• TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Star Wars Kids
Star Wars Logo

Search

My Account Logout
  • More More
    • NEWS + FEATURES
      • THE LATEST
      • ANDOR
      • CELEBRATION
      • QUIZZES + POLLS
      • BOOKS + COMICS
    • VIDEO
      • ALL VIDEO
      • THIS WEEK! IN STAR WARS
    • FILMS
    • SERIES
      • All Series
      • Andor
      • Skeleton Crew
      • Ahsoka
      • The Mandalorian
    • GAMES + INTERACTIVE
      • View All
      • Star Wars Outlaws
      • Games + Apps
      • VR + Immersive
    • DATABANK
      • ALL DATABANK
      • ERAS
    • DISNEY+
      • STREAM NOW
      • EXPLORE
      • THE DISNEY BUNDLE
Local Nav | Drop-Down Phase III - 20231020
Local Nav | Drop-Down Phase III - 20231020
My Account Logout
  • other
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • facebook
  • youtube
  • other
STAR WARS | DISNEY+ STAR WARS ON DISNEY+

All

  • Andor
  • Star Wars Celebration
  • Skeleton Crew
  • The Mandalorian
  • Ahsoka
  • The Acolyte
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi
  • The Book of Boba Fett
  • The Bad Batch
  • The Clone Wars
  • Visions
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Books + Comics
  • Characters + Histories
  • Collecting
  • Creativity
  • Disney Parks
  • Disney+
  • Events
  • Fans + Community
  • Films
  • Games + Apps
  • ILM
  • Interviews
  • LEGO Star Wars
  • Lucasfilm
  • Merchandise
  • Opinions
  • Quizzes + Polls
  • Recipes
  • Rogue One
  • Solo
  • Star Wars Day
  • Star Wars Rebels
  • Series
  • The High Republic
Characters + Histories
Star Wars Inside Intel: Podracing

Star Wars Inside Intel: Podracing

"You must have Jedi reflexes if you race pods."

Emily Shkoukani
Emily Shkoukani
January 31, 2022

"You must have Jedi reflexes if you race pods."

Star Wars Inside Intel is a StarWars.com feature where Lucasfilm Story Group member Emily Shkoukani, whose job is to know as much about a galaxy far, far away as possible, explores obscure facts about Star Wars lore and continuity. In this installment, Emily breaks down everything they know about podracing…

The high-speed sport of podracing swept into the Star Wars galaxy with its exhilarating debut in 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The Boonta Eve Classic showed off the trappings of podracing from the captivating array of pods, to the unrelenting track, and the arena’s stands of some 100,000 spectators excitedly cheering and irresponsibly betting. Although podracing has been featured minimally in Star Wars since The Phantom Menace, a bounty’s worth of lore was created to make such a thrilling sport.

Podracers lining up during the Boonta Eve Classic

The objective is simple -- win the race. Course markers line tracks like the Boonta Eve arena, signaling to a podracer’s navigational system the route to follow. A racer wins after completing three laps around the course, and crossing the finish line first. But what makes podracing exciting is the danger of it all, which is why it’s a mostly outlawed sport within the Republic (and later, the Empire, all the way to the New Republic), but thriving in the Outer Rim. Although there are rules and regulations, they’re treated more as guidelines. Officials and referees exist but even they are easily bribed, threatened, or distracted by pilots and their crews to circumvent the “guidelines” they’re intended to enforce.

Galactic history explains that podracing was inspired by a more primitive version of the sport where carriages were drawn by creatures, who would race around a track for glory. This sport transformed into the dangerous, high-speed competition seen in The Phantom Menace after a mechanic called Phoebos applied the same arrangement of carriage and creature to modern technology, replacing the carriage with a pod and the creatures with engines, and using repulsorlift technology so the vehicle could hover.

Xexto Gasgano

Podracers are generally designed for the pilot which, in Star Wars, also means keeping in mind the species piloting. The spindly Xexto Gasgano used four arms consisting of 24 fingers to operate his exceedingly complex pod, maintaining the engines, running diagnostics, tracking other racers, and more, all while piloting.

The engines vary in design just as much as the cockpits. Different engines offer different benefits. Sebulba’s split-x radiators gave him a top speed of over 829 kph (515 mph), and he often used their massive size to bully other racers, smashing into smaller pods to throw them off course or into a hazard. While Sebulba could pay for a pod that would guarantee him a win, Anakin Skywalker had to cobble together salvaged materials for months to build his pod.

Anakin walking to his podrace Anakin's podracer view from the back

Anakin’s small pod was powered by two Radon-Ulzer engines, which he smartly modified for impressive maneuverability and speed. Each engine was outfitted with triple air scoops (the prongs jutting out from the turbines) that allowed the young pilot to easily weave through obstacles and make sharp turns. And by re-wiring and installing new subsystems, Anakin made it so that a maximum amount of fuel could be injected into his engines for the maximum amount of thrust. Thus, his pod is supposedly the fastest to ever race in the Boonta Eve Classic, zipping through the track at speeds up to 947 kph (588 mph), over a hundred kilometers per hour faster than Sebulba’s pod. But the tactics for winning this unforgiving race don’t always come down to just speed.

Anything goes in podracing. It’s not uncommon for pilots and/or crews to sabotage other racers prior to or during a race. The dimwitted Nuknog named Ark “Bumpy” Roose attempted to sabotage Anakin’s pod prior to the race, only to cripple Ben Quadinaros’ instead. Assassination attempts, exacting revenge, and bribery are all part of the sport. Many pilots even equip their pods with weapons or make illegal modifications to get an edge on other competitors. In a deleted scene from The Phantom Menace, Sebulba’s pod shoots fire at other racers from his flame jets. There’s a general disregard for life when it comes to podracing, and pilots competing in such races understand that at any moment, it could all be over for them.

Pit droids helping with a pod

Often overlooked, podracing couldn’t be done without the mechanics that make up the crew. Since podracing’s break-neck speeds exempt almost all humans from competing in the sport itself, it’s common for them to instead join a crew, taking great pride in the work they do. But the more recognizable crew members are the comical pit droids. These small droids are programmed to have a sense of urgency but their minimal logic processors prevent them from performing complex jobs. They’re largely used to make simple wire connections, reach tight places, and refuel ships. If given a task too complicated or outside of their ability, instead of asking for help the droids will come up with often hazardous solutions such as balancing on each other to reach somewhere. Their inability to logically problem-solve, combined with their programmed haste, typically results in some type of accidental entertainment such as when one was sucked through Ody Mandrell’s turbines. Luckily for these diminutive droids, they’re incredibly durable so such an incident caused minimal harm (but maximum damage to the engines).

Anakin and Sebulba clash in the podrace.

By the end of the Boonta Eve Classic portrayed in The Phantom Menace, only six racers crossed the finish line out of the 18 that competed. Some perished during the event, like Ratts Tyrell’s unfortunate end in the Laguna Caves, others were deterred by external forces like Teemto Pagalies, who crashed his pod after being shot at by a Tusken Raider, and one, Neva Kee, remains to be accounted for after flying off course to utilize a shortcut -- they were never seen from again.

Did you learn something new about podracing? Check back bi-weekly to learn something new about the Star Wars galaxy!

  • These aren't the droids you're looking for - Disney+

Emily Shkoukani is a jr. creative executive at Lucasfilm who helps to maintain the lore and continuity of the Star Wars galaxy. And sometimes, they write for StarWars.com!

Site tags: #StarWarsBlog

Related Topics

Podracing Star Wars Inside Intel

Related Stories

  • Star Wars Inside Intel: Hyperspace
    [object Object]

    Star Wars Inside Intel: Hyperspace - Updated

    July 12, 2024

    July 12, 2024

    Jul 12

  • Star Wars Inside Intel: The Ascendant
    [object Object]

    Star Wars Inside Intel: The Ascendant

    October 27, 2022

    October 27, 2022

    Oct 27

  • Star Wars Inside Intel: Bounty Hunters
    [object Object]

    Star Wars Inside Intel: Bounty Hunters

    September 28, 2022

    September 28, 2022

    Sep 28

  • Star Wars Inside Intel: The Inquisitorius
    [object Object]

    Star Wars Inside Intel: The Inquisitorius

    June 24, 2022

    June 24, 2022

    Jun 24

  • Star Wars Inside Intel: Coruscant
    [object Object]

    Star Wars Inside Intel: Coruscant

    March 28, 2022

    March 28, 2022

    Mar 28

  • Star Wars Inside Intel: Quinlan Vos
    [object Object]

    Star Wars Inside Intel: Quinlan Vos

    February 28, 2022

    February 28, 2022

    Feb 28

  • Star Wars Inside Intel: Mandalorian Armor
    [object Object]

    Star Wars Inside Intel: Mandalorian Armor

    February 14, 2022

    February 14, 2022

    Feb 14

  • Star Wars Inside Intel: The Nightsisters
    [object Object] [object Object]

    Star Wars Inside Intel: The Nightsisters

    January 14, 2022

    January 14, 2022

    Jan 14

More From Star Wars:
  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • SWKids
  • Terms of Use
  • Additional Content Information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Disney Store | Star Wars
  • Star Wars Helpdesk
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved