05/27/2026
On August 11 and 12th of 2024, competitors from around the eastern and central states converged to race electric karts in the Rubber City Run, the Akron stage of the Power Racing Series (PRS). The PRS competition was one of three attractions at the Rubber City Run, including Combat Robotics and the Makers Market.
As events unfolded, crowd sentiment swirled around one vehicle. Folks weren’t drawn by the kart’s epic speed or ability to take a turn. No, they were drawn to this kart because it brought the drama. The kart was Optimus Prime, a scaled down tractor trailer capable of, among other things, doing wheelies down the track. Optimus, with trailer in tow, performed the first “jackknife” in known PRS history.
Optimus began life as “Maximum Overdrive”, a nod to the Stephen King film starring Emilio Estevez, where a possessed semi-truck harasses folks in a diner. With accessibility in mind, Maximum Overdrive was designed so that any member, regardless of body-type, could join the fun. As overbuilding karts is an AMS PRS tradition, Maximum Overdrive featured a Brembo brake caliber lifted from a custom Ducati build.
Due to a shift in consumer awareness among the younger market segment, the kart was later rebranded from Maximum Overdrive to “Optimus Prime.” The rest, as they say, is history.
Optimus is currently maintained by AMS member Jordan Craft.