GREENFIELD — Dennis Dunn’s gotten used to the question.
Every time the Greenfield 40&8 member starts to talk about the veterans organization’s upcoming fundraiser, someone on the other end of the conversation stops him: “What’s a bed race?”
With the inaugural Four-Post 400 Bed Race Challenge under their belts, members of the 40&8 are hoping folks around town are starting to get more familiar with the event, which challenges participants to race beds on wheels down a stretch of Greenfield street-turned obstacle course.
This year’s race, slated for Saturday, will turn North Street between State and Pennsylvania streets into the mini track, complete with barrels to make some of the maneuvers more challenging.
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A four-poster mini parade featuring the wheeled contenders kicks off the event at noon, giving onlookers a chance to check out the competition before cheering on their favorite team.
Participants are welcome to join the parade without participating in the race. And when it comes down to it, entries aren’t actually required to be a bed, Dunn added. One participant last year revamped a shopping cart, which the judges decided to let slide in the spirit of good fun.
“Anything with four wheels propelled by human power,” he joked.
Races kick off at 1 p.m., with the championship round slated for 4 p.m.
The second annual race is building on last year’s event, featuring vendors, snacks and activities for kids, and a biergarten for the 21-plus crowd. A concert featuring singer Andrew Young will follow the race.
Young’s stage will be stationed along the course in front of Wooden Bear Brewing Co., which will donate 10 percent of dining proceeds to the cause. Young performs 6-10 p.m.
The Four-Post 400 — a nod to the Brickyard 400, which occurs the same weekend — raises scholarship money for nursing students, one of the 40&8’s key causes.
Teams of five — four pushers and one rider — have to be the first to make it just 400 feet (200 feet down and 200 back, with the rider hopping off halfway to trade places with a pusher) to claim top honors. That’s $300 for first, $200 for second and $100 for third.
The key is making a bed light enough to travel quickly but sturdy enough to withstand the speed, Dunn said.
“You can’t help but get excited when you see these people go down, pushing these beds,” he said. “It just makes for a good time.”
The Greenfield Police Department is already brainstorming ways to perfect its entry, said GPD Chief Jeff Rasche.
The city police department is defending its title this year after coming in first at the inaugural event. Last year, the team of officers wheeled a squad car-themed bed, complete with flashing lights, down the course.
The squad car will return to the race this year, though members of the team are considering finding a more lightweight bed to secure their edge, Rasche said.
40&8 draws its name from World War I, when French troops were carted to the front lines in train cars large enough to carry either 40 men or eight horses. The local 40&8 charter dates to the 1950s.
Fundraising for the group has been a challenge over the years, Dunn said; the bed race was born out of an effort to find something unique and memorable. And the enthusiasm is spreading.
“Two years ago, I never thought of a bed race, but people really get into the makings of these things to come up with some of these designs,” he said.
The Four-Post 400 is still accepting competitors. Contestants are encouraged to register in advance but may also sign up the day of the event to compete.
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Run the race: The second-annual Four-Post 400 Bed Race Challenge kicks off at noon Sept. 7 on North Street between State and Pennsylvania. Vendors, sponsors and participants still have a chance to sign on to join the fun. To participate, contact organizers 40&8 at [email protected]. $75 covers registration for a five-person team. Participants must provide their own wheeled bed.
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