‘Science Made Simple’ Shows Appeal of new IMSA STEM Program Powered by Gainbridge and Konica Minolta
By John Oreovicz
MONTEREY, Calif. – Vehicular aerodynamics and the wind tunnel research that goes into shaping the bodies and floors of racing cars is sometimes thought of as a black art. Yet the basic concepts of utilizing airflow to create downforce – the effect of pressing a car down onto the track to increase cornering speeds – are very simple.
Especially when explained by a 9-year-old.
Aaron Seneviratne is the son of Forte Racing owner Shane Seneviratne. He’s an extraordinarily bright and polished young man, right down to his form-fitting team shirt sporting the sponsor logos seen on Forte’s No. 78 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 that competes in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Aaron has been surrounded by racing his entire life; Shane Seneviratne has been involved at a managerial or ownership level since 2005, and his son’s intelligence and enthusiasm for the sport were clear for all to see – including IMSA President John Doonan.
A passionate supporter of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, Doonan concocted a unique challenge.
“I said to Aaron that if his mom and dad would support it, I would like to commission him to build a wind tunnel for a 1/18-scale model car that we could use in our STEM program,” said Doonan. “It was one of the most gratifying moments to see his eyes light up. And off we went.”
Fast forward to a Friday in early May at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where Aaron was gleefully enjoying an excused absence from his fourth-grade classes to demonstrate the functioning wind tunnel he designed and constructed using Autodesk Fusion 360 computer-aided design software and a Bambu Lab X1C 3-D printer.
His audience was a group of 30 high school students from the greater Monterey area who are part of the Mission Trails Regional Occupational Program (ROP).
Aerodynamics are just one aspect of engineering that form the very core of the automotive and racing industry. New for 2025, IMSA STEM Powered by Gainbridge and Konica Minolta is an immersive program dedicated to showcasing the science of racing to attract a new generation of engineers.
WeatherTech Raceway was the third of at least six race venues planned for IMSA STEM in 2025. IMSA STEM’s launch event was held in January in conjunction with Volusia County Schools during the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway.
The Mission Trails ROP students experienced an interactive day at the racetrack that featured presentations from Michelin, Bosch, Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing, and IMSA technical officials, as well as Aaron Seneviratne demonstrating his replica wind tunnel.
Aaron explained how he used ice and glycerin precisely directed by a fan to create the wafts of ‘smoke’ that visually illustrate how air flows over and under a racing car. The walls are created from clear acrylic to vividly showcase how a real wind tunnel functions.
He said his biggest challenge was eliminating air leakage due to tolerances between the multiple printed components necessary to make the tunnel large enough for a 1/18-scale model.
The students were fully engaged as Aaron described the effect of changing the rear wing angle of a replica Lamborghini Huracan featuring full Forte Racing branding.
“You can see there is a bit of stalling here from the airflow,” he pointed out. “You can also see the disturbance from the wing on the airflow, and how the air directs under the tire and the wing.”
Aaron’s presentation wasn’t limited to just the kickoff of the STEM event. He also gave a quick overview of the wind tunnel during Sunday’s race broadcast live on network NBC, which you can see here and below.
For Doonan, the payoff is seeing high school students like the ones IMSA STEM has hosted at Daytona, Long Beach, and Monterey show a high level of interest in engineering, technology, and racing.
And if Aaron Seneviratne is any indication, that kind of fascination and excitement can be sparked much earlier.
“I’ve been so thankful for the investment that companies like Konica Minolta and Gainbridge have made in the STEM program that we kicked off here in 2025,” Doonan said. “It’s something that I think is incredibly important for the entire sport. I have a personal interest and fascination with it – a much deeper experience, where students can absolutely make real-world parallels to what they are learning in the classroom. That gives me and all my IMSA teammates a lot of satisfaction.
“At the end of the day, my blue-sky dream would be to host the largest motorsports and auto industry job fair in the name of IMSA,” he added. “You don’t get it done unless you dream it up, and for me, that’s this pathway for empowering the next generation for our sport – and also for the automotive industry.”