiller's ('99) leadership, we created our first mold, an object on which the shell of the buggy is built. Although this mold was never used, it jumpstarted the interest in our Buggy program.

Our first creation, Genesis, was designed and created by Alan Wagstaff in the summer of 1999 and raced the following year.  Buggy technology is strongly coveted and well guarded information, and the race to push the envelope heats up year after year.  After a set of dissapointing circumstances that forced SigEp to withdraw from rolls in 2003, we pushed back harder than ever in 2004.  SigEp mechanics built a new buggy, Shrek, used by the B team and the woman's A team.  Genesis, the "Rolling Thunder" from our beginnings was pushed by the A team with an astounding course time of 2:13.65. This catapulted SigEp into 3rd Place, gaining respect from the other participating teams.

In 2008, SigEp astounded the course with a revolutionary buggy, Messiah. Under the strategic leadership of Jared Itkowitz, SigEp experimented with and reexamined every part of the conventional buggy, questioning elements of good and bad design. Following Messiah, with Peter Edge and Chris Chaffee as cochairs, SigEp built Barracuda, which has time and time again proved itself on the course as a top tier contender.

2009 was the first year SigEp broke the 2:10:00 barrier with the Men’s team placing 5th, and the women’s team placing 3rd. 2010 continued the successes of SigEp Buggy. For the first time ever, SigEp had two men’s teams make the final race day, and the A team pushed themselves into a fantastic second place finish. SigEp was also the number 1 Greek team, edging out PiKA for that award for the first time in 25 years. Peregrine was born under chairman Fritz Langford, which was built to be a refinement of Barracuda.

Most recently, in 2011, SigEp Buggy showed the leaps and bounds that the program has made.  The newest buggy, Mamba, built under the instruction and direction of Bryan Bleda, continued the tradition of innovation. Mamba’s solid construction and remastered steering points the direction of the program, encouraging further improvements for years to come. SigEp’s A team once again broke the 2:10:00 barrier, but unfortunately was disqualified due to a failed brake test. However, through this year’s races, it became apparent to the buggy community that SigEp Racing will be a force to be reckoned with. The future for SigEp buggy looks bright, and we can’t wait to see where we can go next year.