Teams

Big Bertha

Garage Headquarters: Riverside, CT

Driver: Cameron MacLean

Mechanics: Brendan Reeves, Quinn Smith, JP Moore, Dave Peterson

Nuts and Bolts:

When Cameron MacLean, Brendan Reeves, and Quinn Smith attended Red Bull Soapbox Race Providence, an idea was conceived in their fertile imaginations. They nurtured the development of their concept for many months – about nine – until the fruits of their labor paid off with a racer unlike any other: Big Birtha. Birtha's shell takes on the startling form of a woman giving birth, and on race day the driver (Cameron) will lie beneath it with only his head in view, giving the distinct impression that he himself is the emerging infant.

These teammates met while working at RBS Greenwich Capital in Connecticut, where Cameron is a compliance analyst and Brendan is a finance analyst. (Quinn moved on to pursue freelance design jobs.) They tested the Birtha theme at April's Mt. Snow Duct Tape Derby sledding race, and they're confident about their chances of earning the People's Choice Award on September 6. Intent on perfecting every detail, they've even consulted a midwife and old health class videos. "We hope that the authenticity of our birthing process will overwhelm the crowd with nostalgia," says Brendan, tongue firmly in cheek. "While thinking of their dear mother and her fight to bring them into the world, audience members will hardly be able to restrain themselves from voting for us." With a grin, Cameron finishes, "Besides, our music accompaniment will knock you up… er… we mean out."