Whatever your feelings about Star Wars Episode I’s convoluted plot, clunky dialogue, and over-reliance on slapstick, when the Boonta Eve Classic kicks off, the movie soars. Podracers – typically a small cockpit yoked to massive engines – are an homage to chariot racing, Formula 1, and muscle cars. The simple formula has proven a perfect platform for creativity among LEGO builders over the years. Today we’re rounding up some recent builds featuring incredible podracers from some of our favorite builders (including a trio of LEGO set designers!)
Earlier this summer, brickbot_studio hosted a podracing contest and the resulting builds are truily inspiring. rebel.p.u.n.k‘s entry is a favorite for the clean engine designs and little details like the cloud of dust as the stabilizer fin grazes the gound.
Zakar.ion‘s entry doubles down on greebling. Surfboards and skis look great on the engines. I’m not sure if I trust that pilot, though. Somebody call the Space Police!
Bricks of Therdaia takes the chariot inspiration literally with a podracer drawn by a pair of robot steeds. Looking at that armored pilot, I wonder if illegal podracing was why the Knights of Ren didn’t bother to show up till the end of the sequels?
BobTheMadCow was inspired by the recent (sadly sold out) Mario Kart Spiny Shell Insiders reward. I love the mushroom flavored pit crew!
Bambus Bricks Customs enters the race with a cyberpunk spin on podracing. I can imagine this racer zipping through the underbelly of Coruscant, or perhaps escaping the Grid in the next Tron movie.
Tyson Tross‘s entry looks like your typical podracer, but more to this vehicle than meets the eye.
It’s a transformer! Weapons are outlawed in podracing , but the rules don’t say anything about melee fighting.
Fresh off of coming in second place on Season 5 of LEGO Masters, Joe Cherwink built a Lighting McQueen podracer. While this one wasn’t part of brickbot’s contest, it did win a Brickee award at Brickfair. Congratulations, Joe!
Meanwhile, a trio of AFOLs turned LEGO set designers were inspired to each build their own podracer. Wes Talbott finds a striking color combo unlike anything I’ve ever seen from the Star Wars galaxy that works perfectly for a racer. As for the backstory, “This is Gib Yug’s Podracer, a young Symeong pilot who usually places somewhere between 6th and 10th , but has big dreams of placing somewhere between 2nd and 5th.” Dream big, li’l guy!
Chris Perron zooms in with an Ice Planet podracer. Once again, no one captures the frozen vibes of that retro theme like Chris. Is it too much to hope for a Blacktron 2.0 and M-Tron racer next?
Finally, Theo Bonner (Titolian) enters the race with a real beauty. Peb Gembar’s podracer shines with abundant metal parts and (literal) hotdogging engines.
