Teams

THE W-WING FIGHTER

Garage Headquarters: St. Louis, MO

Driver: Jason Wehmeier

Mechanics: Jarrod Wehmeier, Susan Wehmeier, Amy Wingerter, Kevin Wingerter

Nuts and Bolts:

When Jason Wehmeier received a whiff of the Red Bull Soapbox Race, he got on the wire to his relatives: well-loved wife Susan Wehmeier, wise-guy brother Jarrod Wehmeier, wonderful sister-in-law Amy Wingerter, and willing brother-in-law Kevin Wingerter. This warranted something out of this world. Well, within days, they whipped up a wild idea: the W-Wing Fighter! "Get it?" Jason warbles. "Wehmeiers! Wingerters!" Not to mention Wars. Star Wars, that is.

Yep, the world-class work of art that these wizards are spending their weekends and weeknights on is just one letter off from Luke Skywalker's X-Wing warhorse. No wallflowers, the well-conditioned team will wield light sabers, showing no weakness. And the wardrobe they wear will be worthy of recognition. A wacky robot, a royal in white, and a wicked villain will warm up the crowd before The W-Wing Fighter whizzes off at warp speed. Will it work? Will it waffle? Will it wreck? Or will the wondrous wagon get a wind assist and leave other worthy opponents in its wake? Jason is wired to drive. He intends to win and earn some wampum, or a trip to watch a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. He avows, "We are wediculously – make that ridiculously – serious about competing!"