Power Racing Series
Contents
LVL1 Hackerspace's Official Power Racing Series Team!
LVL1 has had a reasonably rich history with the Pow-Pow-Powerwheels Racing Series. Cars Have been raced in at least Detroit for the last 5 years (as of 2018).
For updated race rules and information: try the ppprs website!
2018
The Official PPPWRS people posted this youtube video about the 2018 series.
Jared has started making a new vehicle for 2018, breaking tradition at LVL1 of cannibalizing last year's Kart as fodder for the next racing season. This is in an attempt to be able to bring two vehicles to races this year.
Potential Race Schedule
Jared's Pie-in-the-sky list of races it might be possible achievable to get to:
- North-Side Chicago Mini Makerfaire - May 5. (this might not be a race)
- Maker Faire Kansas City - June 23-24.
- Fort Wayne Three Rivers Festival - July 14-15. (Scott Rizzo unofficially organizing.)
- Maker Faire Detroit - July 28-29.
- Maker Faire Louisville - September 15-16. (Exhibition, probably no race.)
- Maker Faire Atlanta - October 27-28.
- Nashville Mini Makerfaire - "Fall"
Kart Construction
- The as-yet-unnamed kart is modeled around a very small (~30" X ~14") Jeep Powerwheels toy.
- Frame construction is out of 2X4s and Plywood.
- Pillow-block bearings on 1" keyway-cut rear axle
- Old (1970's) used Go-kart rims.
- Batteries (SLA?)
- Treadmill Motor
- School-style plastic chair
Curious for details? Want to help?
Come by any Wednesday around 5:00 PM to see what's going on!
NB: If you come on the 4th Wednesday of each month, Jared might be teaching the Makerfaire Workshops. If someone else is teaching the workshops, Jared will be working on powerwheels, if Jared is teaching the workshop, expect to work on the powerwheels without them.
Contact: Jared
2017
In 2017 David, Cave Troll, and Jared made a Transformers "Bumblebee" themed powerwheels. The Stock yellow mustang was accented with transformers logos, and sported the racing number "502".
The kart was constructed from the guts of the RoomBAMF from the previous racing year. it contains:
- A welded metal frame
- 2x 800 Watt Electric Scooter Motor Controllers.
- an adafruit trinket for throttle control
- 3x ~30 Ah Sealed Lead-Acid batteries for a total of 36 Volts and about a 35 minute runtime on a full charge.
- Many other items. This list may or may not be fleshed out. ask Jared for more documentation.
We raced in the Makerfaire Detroit, Milwaukee Mini Makerfaire, and exhibited at the Louisville Mini Makerfaire. In Milwaukee, we placed second-to-last. (a lvl1 win)
As of March 2018, Bumblebee Still runs reasonably well. There are updates planned to make Bumblebee easier to setup, and tentative plans to bring it back for the 2018 season, in addition to the new 2018 car. if this happens, It should mark the first time LVL1 has brought more than one PPPRS Kart to competetion.
2016
Our vehicle for 2016: "RoomBAMF."
Inspirational footage for our design: [1]
Our structure will be a giant Roomba-style vehicle, featuring stylized personal safety gear to create a cat (dressed as a shark) costume. We are aiming to compete in the Maker Faire Detroit 2016 race, on July 30-31.
Curious for details? Want to help? Come by any Thursday around 7:30 PM to see what's going on!
Contact: Danielle Blank
