The Mini-500 in 1975. Photo courtesy of gatech.edu
Virginia Tech coming to town brings plenty of excitement to campus already. When you add that to the homecoming festivities planned, there is simply no time for academics! Every day here at FTRS, we'll provide some historical information on the traditional homecoming events here at Georgia Tech. It is these events which make us so unique in the world of collegiate traditions. So today, we'll start with one of the more odd traditions we have, the Mini-500 and what better source to explain the Mini-500 than the T-Book!
The Mini 500 is one of Georgia Tech’s most original and cherished traditions. The annual tricycle race around Peters Parking Deck was first held by the Ramblin’ Reck Club in 1969 and now takes place on the Friday afternoon before the Homecoming football game. The current rules allow for a team of up to seven members, with four taking turns as drivers and three on the pit crew. Men must complete 15 laps and women must complete 10, but all teams are required to rotate the front tire of their tricycle three times before the end of the race. Some engineering is involved, as much needed (but very restricted) reinforcement of the tricycle is necessary in order to survive the race. The hilarity of watching college students struggle around the parking deck on a five-year-old’s tricycle makes the Mini 500 one of the most popular spectator events of Homecoming week.
I participated in the Mini-500 my freshman year. It was one of the most fun and most miserable experiences of my college career. By the end of the night, I had fallen due to cramps in my legs and someone had also thrown a trike at me. My legs were scraped and bloody, but we had finished.
Any good Mini-500 stories out there?