"It's a really big step for Jayhawk Motorsports," says team leader Matthew Petty.

Petty is building his third race car, but he thinks this one will be the best thanks to a donation from Rice Precision Manufacturing of Baldwin City.

"Having this piece of equipment in our shop is really going to have a huge effect on all students who participate in it," he says.

The machine, called a CNC, enables the nearly 50 team members to make complex tools and parts for their car in house instead of buying them from manufacturing companies, which is what they did in years past.

"It doesn't cost anything to do and we can make the parts how we want it," says Petty.

It also means faster production.

"We have a deadline of March 19 and now with the CNC mill we can definitely meet that deadline."

After they finish designing, manufacturing and testing the car, team members race it in international competitions.

"With the CNC machine this year, we have a chance of winning. That's what we're shooting for is a win," says Petty.

The Jayhawk Motorsports team will face its first competition with this new car in May at the Michigan International Speedway in Detroit.

Cars will be tested on everything from fuel economy to acceleration.