Teams

Toto's Escape

Garage Headquarters: Costa Mesa, CA

Driver: Mike Belair

Mechanics: Geoff Curtis, Michele Curtis, Ray Trevorrow, Jason McBurney

Nuts and Bolts:

They’re not in Orange County anymore. Mike Belair, Geoff Curtis, Michelle Curtis, Jason McBurney, and Ray Trevorrow have leapfrogged a rainbow to land in the most fabulous place this side of Oz: the City of Angels. But while they’re fascinated by the wondrous sights of Los Angeles (and intrigued by the curious inhabitants), they know in their hearts that there’s no place like home. If the teammates want to get back to Aliso Viejo and thereabouts, they’ll have to outwit wicked witches, flee flying monkeys, and, most especially, surpass speeding adversaries. The Wizard demands no less than the first-place trophy from the Red Bull Soapbox Race.

The five friends have been planning this escapade ever since their application failed to make the cut for the 2008 contest in San Francisco. “We’ve all been roommates at one time or another, and together we’ve had many adventures. We never pass up a chance to enjoy life,” says Jason, who makes his living in construction. “We knew we had the creativity, ability, and determination to compete.” The group’s theme was inspired by Geoff and Michelle’s recent wedding – she walked down the aisle in ruby slippers to the accompaniment of “Over the Rainbow.” In a Fountain Valley warehouse, Geoff (who works for a shop that creates prototype cars) and Mike (who’s building his own ’69 Lincoln Continental) are admittedly “borderline psychotic” about constructing their Tinman-esque racer. With a wink, Mike declares, “We want this machine to be able to survive a tornado!”