The Mini-Baja is a design competition which focuses on off-road vehicle design and performance. Each team is required to design and build an off-road vehicle that meets safety requirements set forth by SAE International to compete against 120 other teams. Each team uses the same power plant, a 10 hp Briggs and Stratton 4-cycle engine, and must make the most of the given power by reducing weight, and optimizing other components for durability and performance.

     At the yearly competition, each team presents their Mini-Baja car to a panel of judges. Team performance is ranked as to how well the team places in the static and dynamic events. The static events are: a fully detailed design and itemized cost report, craftsmanship, operator comfort, serviceability, structural design, feasibility of mass production, power train, suspension and brake design, originality and innovation. The dynamic events are: Braking, Acceleration, Maneuverability, Towing, Hill Climb, and the intense four-hour Endurance race.

     UD SAE competed with a new design in the 2004 Mini-Baja Midwest Competition in Wisconsin. The car performed quite well, and the team placed 27th out of 137 schools in the static judging events and placed 38th of 137 schools in the dynamic events. This latest competition the car placed 13th out of 141 overall and placed top 20 in almost every event.