On September 19th, the streets, mud, sand, and waterways of Lowell will once again become a proving ground for some of the city’s most creative—and unconventional—engineering.
The Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race (LKSR) is celebrating its 10th year, bringing together artists, engineers, performers, and visionaries for a one-of-a-kind STEAM adventure. Competitors build human-powered, all-terrain sculptures from new and repurposed materials, then put their creations to the ultimate test as they race over streets, through water, mud, and sand.
And this year, three Lowell Makes members are ready to take on the challenge.
- Mark Goldwater is racing with Laika – First Dog in Space.
- Brendan Falvey is back with Stampede.
- And Rudy Dominguez is bringing a new Star Wars-inspired creation to the course with The Imperial Speed Walker.
Three makers. Three very different machines. One wild race.
Laika – First Dog in Space
This is Mark Goldwater’s second solo LKSR, following his 2025 debut with Three Corgis of the Apocalypse. The sculpture made it to the starting line but was unable to compete. This year, he’s back with another dog-themed sculpture—but this one is going considerably farther afield.
Laika – First Dog in Space combines Mark’s love of fabrication and engineering with the story of the famous Soviet space dog.
The build is well underway, although Mark isn’t quite ready to guarantee that Laika will be ready for liftoff—or race day.
I am far enough into my build to be committed, but not far enough to be confident it is going to be done by race day. At the suggestion of a team mate, we prototyped the chassis in wood (I was itching to cut some steel, but the prototype helped work out some geometry I had wrong). Now I just have to rebuild it all in steel. The frame is more or less done, but wheels, drive trains, steering are all a work in progress, and the art is in a very conceptual stage. While I am learning all sorts of stuff about bicycle hubs, hardened steel bearing cups, fabrication and the importance of measuring carefully, by far my biggest challenge is overcoming my pathological fear of asking for help.
If there’s one thing the Kinetic Sculpture Race is guaranteed to teach its participants, it’s that knowing how to build something is only half the battle. Knowing when to ask for help might be the other half.
Stampede
Brendan Falvey is no stranger to the Kinetic Sculpture Race. He debuted Stampede in 2025, barreling through the course on daisy-chained tricycles emblazoned with cow print.
Team Stampede had an impressive showing for its first race, taking home three trophies for Speed, Pit Crew, and the Grand Award of Mediocrity. But there was one prize that remained frustratingly out of reach: the coveted ACE Award, given to teams that complete the entire course without any assistance.
The culprit? Water.
Stampede is coming off a great rookie year at the Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race. Our Kinetic Spirit was on display when we were awarded three trophies for Speed, Pit Crew, and the Grand Award of Mediocrity. But the glory of an Ace Award eluded us with our ‘Agony of Defeat’ moment in the water. I can still hear the call from the crowd ‘Cow Down! Cow Down!’
With Ace as the goal and the water crossing as the nemesis, work began with new axles that won’t shear in the water at the top of the wishlist. So all the trikes are being refitted with new axles and a design I found for creating a limited slip differential from bike parts. We can’t wait to show off the 14 Wheel Drive in the mud. Did I forget to mention, Stampede is now 7 pilots long. Go big or go home!
After last year’s watery setback, Team Stampede is clearly not taking any chances. New axles. A limited-slip differential. Fourteen-wheel drive. Seven pilots.
The goal is simple: ACE or bust.
The Imperial Speed Walker
Rudy Dominguez is back for another run at the Kinetic Sculpture Race—and this time, he’s giving the Aluminum Falcon Experience serious upgrades.
The Falcon has competed in each of the last three races, making it a little farther along the course each time but never quite managing to complete the full route. Rather than starting from scratch, Rudy is taking what he’s learned from those races and building on the same base vehicle.
This year, the Falcon is getting a makeover. The underlying vehicle is being upgraded and reworked, while the sculpture itself is transforming from a spaceship into something decidedly more imposing: The Imperial Speed Walker.
It’s a new look for a vehicle that has already seen plenty of Kinetic Sculpture action—and a chance for Rudy to put three years of trial, error, redesign, and tinkering to the test.
For the past three years, I’ve been refining and redesigning my racer. Just getting to the start line was victory enough for the first two years. And last year we went the farthest ever, making it to the mud pit for the first time. But I really just want to finish the race already.
Three Makers. Three Machines. One Wild Ride.
The Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race is the kind of challenge that feels right at home at Lowell Makes. It takes creativity, engineering, fabrication, problem-solving, persistence—and a willingness to build something completely ridiculous and then somehow figure out how to make it move.
For Mark, Brendan, Rudy, and their teams, months of designing, welding, fabricating, tinkering, troubleshooting, and probably more than a little swearing will come down to one very busy day.
Will Laika make it back from space?
Will Stampede conquer the water?
Will The Imperial Speed Walker finally go the distance?
We’ll find out on September 19th.
Until then, the teams are hard at work getting their machines ready for the biggest challenge of the year. And whether they cross the finish line, get stuck in the mud, or go spectacularly sideways, one thing is certain:
It’s going to be one heck of a race.
Good luck to Mark, Brendan, Rudy, and their teams. We’ll be cheering you on!