Privateers: they shaped the racing world in the 60’s with their insane shoe-string innovations that shook noses at the bigger and badder teams that found themselves hopelessly outgunned to a smaller, more adaptable foe. They made racing very entertaining in the mid-century and they are leaving an impact on Power Racing today. They challenge conventions, throwing proverbial wrenches into the assumption that bigger is better and funding makes you faster. Privateers operate on tiny budgets usually with a few dedicated minds working together over countless hours. This is particularly impressive for Power Racing, because it is not like we don’t run on a tiny budget to begin with. So the work of Duct Tape & Zip Ties is particularly genius.

PS:1GP fought against impeccable odds to win the Endurance race leg of the first round of the 2011 Power Racing Series. Driver Beth Callahan was able to hold off challenges from Milwaukee Makerspace and the incredibly dominant Sector 67 team to finish 10 laps ahead of her nearest rival, with 161 laps completed in 75 minutes. The sole victory clinched at the first round of the PPPRS season was not easily earned, and PS:One underwent substantial changes over the winter to build a machine that would last.

Photo by Alex Hernandez

The 2nd Annual Power Racing Series came to a dramatic conclusion at Maker Faire Detroit with i3 Detroit claiming the main series Championship and Milwaukee Makerspace taking the Constructors title.  Today’s one-hour endurance race featured a staggering victory by #29 Pit Rats from OmniCorp Detroit whom completed the race with a mind boggling single pit stop. The championship hopes for Milwaukee Makerspace were thrashed as Royce Pipkins #666 Grave Digger smoked to oblivion halfway into the 1-hour event. Amongst the carnage were 3 other Milwaukee teams, including a Tom’s Pink Barbie Trike, and the underfunded and troubled “Big Jake” . After a rocky start for i3, including a dramatic overtake by Milwaukee Makerspace’s manically driven Grave Digger, the team limped to the finish with just enough points to claim the Series Title.

For more in depth coverage, including post race analysis, and pit interviews check back tomorrow.