The vehicle is built to resemble a fire engine.

CLEARWATER – The Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department will be among those competing in today’s (Oct. 22) 2016 Achieva Box Car Rally.

Fire paramedic Mo Perdigon will be behind the wheel when the vehicle, built to resemble a fire engine, races down the course on Cleveland Street. His race time is expected to be shortly after noon.

Perdigon and other firefighters built the mini engine over several days this past week at facilities on North Belcher Road. It’s 8 feet long, 4 feet wide and 4 feet tall – a lot smaller than typical Clearwater Fire and Rescue vehicles. Rally rules say the vehicle can weigh no more than 150 pounds on its own or no more than 400 pounds with a single driver. A standard fire engine weighs 38,000 pounds, while a fire truck runs 78,000 pounds.

Perdigon plans to wear his fire gear when he competes.

“The Achieva Box Car Rally is a fun event for the whole family, and Clearwater Fire and Rescue is excited to be involved,” fire Chief Scott Ehlers said. “We’ll be there to root on Mo as he represents us and the city.”

This will be the seventh year for the Achieva Box Car Rally, one of the biggest annual community events in Clearwater. Proceeds from the rally benefit Pinellas County Schools. The event is free to watch and draws more than 2,500 spectators to the Cleveland Street District for a day filled  with nearly 300 heats and races, live entertainment, food trucks, a kids’ carnival zone, and much more.

The event begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m. Cars will race from the top of the hill at Cleveland Street and Osceola Avenue.

For information about Clearwater Fire and Rescue, go to myclearwater.com. For information about the box car rally, go to achievaboxcarrally.com.

Photos courtesy of Clearwater Fire and Rescue.

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