Featured Teapot Racer: Sweet Tea

Oct. 19th started out with heavy winds and rain and I was damp for most of the day, but by the start of the teapot races the rain had stopped.

Sweet Tea was built as a teapot racer to be loaned out to someone who did not have their own racer. That someone was very specific this time, though. Heidi Icenogle volunteered to be one of our judges, a job she has done in the past, but I had already filled both positions, so I asked if she would race instead, if I provided her with a teapot racer. She enthusiastically agreed.

Heidi is a bee keeper, so I was inspired to create a queen bee themed racer.




Heidi not only created bribes for the judges, she even made a bribe for me, a beautiful poppy themed journal.



Driving an RC car without any practice is quite a challenge.  

Featured Teapot Racer: Strange Brew

Strange Brew is a Fallout 76 inspired teapot racer, named after a tea themed challenge in the game.

A teapot racer can be made out of any remote controlled vehicle, as long as it fits the size restrictions (no more than 12-inches tall, 12-inches wide, and 16-inches long).  I was very excited to find a robot that fit those dimensions.



I created Strange Brew as a teapot racer that could be loaned out to people who wished to participate in the races, but did not have their own racers. As a result, it has been driven by two different people at two recent steampunk events.



The robot does not do well on the ramps (even ramps that are not blocked by a cat), so it does take some ingenuity to finish the obstacle course.

Driven by Clete Rooney at SWFL SteamCon in Fort Myers, Florida.



Driven by Julie McMillin at the Chicago Steampunk Expo in Rosemont, Illinois.

Julie won the ribbon for "Most Dastardly Driver", by being the most entertaining cheat.



Strange Brew was also on display at Renninger's Steampunk and Industrial Show in Mount Dora, Florida on Oct.19, but was not driven in the races. That morning, Tropical Storm Nestor was still making its way through the area. Only the most brave and adventurous steampunks made it to the open-air event.

Featured Teapot Racer: Matcha 5

Matcha 5 was created and driven by Gustav Karlson of Dr. Gus Designs, one of the vendors at the Chicago Steampunk Expo.



Now, this is a judge who is happy with his bribe! Bishop Stevens received a leather bracer with custom metal trim, which I'm pretty sure he ordered himself, since it was also custom sized. The other judge, Thomas Willeford received candy.




The winner of the "Most Splendid Design" and "Grand Champion" medals.

Matcha 5 did a fantastic job on the course, but that bribe might have influenced the final score a little bit.



After the teapot racing drag race, some of the racers took a victory lap that turned into a smash-up derby.

Featured Teapot Racer: S.S. Nonsense

"S.S. Nonsense" was built and driven by Marty DeSimone at the Chicago Steampunk Expo. The R.C. car he used as his base was one he had built from a kit many years ago.

Bribing the judges is part of the game, but not all bribes have to be physical objects. Marty gave hugs.





This was the fastest teapot racer at the Chicago Steampunk Expo, finishing the course in 26.5 seconds and winning the drag race.

Teapot Tuesday Featured Teapot Racer: The Earl of Grey

Sept. 14, 2019 was the third annual SWFL SteamCon in For Myers, Florida at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Bell Tower Shops.



We had a good turnout of people new to teapot racing, who had built their own original teapot racers.
One of those was Deborah Perry, with her racer, the Earl of Grey. It featured an antique style car, that Deborah had built out of foam.

The adorable little driver took a couple falls from his perch, but the over-all look of the vehicle took full marks from both of the judges.






Extra points were given for the bribing of the judges.



The Earl of Grey finished the obstacle course in 2 minutes, 47 seconds, with quite a bit of manual assistance.

Featured Teapot Racer: Time 4 Tea

Time 4 Tea was built and operated by Denny Mineweaser at Renninger's Steampunk and Industrial Show in Mount Dora, Florida. October 2018.



If there had been a prize for cutest teapot racer, this one would have won.
The cookie wheel covers are a clever touch.





Denny wasn't the Grand Champion for teapot racing, but he did win the prize for best costume at Renninger's.



Check out his backpack!

Featured Teapot Racer: Tankpot

We had three tank based teapot racers at Renninger's Steampunk and Industrial Show on October 20th.



Tankpot was built and driven by Lord Theodore Puddleton and sponsored by Aethertopia.

There was plenty of time to practice before the races.

Introducing our esteemed judges, John Sprocket of the band, The Cog is Dead, Heidi Icenogle of the Cowford Steampunk Society, and time keeper, Clete Rooney. 

Tankpot was the first contestant of the day and was a first time racer. Lord Puddleton had to help his racer out a bit towards the end of the course, but did it with such panache that he received a full 10 points for showmanship and a medal for being the "Most Dastardly Driver". 

Featured Teapot Racer: Snitzer Friz Von Tea

Baron Von Spear created and drove this robotic rodent at SWFL SteamCon in Fort Myers, Florida on October 13, 2018.

The judges awarded extra points for showmanship and the quality of the bribe, which was beautiful rosewood boxes, filled with chocolate coins.



He finished the race in 1-minute, 15-seconds and won the coveted, "Most Splendid Design" ribbon.



The slide whistle accompaniment to this race was really perfect!

Featured Splendid Teapot Racer: Earl Grey 2nd

Earl Grey 2nd is a work of engineering genius!

I'm constantly telling people to keep their racers light, so that the weak remote control car engines can move them. That was not an issue for this racer. It was very heavy, but it didn't matter, since it had powerful duel engines.

Steering was accomplished by slowing down one engine, while speeding up the other.



David Aldridge had traveled all the way from California to race Earl Grey 2nd at the Big River Steampunk Festival in Hannibal, Missouri. I asked him if the TSA had questioned what the teapot racer was and he said, "No, but they insisted on making sure there was nothing in the pot."

David raced both Saturday and Sunday of the Festival.





He received the Most Splendid Course Completion ribbon for this race.


Earl Grey 2nd returned on Sunday with a new addition, flickering "flames" in the coals under the teapot.





David earned the Most Splendid Speed ribbon on Sunday.

Sunday's drag race:

FeaturedTeapot Racer: The Itty Bitty Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Teakini

Rachel Benson's cute little racer had children squealing with laughter at Big River Steampunk Festival on Sept. 1, 2018. As the "Penguin", Rachel entertained the audience, but her uncontrollable teapot racer really stole the show.






It's hard for evil villains to find reliable minions. Penguin's little racer had no desire to follow directions, but she managed to take home the ribbon for "Most Dastardly Driver," which is awarded to the most entertaining cheat.

This video includes the presenting of the the judges' bribes:


The camera overheated and shut down at that point, but she finish the course in 2-minutes, 45-seconds, thanks to the aforementioned cheating.

Featured Teapot Racer: Sir Squeakers

We had three racers this year at Big River Steampunk Festival that were not built on a store-bought remote control car/truck base. The quality of engineering that went into these was amazing! Sir Squeakers was one of these.



Caz Budzinski was the creator of this adorable masterpiece, that included a little mouse driver, who turned his head as he drove.



Bribing the judges with little crocheted Cthulhu toys:



This vehicle had perfect control. Sir Squeaker was only a single point away from winning the Grand Champion ribbon and did win the ribbon for fastest racer.

Featured Teapot Racer: S.P.W. 2.0

Mrs. Tardis (A.K.A. Sadie Fleener) was a first time racer at Big River Steampunk Festival in Hannibal, Missouri. Her teapot racer, S.P.W. 2.0 (Steam Power Wonderland 2.0), competed on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018.

The Steampunk Pope, blessing the racers:



So many little details to look at, from gears, to Alice in Wonderland themed tags, to Victorian buttons.



She had good control through the teacup slalom and managed the curved "Ramp of Doom" with ease, but the "Seesaw of Indecision" was Mrs. Tardis' undoing. She still finished the course with time to spare, though, with a course completion time of 2-minutes, 36-seconds.

Featured Teapot Racer: Her Majesty's Silver Service

"Why do I always have to go first?!" Mary Dieterich asked, as I called her name to start off the Splendid Teapot Races at Big River Steampunk Festival on Saturday. It is true, she is always first. She was our first racer three years ago, when we had our first teapot races in Hannibal, Missouri. I don't actually plan it this way, she's just always the first person to register in the morning. It is nice to start off the races with someone who knows what they're doing, though.


Practicing before the races:


The bribing of the judges:


Look at the size of that crowd! Despite the extreme heat on Saturday, we had a huge turnout of both racers and spectators. There were 18 registered racers.

Her majesty's Silver Service did well on the Teacup Slalom, but struggled with the ramps, and finished just in the nick of time.


Mary is always a good sport and her teapot racer is adorable!

An introduction to Splendid Teapot Racing

Old Timey Announcer Guy and roving reporter, Wally explain Splendid Teapot Racing, using photos and videos from various steampunk events.

Featured Teapot Racer: "Ironically Iron Man"

"Ironically Iron Man" was driven by Brigston Wright on September 2nd, 2017 at Big River Steampunk Festival. This was his first time competing in a teapot race.



Early in this race, Iron Man suffered from some audience interference.

These little stunt cars do not steer well and they often tilt backwards and stay that way, but they are fun to watch as they spin all around.

Brigston took it all in stride. He never became worried or upset when his vehicle didn't behave the way it was supposed to. When he realized he was running out of time, he found his own path to the finish line.