Teams

Team Spikes

Garage Headquarters: Industrial Design Building, Rhode Island School of Design

Driver: Ben Laramie

Mechanics: Kevin Dutra, Ken Sheldon, Liam Wager

Nuts and Bolts:

If anybody could be said to have home-field advantage at the Red Bull Soapbox Race in Providence, it’s probably Team Spike. These four Rhode Island School of Design students traverse Waterman Street nearly every day – but, to their chagrin, never at terminal velocity. “A chance to finally go full speed down College Hill!” exclaims senior Liam Wager, the captain of the team. “Our wild spirits break for no man, and now our racer will brake for no man. Outstanding.”

Actually, teammate Ben Laramie has been begging for brakes. “He’s our driver, and I guess he's a little preoccupied with safety right now,” Wager says with a shrug, adding, “The rest of us are concerned about showmanship. It's going to be some fierce competition!” Helping in the effort will be Kevin Dutra (a “graphic design guru,” Wager says) and Ken Sheldon (master of finding absurd yet amazing remixes of songs that “you wouldn't believe should ever have been remixed”). The four friends have named their team in honor of one of their favorite hangouts, a local restaurant called Spike’s Junkyard Dogs, and they’re even contemplating the idea of winning the crowd’s affection with frankfurters. Wager whoops, “We're wild and crazy and coming to win!”