Most racing teams, like those in Formula One and NASCAR, are corporately owned and operate on multi-million dollar budgets. The cars are super-lightweight, incredibly fast, and made to run for hours non-stop. Obviously, auto racing isn’t exactly the most accessible sport. Even quarter midget racing, a form of racing for kids and adults alike which features smaller cars and track lengths, can easily run a few thousand dollars in set up costs. Bob Jones’ very own racing team, Patriot Racing, has circumvented this problem.

The team is mostly funded by corporate sponsors and donations, keeping fees low for team members. Patriot Racing even has its own, custom-built car that they race with in some events. The car features a steel frame for a frame and a stretched fiber as the main body, making the car incredibly light, since it saves weight with the fiber instead of using heavier plastics or metals. The car also features two 12-volt VDC batteries and an engine which provides a third of a horsepower. Patriot Racing has been quite successful in many of their races and events, most recently winning the Jaguar Classic at Jemison High School on November 12th and are currently raising funds for a trip to race in the Indianapolis Greenpower Race and get input from an Indy team to “learn from the best, be the best, and defeat the best”.

The members of the team meet weekly to work on multimedia projects to advertise the team, work on their car, and discuss strategies for future races. Each department is lead by one member, whether it be marketing, design, driving, et cetera.

The first female driver in Patriot Racing History, Elizabeth Kasprzak, said, “Driving is incredible. Before the first race, I was terrified. Once I got into the swing of things, it came naturally.” She went on, stating, “The team members and coaches are great. Everyone brings something to the table and I’m so grateful to a part of that. Coach K and Mrs. Gaines are awesome, too.”

Jacob Hasenyager, the project leader for Patriot Racing also said, “I’m incredibly proud to be here. Greenpower provides awesome opportunities and exposes us to topics that are harder to find and harder to access.”

Patriot Racing has seventeen members, and are lead by Mrs. Gaines and Kris Kasprzak. Membership applications are currently closed and will open again at the beginning of the next school year.