Georgia Tech’s Wreck Racing Claims Top Honors at the $2000 Challenge

What did you do in college? Go to class? Party? For a group of Georgia Tech students, the answer involves speed, creativity and engineering: They built a winning race car for just two grand. 

Wreck Racing, a student group at Georgia Tech, took top honors at the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge presented by CRC Industries and eBay Motors. This low-buck event, hosted by Grassroots Motorsports magazine since 1999, took place at Central Florida’s Gainesville Raceway October 23-24, 2020. The competition again featured three venues: autocross, drag racing and concours judging. 

The students built a 1986 BMW 528e powered by a V8 engine mated to a giant, cast-off turbocharger–the name of the game here is a mix between thrift and creativity. In addition to a trophy, the students took home a cool grand in cash from eBay Motors; as the top-placing team in the autocross, they also won a ThermApparel UnderCool cooling vest.

A motorcycle-powered Subaru 360 microvan known as the Little Ball of Hate finished second overall despite sheering an axle early on. This car has come into the event several times before, always looking like a contender for top honors. This was its best finish to date. 

Dark Matter Racing’s turbocharged Ford Mustang came home third overall while posting the event’s fastest time down the drag strip: a scorching 11.027-second E.T. These two finishers claimed Moroso tire pressure gauges for their efforts, while that top drag run was good for a Holley Terminator X EFI system.

Robbie Cutcliffe’s Datsun roadster–vintage sheet metal topping a cast-off, single-seat race car–finished first in the concours competition. His prize stash included a CRC SmartWasher BenchtopPRO® Bioremediating Parts Washer.

Scroll down for final trophy winner, while a future issue of Grassroots Motorsports will detail the entire event, including the winning entry. More photos and complete results to come soon, too. 

$2000 Challenge Champion: The winner of the $2000 Challenge will receive a big trophy, a fancy winner's jacket, and $1000 in cash from eBay Motors.
College Class: Highest-placing car predominantly built by college students.
Wreck Racing, BMW 528e

Second Overall: The second highest-scoring team overall receives a trophy and a Moroso tire gauge. 
Most Spectacular Failure: These cars are built on a tight budget. Things blow up sometimes. This award goes to the most awesome disappointment of the year.
Little Ball of Hate Racing, Subaru 360 Van

Third Overall: The third highest-scoring team overall gets a trophy and a Moroso tire gauge.
Dark Matter Racing, Ford Mustang

First-Place Drag Race (fastest E.T): Trophy and a Holley Terminator X EFI system.
Dark Matter Racing, Ford Mustang, 11.027

Second-Place Drag Race: Trophies given to the three teams with the quickest drag passes.

Jonathan Whitaker Mazda RX-7, 11.961 sec.

Third-Place Drag Race: Trophies given to the three teams with the quickest drag passes.
Shelby Dodge Auto Club, Chrysler 300C, 12.354 sec.

First-Place Concours: Trophy and a CRC SmartWasher BenchtopPRO® bioremediating benchtop parts washer designed for the small repair shop or home garage.
Robbie Cutcliffe, Datsun 1500 Roadster, 22.25 points

Second-Place Concours: Trophies given to the three highest-scoring teams in concours judging.
Wreck Racing, BMW 528e, 21.75 points

Third-Place Concours: Trophies given to the three highest-scoring teams in concours judging.
Dark Matter Racing, Ford Mustang, 20.25 points

First-Place Autocross: Trophy and a ThermApparel UnderCool cooling vest, which keeps drivers cool without any hoses or ice chests. 
Wreck Racing, BMW 528e, 45.999 sec.

Second-Place Autocross: Trophies given to the three teams with the fastest autocross runs.
Basura Blanco Racing, Toyota MR2 Spyder, 46.201 sec.

Third-Place Autocross: Trophies given to the three teams with the fastest autocross runs.
Little Ball of Hate Racing, Subaru 360 Van, 46.929 sec.

Best Engineered: The Grassroots Motorsports staff will pick the car they believe to be the most ingeniously engineered.
Robbie Cutcliffe, Datsun 1500 Roadster, 4th overall

Editors’ Choice: The Grassroots Motorsports staff will pick their overall favorite entry.

Jonathan Whitaker Mazda RX-7, 5th overall

RADwood Class: RADwood is a celebration of '80s and '90s automotive lifestyle, and hosts car shows all over the country that blend period-correct dress with cars from 1980-1999 that capture the essence of a bodacious era. We’re bringing RADwood magic to the $2000 Challenge, and this trophy is for any vehicle that would be at home on a RADwood showfield. Period-correct dress is strongly encouraged, as are period-correct themes and accessories.
Jonathan Whitaker, Mazda RX-7, 5th overall

Challengers’ Choice: The $2000 Challenge participants will pick their overall favorite entry. 
Robbie Cutcliffe, Datsun 1500 Roadster, 4th overall

Phil Kime Spirit of the Event Award: Person or team that fully embodies the $2000 Challenge spirit.

Travis Turner, Roll-Ovalon, 13th overall

200 Treadwear: The highest-placing car on 200-treadwear or higher tires for the duration of the event. 

Travis Turner, Roll-Ovalon, 13th overall

Last Chance Award: Highest-placing car acquired no more than 10 days before the first day of the event. Car shall be purchased from general public, not another Challenge team.

Travis Turner, Roll-Ovalon, 13th overall

Best Theme: The Grassroots Motorsports staff will pick their favorite theme. 
Cobra Kai Speed Shop, Tod Byram, 1997 Pontiac Mia-TA, 10th overall

Old Guy Class: Highest-placing car predominantly built by people 55 or older.
Cobra Kai Speed Shop, Tod Byram, 1997 Pontiac Mia-TA, 10th overall

Rookie of the Year Award: Highest-placing first-timer.
Danny Varner, Chevrolet Corvette, 9th overall

High School Award: Highest-placing car predominantly built by high schoolers.
Hogtown Speed Shop, Jonathan Miller, Pontiac Vibe GT, 20th overall

Stock Block Class: Highest-placing car with the OEM (or duplicate replacement) engine block. 
Richard Ortengren, Team T-Bone, Corvette kart, 6th overall

CAM Class: The highest-placing car that meets the SCCA’s Classic American Muscle rules during the autocross and drag race. All CAM sub-classes are eligible.
LoPrep Racing, Tim Spellman, 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS, 24th overall

So who actually did it on a $2000.00 budget? No recoup, no "wiggling", just an honest 2k car. 

Vajingo said:

So who actually did it on a $2000.00 budget? No recoup, no "wiggling", just an honest 2k car. 

Probably the majority of the field. Having experienced a room full of naysayers in 2002 I learned that the 'average' reader/bystander/hobby builder simply can't grasp the level of creativity and sweat equity that goes into building these things. Many very late nights and family-free weekends are required to play at the top level because labor is free. While a fun experience it was not something I wanted to repeat. It was both flattering and annoying for the first comment heard after pulling it out of the trailer "No effin' way" from another competitor.

One example:  every one of those decals was cut out by hand with a scissors.

Can't believe how well the Roll-Ovalon placed.  Congrats guys!  And to all the finishers!!

Vajingo said:

So who actually did it on a $2000.00 budget? No recoup, no "wiggling", just an honest 2k car. 

Slightly weird question, because most people see unlimited recoup as a 'real money' budget. Since up to $1000 in recoup is allowed, it would be hard to tell how many were under 2k without using any reccoup. I guess you could look through all the build books at the concour if you were interested. 

Here's my budget sheet - see for yourself. 

What was different about the Wreck Racing BMW this year? Any big changes, or just a year of tuning and practice?