Teams

Tape Duck

Garage Headquarters: Westminster, CO

Driver: Clark Brace

Mechanics: Felicity Brace, Rachel Brace, Stephanie Brace, Chris Ecks, Mike Schmidt

Nuts and Bolts:

“Craziness is genetic – I have proof!” claims Clark Brace, a mechanical engineer from Westminster, Colorado. Clark was a member of the team that won 2005’s Red Bull Dragsterday in Detroit, and he contributed to the second-place effort at the Red Bull Soapbox Race in St. Louis in 2006. “My whole family trekked to St. Louis to dress up and join in the fun,” Clark remembers. “They caught the spirit, and the rest, as they say, is history.” With a Soapbox Race coming to the Braces’ backyard, you’d better believe they’re going to take part. Eleven-year-old Rachel, nine-year-old Stephanie, and their mom Felicity are just as excited as Clark and the other two men on the team, family friends Chris Ecks and Mike Schmidt.

Besides building vehicles for Red Bull contests, Clark and his buddies have constructed numerous entries for Boulder Kinetics events. Clark says he decided, “Every vehicle I have ever built has eventually had duct tape on it, so why not go with the flow?” He started building a chassis for his team’s ducky driver in early August, leaving costumes and skit planning to the ladies. He figures, “October will probably see building parties for friends and family to sculpt a duck with chicken wire, papier mâché, foam, who knows…but certainly lots of duct tape.” The team’s philosophy? “Play for fun, but play to win, too!”