Grand Prix and Pittsburgh Shootout to Team Up for First-Ever PVGP Collegiate Cup on July 19-20 Race Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2025

Media Contact
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Association
Ross Miller, Executive Vice President
P:  ‭(412) 400-7324‬
E:  rmiller@pvgp.org

PITTSBURGH, PA – The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix and Pittsburgh Shootout have teamed up to shift gears with some local engineering students and bring the PVGP version of the Backyard Brawl to Schenley Park. Undergraduate engineering students from Carnegie Mellon University, Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and West Virginia University will bring their formula cars to the track this July 19-20, and one school will earn the rights to hoist the PVGP Collegiate Cup.

The program, supported by the engineering schools at each respective university, provides students with strong mechanical acumen a program to build experimental formula cars from the ground up. They design and build the small formula-style cars, then compete in races around the country – and this year, the PVGP has opened the door to Schenley Park. It’s a competition that blends both design and performance. The four schools will run their cars in the shadow of Pitt and CMU as they run in the Motul Panther Hollow Hillclimb, a one-mile course that sprints uphill from Phipps Conservatory, past the Westinghouse Pond, to the top of East Circuit Drive as they pass 50,000 spectators on the golf course.

The event would not be possible without the support of Pittsburgh Shootout, a non-profit student and alumni-run organization that caters to Formula Student teams. They promote networking, collaboration and education through the university programs. Emily Anthony, a member of the Pittsburgh Shootout board of directors, played a key role in securing the opportunity for the students. She, along with a group of alumni volunteers, will oversee the technical and safety inspections of all cars before competing. The organization has expanded to include more than 50 teams competing in their events over the past decade.

While they certainly aren’t vintage, the cars are open-wheel designs that sit on chassis of steel tube frames and carbon fiber. Engines are either combustion or electric. The program boasts an abundance of educational value as students learn about aerodynamics, torque, project management, powertrain, weight distribution and more. Welcoming some of the bright young minds of mechanical and automotive engineers into the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix helps pave the way for the next generation of PVGP racers and car enthusiasts.

The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix has long been a tradition for race fans and car enthusiasts. Now it’s a proving ground for these engineering students to show everyone just how advanced they are in their chosen field. The only question remains: who will wear the crown in 2025 as they race against time and tradition?

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