Teams had a fixed budget, and one month to build a vehicle to compete in a varied set of trials, such as auto "bowling", a race through a flooded course, a "car coaster", car "sumo" and other contrived tests.

Officially known as the BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup, the event format is a single elimination tournament with four players competing in a one set, no-ad scoring semifinal, with the winners advancing to a best-of-three set final with regular scoring.

Forty-three teams of students between the ages of 9 and 14 competed in a set of challenges throughout the day, which included using robots that each team had constructed out of Legos to complete various tasks.

Drivers compete in a set of races with the field whittled to the top 14 drivers who reach the final 20-lap sprint for the money.