Benonian Michael Gruar and four fellow University of Pretoria (Tuks) architecture students brought a distinctly South African flavour to the Red Bull Box Cart Race in Sandton on October 4, with their creative entry, The Flying Faf, winning over the crowds.

Inspired by Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk’s iconic mid-dive, Superman-style pose, the team’s homemade cart combined rugby pride, engineering ingenuity and humour as it hurtled down the course in an impressive 51 seconds.

Gruar, a former St Dunstan’s College pupil, said the event was an opportunity to put his creativity to the test while sharing an unforgettable experience with his varsity mates.

“Taking part in the Red Bull Box Cart Race was an absolute rush. The energy in Sandton was electric from the moment we arrived,” said Gruar.

The cart quickly became a crowd favourite, with spectators stopping to chat and take photographs. Children even climbed into The Flying Faf for pictures before the race.

Standing at the top of the ramp, however, brought a mixture of excitement and nerves.

“We had put so much work into the cart, and this was the moment we’d been waiting for,” he said.

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“Just before releasing the brakes, I went from wondering whether our steering and brakes would hold up to telling myself: ‘Channel your inner Faf, full speed, zero fear, and try not to wipe out in front of everyone!’”

The idea was born during the team’s brainstorming sessions, when they wanted to create something unmistakably South African that would make people smile.

“Faf de Klerk is a Springbok legend and fan favourite who captures the energy and spirit of South African rugby. His iconic Superman-style dive was the perfect inspiration for a race that combines speed, creativity and humour,” Gruar explained.

The team received an unexpected head start when Warren Garbutt donated the legendary Chicken Coop-Ay cart, which competed in the 2018 edition of the race. They reused its front end and steering design before modifying bicycle frames to construct the rear section.

The students tested different components, eventually opting for Pro BMX wheels after mountain bike rims buckled during a test run. They also strengthened the frame, fitted brakes to all four wheels and added a bull bar to protect the front wheels and steering.

With the engineering work pushing the cart close to its weight limit, they used cardboard and fabric to create its distinctive appearance, including a lightweight, oversized Faf head.

Balancing the cart’s appearance with reliable steering, effective brakes and a sturdy frame proved challenging.

Their efforts paid off as the Flying Faf crossed the finish line in 51 seconds to the chants of “Go Faf!” from spectators.

“Hearing the cheering from the crowd was the real highlight. Seeing kids and rugby fans reacting to the cart made all the stress of building it completely worth it.”

The 20-year-old, who is in his second year of a BSc in Architecture at Tuks, said the experience strengthened the team’s camaraderie beyond their studies.

“Seeing our idea become a working cart was incredibly rewarding, and we’re already throwing around ideas for our next adventure,” he said.

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