Teams

More Cowbell

Garage Headquarters: Colorado Springs, CO

Driver: Al Brody

Mechanics: Tamara Brody, Mitchell Brown, Patrick Hines, Sandy Kiddie

Nuts and Bolts:

Doing his best Christopher Walken impersonation, Mitch Brown declares, “I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is…MORE COWBELL!” His teammates Al Brody, Tamara Brody, Patrick Hines, and Sandy Kiddie crack up, just like the cast members of ‘Saturday Night Live’ did when they performed that iconic sketch eight years ago. This team from Colorado Springs knows that spectators at Red Rocks Park will immediately get the reference, and they’ll be giving the crowd – and their competitors – all they can handle with a seven-foot replica of the clanging instrument.

The teammates, longtime friends with daytime pursuits ranging from computer analyst to bicycle advocate, are veteran competitors of unconventional races. They have twice finished third at the World Shovel Race in Angelfire, New Mexico, and they’ve helped to build entries for previous Red Bull Soapbox Races (a vehicle based on Lincoln Logs for Seattle and a second-place-winning Jack-in-the-box racer for St. Louis). Their new, percussive masterpiece is composed of materials like metal, tape, wire, and fiberglass. “It’s all about friends having fun, meeting others, and seeing how other people accomplish the goals of racing,” says Mitch, the team’s captain. On October 25, the team’s presentation will (naturally) include the Blue Oyster Cult classic “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” which inspired the SNL skit and cowbell catchphrase. Mitch predicts, “With enough cowbell, yes, we will win!”