H&H bed and outhouse races featured hot rides and even hotter competition
GHS FBLA juniors dressed as fave coaches win best dressed award These Gainesville High School FBLA juniors poked a little fun at their favorite high school coaches during the 2026 Hootin an Hollarin bed race and in the process won the best dressed award. Team members are Chase Luna as GHS boys baseball coach Blake Hobbs, Emma Donley as GHS girls basketball coach Nathan Houk, Mylie Frye as GHS assistant boys basketball coach Lance West, Twyla Parkison as GHS girls softball coach Joe Walrath and Avery Rodrigue as GHS assistant boys baseball coach Bryce Hambelton.
Mike and the Mechanics The “Mike and the Mechanics” team had the crowd laughing during the 2026 Hootin an Hollarin bed races with a skit mid-race that featured four of the pushers dropping to the pavement to do a little wrenching while “Mike” rode on top. Team mates were: Aaron Foster as Mike, and Ben, Esther, Sam and Sophia Foster as the remaining mechanics.
Paula takes a ride in the outhouse After much crowd encouragement, led by bed and outhouse race emcee Renee Hambelton, Hootin an Hollarin chairperson Paula Rose took a quick ride in the outhouse pushed by some speedy young men from Gainesville High School.
Despite the heat last Friday afternoon, 13 teams lined up for the Hootin an Hollarin bed race and another eight teams climbed into, onto or behind the racing outhouse for one of Hootin an Hollarin’s favorite events, which brings speed, costumes, comedy and good-natured chaos to the Gainesville square each year.
And this year, Hootin an Hollarin chairperson Paula Rose didn’t spend the whole afternoon standing on the sidelines directing teams to get lined up. After much cheering and encouragement from the crowd, Rose, who is usually busy making sure everyone else is where they are supposed to be, got in on the action herself. She climbed inside an outhouse and rode down the course with one of the teams.
The races have become one of Hootin an Hollarin's most entertaining traditions, and this year's competitors made sure the crowd had plenty to watch beyond who crossed the finish line first.
In the outhouse race, Gainesville FBLA took first place with Brandon Barcelona, Carson Nielson, Luke Hogan, Jake Hogan and Brantley Nash.
The Crazy Carpenters claimed second place with Bennett Dow, Rogan McGary, Jacob Dow, Cyrus Mucklestone and Levi Mucklestone.
The Conk team took third place, with Nick Baker, Brody Cooper, Malachi Scott, Tyler Scott and Keith McCullough.
The Conk crew wasn't finished, either. The team also earned third place in the bed race.
The Winners team took first place in the bed race, with Alesha Oliver, Storie Haff, Levi Trask, Caden Trask and Elius Trask.
Gainesville FBLA took second with Carson Nielsen, Jake Hogan, Kalvin Solomko and Luke Hogan, with Parker Gilmore also on the team.
The bed race wasn't just about speed, though. A little showmanship went a long way, too.
The FBLA GHS juniors team earned the Best Dressed award after transforming themselves into a crew of Gainesville High School coaches. Chase Luna portrayed boys baseball coach Blake Hobbs, Emma Donley was girls basketball coach Nathan Houk, Mylie Frye portrayed assistant boys basketball coach Lance West, Twyla Parkison was girls softball coach Joe Walrath and Avery Rodrigue was assistant boys baseball coach Bryce Hambelton.
The team even stopped in the middle of its run to perform a skit, poking fun at some of the coaches' favorite sayings.
"Coach Walrath" told the team to "drop and give them 25 [push ups]," while “Coach Houk” (Emma Donley) delivered the familiar coaching challenge, "I need you to be on them like white on rice, 110%," before breaking a clipboard over her knee.
And while the FBLA juniors took home the Best Dressed title, another team certainly gave them a run for their money in the entertainment department.
The Foster family entered the race as "Mike and the Mechanics," with a singing Aaron Foster, or "Mike," riding on top of the bed while the mechanics raced alongside. At one point during their run, the team pulled over for a little roadside repair, with the mechanics hopping underneath the hotrod-style bed to do some wrenching before the crew got back on the course. They didn't take home the Best Dressed award, but they certainly put in the work and gave the crowd plenty to cheer about.
With so many teams competing between the two races, Friday's bed and outhouse races once again proved that Hootin an Hollarin doesn't require cool temperatures, polished equipment or even a particularly practical mode of transportation to have a good time.
All it takes is a team willing to get a little silly, a homemade contraption with wheels and a willingness to give it all they've got while a whole lot of folks are happy to cheer them on.