Backpack Car

This week, the teams must race head-to-head in a three-stage race. In stage one, the vehicles are already assembled. When the whistle blows, the teams are allowed to push them out of the start zone but after that, they’re not allowed to put their feet on the ground. The racecourse is about a mile long, with twists to test the manoeuvrability of the vehicles and a steep downhill slope at the end to test the brakes. The first vehicle across the line wins.

In stage two, the teams have to disassemble the vehicles and put them into their backpacks. They then have to put on the rucksacks and run across an SAS-style assault course until they reach another assembly zone on the tarmac. Once there, they move onto stage three. They must re-assemble their vehicles and race them in a straight line, the first across the line wins.

Ging Gang Goolies

Be prepared, this team of Essex Scout leaders come with all sorts of skills and they have the badges to prove it. Bob Murphy, Brian Abbott and Tony Boughen enjoy activities in the great outdoors. Regularly hiking, orienteering and climbing, these boys certainly have the edge. So tighten your woggles and salute the Ging Gang Goolies as they are sure to travel great distances.

The Scout leaders’ technical consultant is Martin Dellow. He works for the largest kart manufacturer in the UK. Brought up in East London, he’s been with local company Biz Karts for more than 20 years and knows his way around small, lightweight vehicles – perfect for this challenge. He used to race motorbikes on a professional level until an accident stopped his career. Apart from his interest in anything that goes ‘vroom’, he enjoys skiing. He’s been known to skive off work if the snow is right. Good thing his MD is his skiing buddy…

Muck Spreaders

Pentti Christian, Richard Matthews ‘Tricky’ and Mike Sainsbury ‘Chunk’ are all young farmers from Harper Adams Agricultural College in Shropshire. They are all into 4×4 off-roading and clay-pigeon shooting but they mainly like getting their hands dirty around the farm. They will be sure to mow down the competition.

The Muck Spreaders’ technical consultant is Nick Bell. He is the Design Manager for Severn-Lamb, a Stratford-based engineering firm making vehicles and special effects for theme parks. Weird machines are his forte. Whether it’s a train that looks like a dragon or exploding Wild West scenery for Disneyland, there’s nothing that Nick hasn’t done. He’s a big friendly giant, a sharp engineer and a huge fan of Scrapheap. He owns his own machine shop (skills, man, skills) and apart from his predilection for weird machinery, he enjoys cooking and is the proud owner of two dogs, two cats and nine goats. Yes, nine goats.

The expert

In 2001, Vincent Ross took his place among Britain’s most illustrious inventors for his PowerTrike wheelchair conversion kit, which won him the Tomorrow’s World, Inventive Individual Award. The kit consists of a motor-driven wheel attached to a bicycle front-end that can turn any wheelchair into a fast and manoeuverable tricycle. Vincent is a toolmaker by training, a brilliant design engineer and a prolific inventor. He runs his own engineering business that does anything from racing-car conversions for disabled people to custom-made wheelchairs for sports teams. Vincent also used to be a member of the UK Paralympics basketball team.