Kentucky Derby Festival Great Bed Race — Historical Results
Held annually at Broadbent Arena, Louisville, KY as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival.
First held in 1990 on the cobblestone streets of downtown Louisville as "Bedlam in the Streets."
Source: KDF Press Releases
2026 — 37th Annual
Date: April 27, 2026
Theme: "Festival on the Move: Ticket to Ride"
Title Sponsor: Snap-on
Teams: 46
Champion's Division
| Place | Team |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Texas Roadhouse (3rd consecutive year) |
| 🥈 2nd | Best-One Louisville |
| 🥉 3rd | Snap-on |
Fun Division
| Place | Team |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | The Park Pushers (Louisville Parks & Recreation) |
| 🥈 2nd | Vessels Plumbing, Heating & Cooling |
| 🥉 3rd | St. Elizabeth's Catholic Charities |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Zeon Chemicals — Zeon Express Train (featuring Louisville skyline, Cadillac, Belle of Louisville)
- Most Entertaining: The Fillies Inc. — "Grease" theme with the Pink Ladies
- People's Choice Award: UA Local 502
- Cone Eater Award: JenCare
Tailgate Awards
- Drink of Tailgate: Zoeller Pump Company (bourbon drink)
- Taste of Tailgate: SERVPRO (BBQ chicken)
2025 — 36th Annual
Date: April 28, 2025
Theme: "Happy Derby: Pink Out Party" (80s style)
Title Sponsor: Samtec (3rd year)
Teams: 50
Champion's Division
| Place | Team |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Texas Roadhouse (2nd consecutive year) |
| 🥈 2nd | Best-One Louisville |
| 🥉 3rd | Samtec |
Fun Division
| Place | Team |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Vessels Plumbing Heating & Cooling |
| 🥈 2nd | Pace Contracting |
| 🥉 3rd | ZEON |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: ZEON — Pink TV playing MTV with iconic theme song and music videos
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar — "Grease" theme with Pink Ladies, T-Birds, and white Cadillac convertible
- People's Choice Award: UA Local 502
- Cone Eater Award: LG&E
Tailgate Awards
- Drink of Tailgate: SERVPRO
- Taste of Tailgate: Best-One Louisville
2024 — 35th Annual
Date: April 29, 2024
Theme: "Celebrating Derby 150"
Title Sponsor: Samtec (2nd year)
Teams: 50
Champion's Division
| Place | Team |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Texas Roadhouse |
| 🥈 2nd | Samtec (Champion Team) |
| 🥉 3rd | Best-One Louisville Tire Service Center |
Fun Division
| Place | Team |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Samtec (Fun Team) |
| 🥈 2nd | ZEON (ZEON Racing) |
| 🥉 3rd | Louisville Paving and Construction (LP Cone Dozers) |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: ZEON — Spinning racetrack, bugler, roses, jockey silks and more Derby elements
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar — Star Wars theme with a Derby twist: "May the Horse Be With You"
- People's Choice Award: Samtec
- Cone Eater Award: Bluegrass Testing
Tailgate Awards
- Drink of Tailgate: UofL Health Peace Hospital
- Taste of Tailgate: SERVPRO
2023 — 34th Annual
Date: May 1, 2023
Theme: "Through the Decades"
Title Sponsor: Samtec (1st year as title sponsor)
Teams: ~40
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Full Throttle Adrenaline Park (2nd consecutive year) | 30.5s |
| 🥈 2nd | Best-One Tire & Service | 32.9s |
| 🥉 3rd | Rubbies Racing and Rocking Through the Decades | 33.1s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities | 34.1s |
| 🥈 2nd | City of Jeffersontown | 35.2s |
| 🥉 3rd | Team ZEON | 36.2s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport — Boxing ring featuring Muhammad Ali
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Racing and Rocking Through the Decades — Jukebox and characters (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Queen of Hearts, and more)
- Cone Eater Award: United Healthcare
2022 — 33rd Annual
Date: May 2, 2022
Theme: "Game On" (video and arcade games)
Teams: ~30
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Full Throttle Adrenaline Park | 32.7s |
| 🥈 2nd | Zoeller Pump Company | 33.4s |
| 🥉 3rd | Miranda Construction A | 33.9s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Rubbies Southside Grill and Bar | 33.7s |
| 🥈 2nd | Bigelow Tea | 35.9s |
| 🥉 3rd | High Flyers — Louisville Muhammad Ali Intl Airport | 37.5s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Zeon Chemical Team (PacMan, Frogger & Donkey Kong)
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar Team ("Miis" from Wii)
- Cone Eater Award: JenCare Newburg
2021 — 32nd Annual
Date: April 26, 2021
Theme: "Sweet Dreams"
Teams: ~20
Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, this year's event was held outdoors on a drag-race style course, not open to the public — only participating teams.
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Bluegrass Karting | 26.7s |
| 🥈 2nd | Zoeller Strong | 27.8s |
| 🥉 3rd | Texas Roadhouse | 29.8s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Premier Packaging | 33.4s |
| 🥈 2nd | Drexel Metals | 35.2s |
| 🥉 3rd | BackyardBookie.com | 35.9s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Zeon Chemical Team (Strawberry Shortcake)
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar Team ("Go Baby Go" baby costumes)
- Cone Eater Award: Fit4Moms Team
2020
Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019 — 30th Annual
Date: April 29, 2019
Theme: "Pegasus Power"
Teams: 40
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | GE Appliances (Team 1) | 34.1s |
| 🥈 2nd | Rubbies — PIGasus Power | 34.6s |
| 🥉 3rd | UAW Ford LAP | 33.9s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities | 35.6s |
| 🥈 2nd | Industrial Kiln & Dryer Group | 37.9s |
| 🥉 3rd | Air Hydro Powers Farming Force | 38.6s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Team Zeon (Hercules theme)
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar (PIGasus Power — Grease Lightning)
- Cone Eater Award: Bigelow Tea
2018 — 29th Annual
Date: April 30, 2018
Teams: ~40
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Texas Roadhouse (2nd consecutive) | — |
| 🥈 2nd | Rubbies Southside Grill | — |
| 🥉 3rd | UAW/Ford Louisville Assembly Plant | — |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Premier Packaging | 38.1s |
Note: Full results not available; compiled from news coverage.
2017 — 28th Annual
Date: May 1, 2017
Theme: "Louisville on the Move"
Teams: 42
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Texas Roadhouse | 34.24s |
| 🥈 2nd | Bluegrass Indoor Carting | 34.83s |
| 🥉 3rd | Ford Assembly/UAW | 35.66s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Bubba's 33 | 34.60s |
| 🥈 2nd | Premier Packaging | 37.95s |
| 🥉 3rd | Ramming Speed (DuPont Manual HS) | 38.42s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Ford Assembly/UAW (city theme: landmarks & icons)
- Most Entertaining: Uspiritus Trailblazers ("Trailblazer" covered wagon)
- Cone Eater Award: Huffman Hustlers
2016 — 27th Annual
Date: May 2, 2016
Theme: "Race for the Cup"
Teams: 30
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Bluegrass Indoor Karting | 33.15s |
| 🥈 2nd | Rubbies Southside Bar & Grill | 34.05s |
| 🥉 3rd | Ford | 34.46s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Premier Packaging | 38.70s |
| 🥈 2nd | Brandeis Machinery | 38.87s |
| 🥉 3rd | Black Diamonds | 40.04s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Bigelow Tea (Racing Tea Theme with giant tea cup)
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar ("Yacht Club" pontoon theme)
- Cone Eater Award: Expert Sleep Medicine/ExpertSleep.com
2015 — 26th Annual
Date: April 27, 2015
Theme: "Ultimate Game Day"
Teams: 40
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Texas Roadhouse | 33.45s |
| 🥈 2nd | Bluegrass Indoor Karting | 34.24s |
| 🥉 3rd | Alpha Energy Solutions | 34.37s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Ford Motor Company | 34.23s |
| 🥈 2nd | Maeser Plumbing, Heating & Cooling | 37.09s |
| 🥉 3rd | Purdue College of Technology | 37.12s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: The Kidz Club Team (Mario Brothers Theme)
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar (Viva Las Vegas with Marilyn & Elvis)
- Cone Eater Award: Caretenders
2014 — 25th Annual
Date: April 28, 2014
Theme: "Call of the Wild"
Teams: 40
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Alpha Energy Solutions | 33.41s |
| 🥈 2nd | Curtain Call Photo Booth | 33.97s |
| 🥉 3rd | Texas Roadhouse | 34.29s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Winner Takes All | 34.16s |
| 🥈 2nd | Heartland Payment Systems 1 | 35.68s |
| 🥉 3rd | General Electric Bravo | 36.93s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: General Electric Bravo Team (lions and cage)
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar (Pigs Gone Wild with surfer & shark)
- Cone Eater Award: Brinly-Hardy Company
This year introduced chip timing and a new figure-8 course. Champions Division winner featured 17-year-old NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver Ben Rhodes.
2013 — 24th Annual
Date: April 29, 2013
Teams: ~40
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Curtain Call Photo Booth | 25.7s |
| 🥈 2nd | Rubbies Southside Grill | 26.88s |
| 🥉 3rd | UAW/Ford Assembly Plant | 27.7s |
Fun Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Apple Valley Gang | 25.8s |
| 🥈 2nd | Wellstone Regional Hospital | 27.1s |
| 🥈 2nd | Air Hydro Power | 27.1s |
| 🥉 3rd | Chegg | 27.5s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar (old time movie theme with pigs)
- People's Choice: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar
- Most Entertaining: Wellstone Regional Hospital (Village People theme)
- Most Likely to Break Down: Mattress & More
- Cone Eater Award: Heartland Payment Systems #1
2012 — 23rd Annual
Date: April 30, 2012
Venue: KFC Yum! Center
Teams: ~40
Champions Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Curtain Call Photo Booth (4th consecutive) | 34.59s |
| 🥈 2nd | West IP Communications | 36.25s |
| 🥉 3rd | UAW/Ford Louisville Assembly Plant | 36.97s |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Bigelow Tea (Mama Teacup and Baby Teacups)
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar (Snow White and Seven Dwarfs)
- People's Choice: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar
- Most Likely to Break Down: Whole Foods Market
- Cone Eater Award: Apple Valley Gang
2011 — 22nd Annual
Date: May 2, 2011
Theme: "SuperFest"
Venue: KFC Yum! Center (first year at this venue)
Teams: 46
Single Division
| Place | Team | Time |
|---|
| 🥇 1st | Curtain Call Photo Booth (3rd consecutive) | 30:06 |
| 🥈 2nd | Geek Squad | 31:01 |
| 🥉 3rd | Apple Valley Gang | 32:01 |
Special Awards
- Best Decorated Bed: Bigelow Tea (SuperHero of Health)
- Most Entertaining: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar (Despicable Me movie theme)
- People's Choice: Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar
- Most Likely to Break Down: AAA Kentucky
- Cone Eater Award: GE Appliances – Technology Bravo (30 cones + 3 barrels)
- Worst New Course Record: Louisville Coca-Cola (1:26)
This was the first year at KFC Yum! Center after moving from Broadbent Arena. Event was televised on WAVE-TV.
About the Great Bed Race
The Kentucky Derby Festival Great Bed Race is one of Louisville's most beloved annual traditions. Teams of five push a decorated bed on wheels through an obstacle course inside an arena, racing for the best time while competing for awards like Best Decorated Bed and Most Entertaining.
The event originated in 1990 as "Bedlam in the Streets" on the cobblestone streets of downtown Louisville's Theatre Square. It has since grown into one of the largest corporate team events during Derby Festival week.
Sources: Kentucky Derby Festival press releases at discover.kdf.org
Last updated: May 6, 2026