Evan Alsup didn’t just build a dragster — he engineered a high-speed, lightweight machine from the ground up, using nothing but his creativity, a 3D printer, and countless hours of trial and error. Now, the Carroll County High School and iLEAD Academy student is headed to the TSA National Conference after his dragster sped past the competition at both regional and state levels.
Evan’s dragster, powered by a CO₂ cartridge and built for speed on a straight 20-meter track, blends engineering skill, creative strategy, and more than 100 hours of meticulous effort. “It’s kind of like a pinewood derby, but instead of a slope, it’s CO₂-powered,” Evan explained. “You get one second to prove your design works.”
His entry impressed judges at both regional and state competitions, where it stood out for its sleek design, technical accuracy, and ability to meet tough specs. This year, competitors had to bring their car’s weight down to just 35 grams — a challenge Evan met with a finely tuned 3D-printed body using lightweight PLA plastic. “It wasn’t easy,” he said. “I had to hollow out the axle holes and cut weight wherever I could.”
But weight wasn’t the only concern. Evan also used graphite to reduce friction and carefully planned his design to keep everything within safety and competition standards. And once the race starts, there are no do-overs — no touching or adjusting the car mid-run. “You have to get it right the first time and just hope it holds up,” he said.
The project became something of an obsession over winter break. After losing a test race to Chris Malo, his friend and fellow Panther, Evan doubled down. “Chris and I had a race right here (at iLEAD) at Christmas break and he beat me even though I thought I was going to win. I really worked on it a lot over Christmas break and I guess I got better,” he said with a smile.
He even customized the look with a multicolor blue, gray and white filament from his personal 3D printer. “It’s a color pattern I really like,” Evan said. “I was going to use it for a solar car project, but I didn’t get that done in time. I’ve got a little piece of it on my nightstand — it just feels like me.”
With a second place at state under his belt, Evan is now preparing for the national stage in Nashville.