7-28-98

MOTORSPORTS LINK ALUMNI, BUSINESS AND ACADEMICS

	COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State University logo, 
already familiar to fans of many sports, will soon be 
appearing in a new arena -- professional motorsports.  A new 
program, "Ohio State Motorsports," announced Tuesday (7/28), 
will link alumni involved in professional motorsports with 
the academic and business functions of the university.

	Three alumni who are professional race drivers have 
committed to participate.  They are Jim Head, who races NHRA 
Top Fuel dragsters; Lonnie Rush, Jr., a driver on the NASCAR 
Craftsman Truck Series; and Josh Baltes, who drives on the 
ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Super Car Series.  They will help raise 
awareness and support for Ohio State's Center for Automotive 
Research (CAR) and the Student Projects motorsports program.  
The drivers will be involved in several projects with the 
university, including featuring Ohio State logos on their 
vehicles at selected events.

	Rush, a 1989 graduate, will debut his Ohio State truck 
at the Cummins 200 (9 p.m. EST, ESPN) at Indianapolis 
Raceway Park, this Thursday, July 30.  Head, a 1971 
graduate, is pointing toward racing an Ohio State dragster 
at the VisionAire Northstar Nationals, August 20-23 in 
Brainerd, Minn. (ESPN/2).  Baltes, who graduated in 1997, 
will follow with his Ohio State stock car at the ARCA 
Bondo/Mar-Hyde event at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Aug. 
28 (Time TBA, TNN).  

	"This program is a great step for Ohio State 
University," said Head, the 1997 U.S. Nationals Top Fuel 
champion.  "I'm a very loyal person, and I'm grateful for 
the education I received at OSU.  With that said, I'm happy 
to have the opportunity to give something back to a great 
university, while promoting motorsports at the same time."

	"We are excited about this partnership and the 
opportunities it presents for the Center for Automotive 
Research,"  said Don Houser, professor of mechanical 
engineering at Ohio State and director of CAR.  "We have had 
experience in both professional and student motorsports 
programs, and feel this type of cooperative effort can help 
raise the awareness for our facility and programming."

	CAR provides both graduate and undergraduate students 
with applied research and educational opportunities.  The 
Center contains three major technical thrusts:  noise, 
vibration and dynamics; powertrain systems; and electro-
mechanical sub-systems.  CAR has provided research and 
technical assistance to virtually all of the major auto 
manufacturers.
	
	The student motorsports program, under the College of 
Engineering, provides hands-on experience for five project 
cars:  SAE Mini Baja, Formula SAE, Formula Lightning 
(electric), Sunrayce (solar power) and FutureCar (fuel 
efficiency).  The Ohio State Motorsports program will seek 
to provide educational opportunities for students with the 
professional race teams. 

	The university's Office of Trademark & Licensing 
Services will administer a licensing program that will 
feature the Ohio State Motorsports graphics on commercial 
products.  A full range of products, including apparel and 
vehicle replicas, will be available over the next few 
months.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these 
products will benefit CAR and Student Projects.

	"The commercial aspects of this program give us a great 
opportunity to tell the university's story about our 
engineering program, CAR and our student projects, as well 
as provide support for these programs,"  said Anne H. 
Chasser, director of trademark & licensing at Ohio State.  
"The market for motorsports merchandise has exploded over 
the last couple of years, and we feel university-related 
motorsports products have a niche."

	The university is pursuing additional alumni 
relationships within professional motorsports to widen the 
scope of the program and possibly add additional drivers.

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Contacts:
	Center for Automotive Research:  Don Houser,  292-2226
	Student Projects:  Ed McCaul, 292-7931
	Trademark & Licensing Services:  Rick Van Brimmer, 292-
1562