What does a champion race car driver do following retirement?
For Chip Robinson, the idea of restoring old structures in historic Augusta, Ga. was too tempting to ignore.
“I raced cars for a long time and when I retired I had a real interest in old buildings and I started working as a renovation contractor,” Robinson explained recently from his home in Augusta.
Robinson, whose racing career includes wins at the IMSA Camel GT series and the 24 Hours of Daytona race, soon came across some challenges in his new-found contracting career that got him thinking.
“I had a cap for my truck, which was pretty simple but I didn’t like the options I had and it really wasn’t going to fit my purpose. They didn’t have enough storage when you opened the side doors. The shelves weren’t deep enough—they were shallow and weren’t very efficient. So, I set about designing something that I thought would be much more functional for me and came up with ChampRack.”
ChampRack is a truss-based pickup bed rack system that offers up to five levels of storage space and holds up to 1,200 pounds of materials. Made for full-size truck beds that are at least six feet long, Champ Rack features a raised storage area above the bed that will accommodate 4-foot x 8-foot sheet goods.
Made of powder-coated steel, ChampRack is 72 inches long and is available in either a 61 ¾- or 62 ¾-inch widths. Assembly and installation takes about 60 to 90 minutes and can be done with the cap on or off. Accessories include plywood end panels, utility hooks and storage bins.
“You’ll see that it’s highly customizable. There’s a lot they can do with it, but it gives them the steel framework from which to build,” Robinson said.
ChampRack, which normally retails for $799, has been marked down to $399 until the end of the year. Visit ChampRack’s eBay listing for more information.
