Teams

Paddy's Pub

Garage Headquarters: Old City, Philadelphia, PA

Driver: Steve Abbonizio

Mechanics: Katie Kenny, Michael Concannon, Michael Harris, Tuymour Haye

Nuts and Bolts:

If you’ve ever seen the hit FX television comedy “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and thought it was too quirky to be true, think again. Paddy’s Old City Irish Pub claims the honor of being the inspiration for the show, and now Paddy’s has inspired a soapbox racer manned by a group of the real-life characters who work and hang out at the beloved bar.

Steve Abbonizio, who will manage the controls of the team’s racer, explains, “The idea for our design was sparked by one of the three owners of Paddy’s Pub, Frank White. Unless there is four feet or more of snow, you will always see him in Converse sneakers and shorts. All year!” Steve goes on to explain that even when Frank walked his eldest daughter down the aisle, he wore custom Chuck Taylors. (They were purple to match the bridesmaids’ dresses.) Steve grins, “Frank has always loved Converse, and we love Paddy’s Pub, so we’re building a racer that looks like a sneaker!” Giving Steve a push at the starting line will be Dan and Michael Concannon, both bartenders, as well as regular customers Michael Harris and and Tuymour Haye. And of course there will be a massive contingent of family, friends, and customers cheering on the sidelines. With that kind of support, this team seems like a shoe-in for the finals.