Whose crazy idea was it to race beds?
No one seems to remember, or wants to admit it. But the idea came to someone in Oak Lawn about 15 years ago, and the race was held a couple of times. In 1994, businesses, mostly local taverns, resurrected the competition and established the annual event to find the fastest bed in town.
“The winning teams get bragging rights,” said Mike Slattery, chairman for the event that involves local businesses and village employees. About 2,000 people came out last weekend to watch 24 teams of men and women push beds in a 100-yard dash. (Each team is made up of a group of runners who push a teammate on a bed.)
The event raised about $2,000 for the Oak Lawn Raiders Social Athletic Club, a service group.
“It also brings the community out for a nice event,” Slattery said.
A winner in this year’s race had some advice for designing a successful vehicle.
“The lighter the better,” said Jason Macek, 18, of Bridgeview. “You also need the fastest sprinters for this.”
Macek, six other runners and one rider comprised the first-place men’s team, sponsored by JMC Custom Homes of Bridgeview.
Another runner, John Lyons, 36, of Chicago Ridge said steering is another important factor. “The key is to keep the bed straight. You don’t want to lose control,” said Lyons, who was on the second-place team, sponsored by Brandt’s Tavern in Oak Lawn.
Each business paid a $100 entry fee and enlisted employees, friends and patrons to create a vehicle, which included beds of all sizes, hospital stretchers, cribs and original inventions engineered by some of the more serious competitors. For instance, Macek’s team raced a bed that looked like two bikes with a mattress stretched between them.
The Oak Lawn Fire Department team used a hospital stretcher, which featured the smallest wheels of all of the entries.
“I think we have the fastest runners out here. But we need a better bed,” said firefighter Joe Mainor, 30.
Julie Benedetto of Frankfort said, “We come out here every year for the races.”
Her daughter, 4-year-old Kristie, won first place in a big-wheel race in her age group. Her secret, Kristie said, is “to pedal real fast.”
