By Ethan Shea

If you have visited the ground floor of Falvey Library lately, you may have noticed some new decor. Located just outside of the Idea Lab, you can find a streamlined racecar that has been temporarily relocated from the College of Engineering due to the CEER Expansion Project.

Photo Courtesy of Villanova Engineering

This car belongs to Villanova’s NovaRacing team, a Formula SAE car racing group. Each year, students who represent NovaRacing must build a car from scratch to compete in a competition that puts several aspects of the car, from its durability to its acceleration, to the test.

When Falvey patrons see such a sleek vehicle, of course the number one question on their minds will be “How fast does it go?” Well, thanks to Will Stoval ’24, a dedicated member of NovaRacing, I have the answer to this question and much more.

To get right to the point, Stoval informed me that the University’s Formula SAE cars go about 82 miles per hour (mph) at top speed. He also mentioned a new feature of the team’s car called the aeropackage. Stoval explained that this addition functions as front and rear wings to the car, and that they are “essentially airplane wings upside down that serve to press the car into the ground so it may corner at higher speeds.”

Despite the informative nature of NovaRacing, the group is much more than a way to teach students engineering. Stoval can attest to this, as he stated: “Some of the most memorable things I have learned from college have come from NovaRacing. Between learning how to weld and work on engines, I’ve learned how important working in a real team is and just how integral leadership and patience are to overcoming obstacles the group may encounter.”

Stoval specifically wanted the car beside Falvey’s Idea Lab because he has “always loved the Idea Lab and how the whole point of the space is to foster creativity and innovation. A racing car built by students perfectly embodies the spirit of the lab.”

Falvey Library is happy to house such a fascinating work of engineering that embodies the hard work and talent of so many Villanova students. In addition to the exciting renovations to the College of Engineering, this car’s temporary presence in Falvey is a welcome effect of the CEER Expansion Project.

Ethan Shea is a first-year English Graduate Student and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Memorial Library.