The Test
Our teams were ready to battle it out in a best-of-three-rounds slalom race. Who would be victorious in the monster trike mash up? Judge's favourite, the Diggers, with their rear-steered, three-wheeler or underdogs the Engine Eggheads and their hub centre-steered, oversized supertrike?
Round one
The Eggheads' superior acceleration rocketed them into the lead, but their front wheel was looking seriously shaky as they weaved their way around the slalom. The Diggers were gaining on them as they approached the halfway point. Could the Eggheads hang on to their lead? In short – no!
The Eggheads' trike had the turning circle of a supertanker, and whilst the Diggers whizzed around the end cone and sped back to the finish, the Eggheads were in the field next to the track vainly trying to turn their trike. Round one to the Diggers.
Round two
It was another flying start for the Eggheads and with the Diggers one up they needed to keep the lead and win this round or they'd be heading home.
The teams were neck and neck at the halfway hairpin. The Diggers' superior steering sped them through the slalom, and once more the Eggheads' poor steering was letting them down.
But as the students headed for the farmer's field, the Scrapheap gods smiled on them. Suddenly, the Diggers were spinning out of control. Jon and Paul had lost control of their rear steering. The Eggheads gallantly hung on and raced back down the slalom to take round two and set up a nail-biting final round.
Round three
It was a thrilling start to the deciding round with both teams screaming towards the slalom. At top speed the slalom turns were a real effort and both teams were wrestling furiously with their steering.
There were no troubles this time for the Diggers on the hairpin but the Eggheads' heavy steering pushed them into the field again! On the final straight it was pedal to the metal in an attempt to catch the Diggers.
Rob and the judge were on the edge of their seats as the students closed the gap, but the Diggers hung on to win the race and claim a place in the next round.
