Teams

WILLIE WAGON

Garage Headquarters: St. Louis, MO

Driver: Curt Hoeft

Mechanics: Dennis Mangnall, Mark Studer, Paul Sugar, Dave White

Nuts and Bolts:

"We are all so different," Dave White says of his Red Bull Soapbox Race teammates Curt Hoeft, Dennis Mangnall, Mark Studer, and Paul Sugar. The St. Louis–area crew can't even come to consensus on which radio station to listen to, yet they do agree on two key points: (1) hanging at the dragstrip is a good time; and (2) when there's nothing going on at the dragstrip, building a human-powered racer is a pretty great way to spend a weekend.

To construct their "Willie Wagon," the team is leveraging Paul Sugar's MacGyver-like ability to transform mundane materials into mechanical marvels. White explains that their plan is to build the car as inexpensively as possible, noting, "The frame will be angle, the arch will be re-bar and flashing, and the stadium will be wood and foam… we think." He ponders a moment, shrugs, and adds, "This is still up in the air – but no worries! We'll figure it out." Once they do, they're relying on Hoeft's experience as 2004 MAR Dragstrip Track champion to steer their car to victory; or at least to a respectable showing. White shrugs once more and states, "Our team may not be unique, but I dig the fact that we are regular, blue-collar schmoes."