Meet the 2026 Racers
Pa Pa Smurf's Coach
Team Pa Pa - ACE - Captain Don Clark
Art: It is a small craft so to stand out it is a bright red coach that is easy to see at a distance, blazoned with gold Kinetic eagle on both sides. Many a person has seen this craft as it crosses the bridges on the first day to try and not earn the 6:32 Award.
Engineering: The most complex engineering in half a cubic foot. This engineering includes 100 gearing combinations, a duo brake system to the rear axle, and positive all time traction to rear wheels, an adjustable water transition adjustment system, easy floatation connection and attachment, and a speedy sand floatation system.
Pageantry: A single Smurf does not make a parade, but he can make you smile. He will draw in a group of willing volunteers to start the Kinetics off with a humming great opening.
What else? My claim to fame is three 6:32 Awards. My two ACE awards (trying to get my third).
HMS Sea Cow
Team Needs More Cowbell - ACE - Captain Joel Clark
Art: Highly animated animatronics! A full demonstration of various mediums: glasswork, metalsmithing, foamcore, paint, custom inflatables, and needlework.
Engineering: 3 pilots, all of whom can steer simultaneously. Speedy propeller driven water propulsion. 4 wheel drive from any pilot's seat. Home sandcast aluminum parts. Home made electronics. Easy hose clamp assembly for logistics and storage.
Pageantry: Lori is a semi-peofessional musician who arranged her own music. Live playing of a keyboard and clarinet.
What else? This year our team has ACEd every existing race in the USA.
Astro Bunny & the Space Cadets
Team Goddess Racing - ACE - Captain Tina Kerrigan
Art: Astro Bunny is ready to blast off, with her team of Space Cadets! The vehicle will greet all earthlings with friendly hood-winks and blinks. Astro Bunny’s view from the top is ready for 180 degree exploration. Our new spacey insignia is visible on the vehicle for all to see. The art frame is EMT pipe and aluminum siding, covered in galactic fabric.
Engineering: Numerous upgrades have been engineered from the original “Plan” prototype over the years; improvements suited for various terrain and orbit navigation. Also kinetic moving eyes, functioning vehicle hood, and bunny head lookout swivel. Most recently this winter, we did a complete rebuild of both axles to align the sand gears closer to the frame.
Pageantry: Astro Bunny Space Crew includes pilots Tina Kerrigan and Kristin Dalziel, and engineers Michelle and Jesse Wyatt. Our space cadets are Bonnie O'Neil, Crystal Pepper, Yumi Ozaki, Colleen Atwater Hole, James Bean, and Dustin Owens. We’re shooting for the moon with our pageantry performance this year, and planning on out of this world bribery!
What else? Team Goddess Racing past themes have been Bunny Hopper Helicopter (2025), Trixie the Cereal Contender (2024), Bunny Gears Up! (2023), Goddess Bunny (2022 & 2021), Temple of the Sun (2019), Star Goddess (2018), Lightning Bug (2017), Kinetic Dragonfly (2016), and Busy Bee (2015).
LUCY
The Peppers - ACE - Captain Chris
Art: The Peppers peddled this sculpture from the other side of the pond, powered only by bubbles and a little help from their friends! All styrofoam, eyes, CDs, Straws, even the giant sign were from found material. Even the method of attaching LUCY (used plastic bottles) are recycled.
Engineering: Either pilot can control the vehicle with tie rod connection, front wheels are filled with inflated bike tubes to provide both flotation and steering. Recycled hose used to provide deeper tread on the sand. Recycled and boiled PVC shaped to hold pontoons. Paddles (also recycled) between the spokes of the rear wheels provide water propulsion.
Pageantry: Beetlemania has come to Arcata, we sing, we dance, we roll for for the girl with Kaleidoscope eyes. And she is blowing bubbles not stardust! Come on Sing Along! And see the world through her kaleidoscope eyes!
What else? Home grown, by two parents of teenagers... Nuf Said!
DragStrip Divas
Team Formerly Known As - ACE - Captain Rebecca Taylor
Art: Our kinetic dragster delivers a sleek and sexy hotrod theme. Featuring a shrouded canopy with custom chassis detailing and our larger than life faux glitter engine block, just look at those pipes! Our costuming brings a whole lot of drag to this kinetic course!
Engineering: Unique inline three-pilot. Integrated paddles for seamless water propulsion. Cranking system allows to adjust machine height in the water for entry and exit. Upgraded hydraulic brakes. Quick switch to "Sand Gear" and the simple addition or our wrap-around foam sand tires. For hills, we have "Melvin's Gear"
Pageantry: Our high-octane multinumber choreographed dance and lip sync performance will wow the crowd. Our entire crew embodies the hot-rod drag race theme. Our bribes are perfect for someone wanting to showcase their inner drag king, queen or diva.
Running on Glory
Team Colfax High School Engineering Art - GrACE - Captain Christian Kinsey
Art: This year marks race 15 for the Colfax High School Engineering Art team, and we’re celebrating with a retrospective of the past 14 builds. Our cart features an elevated miniature Kinetic racecourse with scaled versions of each year’s vehicle and iconic course moments, while our teddy bears are dressed as Cliff and Amy.
Engineering: This cart was made by a group of high school students, with the help of adult advisers. The use of Hoosier tires allows us to roll from hard pack to sand to water with ease. We’ve incorporated a differential into the jack shaft to allow both sides of the cart to power each wheel and the propeller, when in the water, while still allowing easy cornering.
Pageantry: In pairs, each of our members will represent one of the years we have attended the Kinetic Grand Championship. This year, our pageantry will be a fashion show featuring all 14 races, announced by this year's representative. Each pair will dress as their year's cart or theme. They will have costumes and decorated helmets.
What else? This year, our bribes will include tiny booklets displaying photos, years, and names of all 15 races we've been to. On top of that, this is our largest team we've ever taken to Kinetics, and we're extremely excited to introduce a lot more new blood to Kinetics
The Rebel Appliance
Team Pineapple - ACE - Captains Dawn Thomas & Robert van de Walle
Art: With the help of The Rebel Appliance, a culinary ’droid from a galaxy not so far away, we bring cookies to the alliance. Notice our X-wing’s beater-blasters and Luke’s Pizza Hut. Our team of pilot chefs rise to any challenge, fortified with foodcubes heated in their personal HOBART FunCOOKERS!
Engineering: Team Pineapple runs the fastest vehicle on the course. Our unique blend of rickshaw style steering, AWD propulsion and braking, and hyper-efficient transitions puts us in a class above other racers. Our flat-packing modular art is highly engineered as well, being both stowable for transport and adaptable to race conditions.
Pageantry: The Dark SIde has Cookies!? With The Rebel Appliance, the Light Side will have cookies too! We rise to bring balance to the Galaxy. Our playful theme invites people into our deeper message: resist becoming nothing more than a resource from which those in power extract value.
What else? As we made our way through Arlynda Corners last year, we weren’t sure if we would finish. Our rusting frame was sagging, spokes were breaking, and derailleurs were held together with zipties. New metal, extensive drivetrain upgrades, and better hydrodynamics are incorporated into this year’s vehicle.
Four Norsemen of the Apocalypse
Team Tempus Fugitives - ACE - Captain James Smith
Art: Our viking battering ram is adorned with a palm thatched roof, plenty of fur, and skeletal remains of the fallen. Our war drums call on all to repent their evil ways, or prepare for their imminent destruction.
Engineering: This center articulating four wheel drive beast has proven itself worthy of multiple Grand Championships. It has a sufficient range of gears to demolish the course, without being excessively prone to failure. Extremely capable and reasonably fast, it is ready for the impending apocalypse.
Pageantry: The final reckoning is upon us. The end is near. Do not ignore the beating of the war drums for their song is your final warning. The Gods will shine brightly on us, for we will rid the Earth of it’s neglectful stewards.
What else? KGC Grand Champions 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016. Thank you to our Glorious Sponsors Alchemy Construction/Boldt Distillery and Redwood Curtain Brewing Company!
Cycle-Delic Rock Fish
Captain Joe Polos
Art: Cycle-Delic Rock Fish will grace the glorious kinetic madness in 2026. Cycle-Delic was modified from Deep Sea Disco (KGC 2025) with visual embellishments and moving parts. The sculpture frame is made of PVC and PEX pipe, covered with custom fitted, hand sewn fabric. Team will be dressed in the psychodelia fashion-much of the materials are upcycled.
Engineering: 4-wheeled, two-pilot vehicle, notable for its use of recycled medical and bike parts integrated into a chromoly frame. Vehicle underwent major frame replacement surgery due to excessive rust perpetuated by the evil man-eating clams. Eng. Art: Fins, tail, mouth and tongue using pulleys/levers and the trippy eyes are chain driven by a small motor.
Pageantry: Team members will be sporting mostly upcycled psychedelic fashion and to set the mood psychedelic rock tunes will be shared to spread peace, harmony, and groovy vibes. Some pageantry judges and members of the Saturday kinetic revelers will be invited to “fish” for prizes from the Cycle-Delic Rock Fish waters.
What else? Returning from the Grateful Squid, Bear-y Garcia will be hangin’ out with his sea friend, Tripper. A diverse collection of bribes- many recycled or repurposed- this year including $ origami fish pins, painted rocks, buttons, stickers, trippy glasses, cardboard fish and gear necklaces. Sponsors: Open Door, Brett Shuler Fine Catering, Jitterbean
The Oregon Fail
Team Pedal Snappers Youth Kinetics - Captain Rowan Nelson-Wood
Art: Our sculpture was made with a multitude of mediums including: cardboard, boat foam, canvas, PVC, and tulle. Most materials are recycled from the packaging of our tools and other items. We handmade costumes for each 6 of our pilots, as well as bonnets for all of our Pit and Peons.
Engineering: Our sculpture is a six person machine with center articulating steering and split axles. The articulator was custom made by one of our previous team members. Our wheels were made out of go cart hubs, culvert, and hand made spokes.
Pageantry: Our pageantry is a parody of The Rattlin' Bog, which was written by our team member. Our bribes include several handmade pieces, and our pins, buttons, and shirts are all made off of original art by our team members.
What else? We are the only fully youth built, led, and funded team in the entire KGC. Our goal is to give opportunities to youth in STEAM, and connect them with this amazing tradition of Humboldt County. We are not affiliated with any school, and have members from 5 different ones.
Megoosa
The Kinetic A-Team - Captain Strange (Aaron Graff)
Art: We used mostly salvaged materials on the way to the trash; different kinds of foam, fabric, cardboard, tape, glue, paint, pvc pipe … and used bamboo for framework, wings flap for glory … don’t stare into Megoosa’s eyes or you’ll turn to stone!
Engineering: Again we used mostly salvaged metal from bikes and the scrap yard, approximately 85% of the machine is salvaged parts, paid little to nothing, 4-person, half upright half recumbant pedaling, 4x4, all terrain gloriousness we built in the old and new Kinetic Laboratory! Now a 6-person 6x8 wheel drive!
Pageantry: The Kinetic A-Team presents; the Megoosa Trance Dance. Don’t stare into our eyes or you’ll turn to stone!
What else? Our team launched our new 4-person machine last year and broke down quick, winning the Golden Dinosaur. This year we will be more glorious than the last. Thank you all for everything you do. For the glory!
Trooth Decay
The Apple Pedalers - Captains Billy Pinnix and Jen Weiss
Art: n/a
Engineering: n/a
Pageantry: n/a
What else? THIS IS THE BIGGEST, FASTEST, MOST BEAUTIFUL KINETIC SCULPTURE EVER! OUR ENGINEERS, THE BEST IN THE WORLD WHO EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT, HAVE ENGINEERED SOLID 25 CARROT GOLD WATER EQUIPMENT WHILE REDUCING THE WEIGHT OF THE SCULPTURE BY OVER 900%!!!! ALL OTHER TEAMS NEED NOT TRY TO COMPETE AS WE WILL WIN ALL OF THE CASH PRIZES, NO ONE WILL BELEIVE IT!!! WHY DO WE RACE? FOR THE MONEY!!! THANK YOU FOR NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!
Ravens Against The Machine
Team Subneutral - ACE - Captain Todd Kraemer
Art: In the form of a flying raven we are determined to keep the craft "race-lite" using Wing Inflatables foam waste. A glorious purple and black, we wear our colors with pride. Cronk Cronk. Kaw kaaaw!
Engineering: We are an articulating fat tire tandem craft with go cart disk brakes and Wing Inflatable pontoons. Team Subneutral built the craft. Todd Kraemer keeps it rolling.
Pageantry: The peons get in a corvus murder and cry, "Cronk Cronk I won't do what you tell me." The children truly love anarchy.
What else? Best Pit Crew, Ace Professor Todd is having fun. A scientist and mountain biker trying to be an artist.
Helen Wheels
Captain Scott Campbell
Art: Nothing to show, nothing to hide. The name Helen Wheels came to me in a dream. I imagined a blazing sculpture of flames and smoke. In fact there is nothing blazing about our sculpture. Our costumes will have flames, but that is the only thing.
Engineering: 66 gears per segment, 4 wheel drive, articulated steering. Our sculpture was built in 2022 as part of another sculpture we called "Screaming Yellow Zonkers". The rear section of SYZ was then removed and a near identical section was constructed for the front portion of our new sculpture. It has all wheel drive and hydraulic disc brakes. There are 66 gears connected to a small differential on each section of the sculpture.
Pageantry: Probably skip it.
What else? We used parts from a pedicab, riding lawn mower, v-belt pulleys, patio chairs, and some bicycle parts in the fabrication of the sculpture. Keeping it simple and lightweight the unloaded weight is about 325 pounds. Not the lightest, but certainly not the heaviest. Our steering is an articulated system of cables and pulleys, which pull on one corner or the other to make the sculpture turn. There is no connection between our sculpture and the rock n roll band of the same name.