From a military Jeep to colorful sports cars, Oakland University’s Student Program Board’s (SPB) Motor Mania brought a little extra horsepower to Parking Lot 37 on Monday, Sept. 28.
With hoods raised and a student-built race car on display, there was more to explore than the usual rows of parked vehicles.
Motor Mania welcomed all types of cars from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. WXOU played recent pop hits as attendees checked out the vehicles, with pizza, beverages and giveaways available throughout the evening. Families also stopped by to check out the cars, extending the gathering beyond Oakland’s student community.
Gianna Trzasko, a student involved with SPB, said the event was meant to give car enthusiasts a place to enjoy a shared interest.
“We’re really wanting to have a fun event with people who can gather and share an interest in cars,” Trzasko said.
That interest did not come with a single look.
A red 2002 Ford Thunderbird convertible brought a bright splash of color to the lot, while a blue 1992 Chevrolet Corvette stood nearby with its hood raised. A white Mazda’s pop-up headlights added another detail to the lineup. Together, the vehicles gave attendees a chance to look beyond a car’s exterior and explore the features that made each one distinct.
Alongside the personally owned vehicles, Grizzlies Racing, Oakland University’s Formula SAE team, displayed a different kind of ride. The student organization designs and builds a formula-style race car for collegiate competition.
Grizzlies Racing displayed the GR 26, a black-and-gold race car scheduled to compete in its last race in Toronto the following weekend. The team is already designing the GR 27 and hopes to have the next car ready by May.
Beneath the team’s tent, attendees gathered around the car’s compact cockpit, exposed wheels and wide front wing, getting a close-up view of the student-built racer.
For Zach Howey, a junior who brought an M15182 military Jeep, car meets were already part of a weekly routine. Howey said similar gatherings take place once or twice a week, but Motor Mania offered him a way to get more involved at Oakland.
“I decided to come to the event because I feel like I need to get more engaged at Oakland. I’m a junior, and I said, ‘It’s about time to actually participate,’” he recalled.
Howey’s decision to attend put Trzasko’s goal into practice. An interest usually pursued at car meets elsewhere provided another reason to take part in an event at Oakland.
Between the different vehicles, music, food and giveaways, Motor Mania turned a campus parking lot into a gathering place for car enthusiasts. For one evening, Lot P37 became more than a place to leave a car between classes.
Motor Mania showed how student events can turn an ordinary campus space into a place for students and community members to connect over shared interests.