Teams

Retro Rocket Racers

Garage Headquarters: Sunnyvale, CA

Driver: Justin Case

Mechanics: Philip Canlas, Carey Hijmans, Shawn Molina

Nuts and Bolts:

It’s like that “Who’s on first?” routine: Ask the Retro Rocket Racers who their team captain is, and they’ll tell you, “Just in case.” Make a query about their driver, and again they’ll respond, “Just in case.” Assure them that they really need to think beyond contingency plans and make a decision on those two important roles, and “Just in case” will still be their refrain. It’s only when you meet their leader that it all comes together: a friendly 32-year-old extends his hand in greeting and says, “Hi, I’m Justin Case.”

Joining Justin at the starting line will be his co-workers Philip Canlas (32), Carey Hijmans (28), and Shawn Molina (27). “We’re nerdy, slightly insane, gearhead, fun-loving Lockheed enginerds,” laughs Justin, who is pursuing a master’s degree at San Jose State in the evenings. He continues, “This race is an opportunity to leverage our diverse personalities and skills for some outrageously creative fun – all while riding downhill as fast as possible without having to worry about cops!” Because these engineers design and build propulsive devices for a living, they’ve been inspired to take rocket power to “the next level” for the soapbox race. They believe spectators favor soapbox cars that are “stout, aerodynamic, and retro,” so they’re using steel and foam to craft a racer that’s both beautiful and speedy. Justin jokes, “It’s rocketry, so the sky’s the limit!”