The track is ready, the teams are set and the Red Bull Chariot Race, one of the biggest events during University of Idaho’s Greek Week, is about to begin.
University of Idaho students Sean Cooper and Rick Castleton lead a group of students across the start line at the 2013 Red Bull Chariot Races dressed as Mario and Luigi. This year’s race will take place Thursday.
“I think this is my favorite event, because we do see a lot of participation — both from fraternities and sororities — and a lot of different clubs and organizations,” said Nate Fisher, a Greek Week organizer. “There’s a participation aspect and then we also end up seeing a really good crowd.”
The Red Bull Chariot Race takes place on several college campuses across the country, including John Hopkins, Drake and Texas A&M universities. UI’s chariot race will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Lot 56 on the corner of Rayburn and 6th Street.
There were between 1,500 and 2,000 spectators watching 27 teams compete at last year’s chariot race, Fisher said.
Four teams have registered for the 2014 event so far, though it’s hard to say how many people will compete this year, since registration is free and Red Bull accepts applications to join the race up to and including the day of the event. Fisher said he’s pretty sure almost every fraternity and sorority will participate, and that overall turnout should be high.
“I do know that Red Bull puts this on at a lot of different college campuses,” Fisher said.
The rules are simple — each team must be comprised of three people, one to drive and two to pull their team’s chariot. Teams will race against the rest in a bracket-style competition. Each team must provide their own chariot, defined as anything with two wheels and a strut by the competition rules, and winners of each bracket will be determined by a panel of three judges. Men and women will be split into separate brackets.
“Anybody is welcome to participate,” Fisher said. “Any organization, any living group, any club, you name it.”
The Red Bull Chariot Race is primarily a way for students to get together and have fun, but it is also an opportunity to show Vandal pride and to get prospective students excited about UI, Fisher said.
“It’s a great event for the Vandal Friday kids that come up,” Fisher said. “It’s a good way to keep them entertained and there’s just a lot of hype associated with it. It will just be a really fun and energetic event.”
More information for Red Bull Chariot Races can be found at redbullchariotrace.com.
Daniel Durand can be reached at [email protected]