Teams

Jebidia's Journey

Garage Headquarters: Philadelphia, PA

Driver: Tim O'Hara

Mechanics: Vince Zuwiala, Missy Tewksberry, Ed McGrath, John Skalski

Nuts and Bolts:

Tim O’Hara, captain of the team called “Jedediah’s Journey,” wants to be perfectly clear. “We love the Pennsylvania Dutch and are in no way disrespecting them,” he says of his team’s Soapbox concept: an Amish buggy pulled by a bright red bull. “We figure this race is in Pennsylvania, and the Amish play an important part in our society, from building barns to running local farmers’ markets. They ride horse and buggies and that’s a great vehicle to turn into a racer.”

Tim and his teammates Ed McGrath, John Skalski, Missy Tewksbury, and Vince Zuwiala often hang out in Manayunk, and they’re expecting a substantial following to cheer for them on race day. In the meantime, they’re building their racer on Sunday afternoons in the garage of a friendly neighbor. Their biggest challenge is the ambitious – albeit ingenious – concept of creating moving legs for their bull. “It involves a lot of gears, chains, linkages, and levers,” explains Tim, who, fortunately, just happens to be a mechanical engineer. The other team members’ professions include materials engineer, accountant, butcher, and “murse” (male nurse), and for the race each one is specializing in a different role, from design to decoration and even choreography. “Honestly, we are going to take first. There’s no doubt,” Tim declares. “OK, maybe we’ll take second – but, really, probably first.”