Oxford, AL – During its regular session on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the Oxford City Council, led by Mayor Alton Craft, proudly presented a proclamation to the Big O’ Racing Team in honor of their victory at the 2025 Greenpower USA National Championship.
This monumental achievement marks the fourth national championship for the Big O’ Racing Team, a group of talented students from the Oxford area. The team is now part of the CREATE Center, a local educational initiative designed to foster STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills among students.
The Greenpower USA National Championship competition was held at the iconic Talladega Superspeedway on May 4, 2025. Over the course of the season, the team – composed of 40 students in grades nine through twelve – designed and engineered four electric cars. They competed in races across four states, including Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Their dedication and technical prowess earned them a remarkable 1,152 racing miles, 23 podium finishes, and an impressive nine first-place finishes.
In presenting the proclamation, Mayor Craft emphasized the teamwork, resilience, and discipline demonstrated by the Big O’ Racing Team throughout the season. The proclamation read, “The team demonstrated resilience, discipline, and outstanding teamwork throughout the season, culminating in a dominant performance at the National Championship event. Their remarkable achievement and continued representation of the excellence, determination, and innovation that define the Oxford community is to be commended.”
In addition to the proclamation, the Council commended the Big O’ Racing Team for their continued efforts to inspire others in the community, showing what is possible through hard work, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. The City of Oxford is proud to celebrate their success as a testament to the power of youth-driven creativity and achievement.
The recognition ceremony came at the start of a busy City Council meeting, which included a number of zoning requests, ordinance considerations, and resolutions for city improvements. Among the other major items on the agenda were the adoption of ordinances related to the 2025 State Sales Tax Holiday and regulations governing the sale of cats and dogs, as well as several resolutions aimed at furthering infrastructure and community development in Oxford.
For the remainder of the meeting, the City Council heard public hearings concerning zoning requests and reviewed several resolutions, including those for professional services related to safety planning grants and equipment purchases for the city’s operations. The meeting concluded with the scheduling of public hearings for upcoming meetings, including condemnation proceedings at Alan Street and Athens Street.
The Oxford City Council’s next regular meeting will be held on May 27, 2025, where further discussions and decisions will be made regarding ongoing and upcoming projects.
