Teams

Team OBOT

Garage Headquarters: Salinas, CA

Driver: Ruben Flores

Mechanics: Jose Hernandez, Isaac Morgan, Jose Herrera, Edgar Soto

Nuts and Bolts:

Ruben Flores, Jose Hernandez, Isaac Morgan, and Edgar Soto met while attending college in Anaheim and ended up being roommates. They’ve been out of school for seven years now; but they still stay in touch and get together to watch an A’s game or go to the horse races whenever they can. Jose works as a graphic designer, and it was his art that inspired the friends to get together for a different kind of race – the Red Bull Soapbox Race – and aim for the Winner’s Circle themselves.

“The blueprint for the car, which we call OBOT, is a replica of a character Jose has designed and painted,” says Edgar, the team’s captain. “We’re thinking of using aluminum with some sort of mesh, so that air can go through the OBOT.” This team has design and development skills across a wide spectrum. Ruben works as a civil project designer, Isaac is a structural project designer, and Edgar is employed as an architectural project designer. A fifth team member, Jose Herrera (who became part of the close-knit group through marriage), works in construction, so he’s key in putting all that visionary design into practice. “We expect the crowd to be fascinated with the OBOT car, as we have been with our friend’s paintings and drawings,” Edgar states assuredly. “Our soapbox is going to win.”