A crowd of brothers from Pi Kappa Alpha swarmed the track, waving their fraternity’s flag in pride, as Queen’s “We Are the Champions” played in the background. They had won Ohio State’s Red Bull Chariot Race.

The energy drink company sponsored the annual race, which took place Thursday on 15th Avenue. Teams who participated in the event built their own chariots from scratch, with materials such as large bins and bicycle parts, and two team members pulled the chariot down the street with a rider in tow.

Many teams developed a racing strategy in an attempt to be deemed chariot race champion.

“Our racing strategy is (to get) out of the gate, to get as fast as we can and  then slow down so people can’t pass us … then gun it to the finish,” said John Bell, a third-year in aviation. “We’ve got the need. The need for speed.”

Bell and his teammates, his fraternity brothers who are members of Phi Gamma Delta, used a fighter jet as inspiration for their chariot.

Since the race was canceled last year due to rain, Phi Gamma Delta was aiming to defend its title as champion from winning the race two years ago. 

Spectators were given free Red Bull drinks while watching the races and cheering for their teams. Brennen Tucker, a first-year in mechanical engineering, came to support his fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi, but also came to see the results of the races.

“I like to see a little friendly competition and such,” he said.

Some competitors had different strategies for the race.

“We don’t have a strategy,” said Rhett Dalton, a third-year in business economics and brother of Alpha Sigma Phi. “It’s go hard or go home.” 

Check The Lantern Monday for the full story.