Teams

Crash and Burn

Garage Headquarters: Carson, CA

Driver: Paul Popp

Mechanics: Josh Schutte, Robert Weaver, David Mann, David White

Nuts and Bolts:

On September 26, Team Crash and Burn intends to do anything but crash and burn. (Instead, they fully intend to race and win.) But what better name for a soapbox car driven by a bunch of firefighters? Steve Franklin, Dave Mann, Paul Popp, Josh Schutte, and Robert Weaver work on the same crew at the same fire station – Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 36, in the city of Carson – where Paul and Steve are firefighter specialists, Josh is a firefighter paramedic, and Dave and Robert are fire captains. “We live together about a third of our lives,” Robert comments. “Entering the race started as a dare; then we began to get serious with drawings, still not believing we would be picked.” They decided on something familiar: a tiller-ladder fire truck (the really long kind with extendable ladders). “We thought it would be cool to have one in miniature that you could actually drive or crash, as the case may be,” Robert laughs.

Now that the team has been chosen to compete, they’re getting busy with construction, using materials such as aluminum, plastic, bike tires, and brakes. At the starting line, Paul will take the wheel up front, and Josh, the “tillerman,” will control the back. The five firemen seem to genuinely enjoy the challenge of crafting a vehicle sturdy enough to support two grown men. “We’ve never built any soapbox racers before,” Robert acknowledges, “but we’re having so much fun that I’m sure this isn’t going to be our last!”