Great Bed Races Presented by Snap-on

Register Your Team

Bed racing fans filled the stands at Broadbent Arena tonight for the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Great Bed Races Presented by Snap-on. 46 teams participated in the 37th annual event, pushing their decorated beds around a figure-eight course and competing for the fastest times and most outrageous costumes and decorations. Texas Roadhouse won the Champion’s Division for the third year in a row and The Park Pushers (Louisville Parks & Recreation) won the Fun Division.

The theme of this year’s event was “Festival on the Move: Ticket to Ride,” celebrating motion, momentum, and the thrill of exploration. Teams decked out their beds as trains, airplanes, race cars, pirate ships, a magic school bus, movie themes like Toy Story, Up and Polar Express; as well as pirates, astronauts and more.

Prizes were awarded to the teams with the three fastest times, as well as awards for the “Cone Eater,” “Best Decorated Bed,” and “Most Entertaining.”

  • Best Decorated Bed: Zeon Chemicals – (Zeon Express Train featuring the City of Louisville skyline, a Cadillac, the Belle of Louisville and Ohio River.)
  • Most Entertaining: The Fillies Inc. (Featuring a “Grease” theme complete with the Pink Ladies).
  • People’s Choice Award: UA Local 502 (Dozens of employees and their families attended to support their team and walk in the Parade of Beds.)
  • Cone Eater Award: JenCare

2026 Results – Champion’s Division:

  • 1st Place: Texas Roadhouse
  • 2nd Place: Best-One Louisville
  • 3rd Place: Snap-on

2026 Results – Fun Division:

  • 1st Place: The Park Pushers (Louisville Parks & Recreation
  • 2nd Place: Vessels Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
  • 3rd Place: St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Charities

A Tailgate Party took place before the Great Bed Races and winners of the Tailgate Awards include: Zoeller Pump Company won the Drink of Tailgate Award with their bourbon drink, and SERVPRO was given the Taste of Tailgate Award for their BBQ chicken.

The 2026 theme was: “Festival on the Move: Ticket to Ride,” which celebrates motion, momentum, and the thrill of exploration!

BED SPECS:

  • Minimum bed size: 64” wide by 75” long (no part of the bed including push bars may exceed 90” width by 100” length)
  • Minimum height: 10” from the ground to the support frame. (Steering may go lower the 10”)
  • Wheels: Four load bearing, no more and no less, and designed so that all wheels contact the ground. Distance between wheels may not exceed 80” from outside to outside, front to rear.
  • Steering: Provisions must be made to steer the bed. May include a mechanism to steer the front two wheels, or a combination of rotating caster wheels on the front and fixed on the rear etc…
  • Mattress: Must be innerspring, minimum size 54” wide by 75” long by 7” thick (standard double size mattress)
  • Push Bars: No jagged or sharp edges allowed, may not exceed maximum dimension of the bed (Pushers must be able to see the course in front of the bed when they are pushing.)
  • Maximum height of the bed may not exceed 96” from the ground.
  • Decorations for the best decorated division and parade may be removed for competition – this process cannot interfere with team start time.

 

 

GENERAL RULES:

  • All participants are required to wear helmets during the race.
  • All participants must be at least 18 years of age
  • All participants must sign a waiver on the day of the event, prior to race time.
  • Each team may race only once and must remain in its designated lane on the racecourse at all times. If contact is made – judges will determine fault.
  • No alcoholic beverages will be allowed at the bed race site.
  • All decisions by race officials are final.
  • All beds/teams must be decorated for the parade. Decorations may be removed or left on for racing, unless racing officials determine the decorations are an obstacle to racing in which case they must be removed.
  • All bed/team costs are borne by the entrants. This includes the entry fee, which is non-refundable.
  • All participants must wear a Pegasus Pin or Bed Race event pin for entry into the dorm area.
  • Mouth guard is suggested for bed rider.