diff --git a/data/stk_config.xml b/data/stk_config.xml
index 5cc468ea0..5ff13a4a3 100644
--- a/data/stk_config.xml
+++ b/data/stk_config.xml
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@
          the force a plunger/rubber band applies to the kart(s).
          duration is the duration a rubber band acts. -->
     <plunger band-max-length="50" band-force="1500" band-duration="1"
+          band-speed-increase="7" band-fade-out-time="3"
           in-face-time="5 7 10"/>
 
     <!-- Kart-specific explosion parameters. Height: how high this
diff --git a/src/items/plunger.cpp b/src/items/plunger.cpp
index 2ce20d07e..c2ef47547 100644
--- a/src/items/plunger.cpp
+++ b/src/items/plunger.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ Plunger::Plunger(Kart *kart) : Flyable(kart, PowerupManager::POWERUP_PLUNGER)
         m_rubber_band = NULL;
     else
     {
-        m_rubber_band = new RubberBand(this, *kart);
+        m_rubber_band = new RubberBand(this, kart);
     }
     m_keep_alive = -1;
 }   // Plunger
diff --git a/src/items/rubber_band.cpp b/src/items/rubber_band.cpp
index 72d12ba71..a32de0f80 100644
--- a/src/items/rubber_band.cpp
+++ b/src/items/rubber_band.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ const wchar_t* getPlungerString()
  *                 can trigger an explosion)
  *  \param kart    Reference to the kart.
  */
-RubberBand::RubberBand(Plunger *plunger, const Kart &kart) :
+RubberBand::RubberBand(Plunger *plunger, Kart *kart) :
             m_plunger(plunger), m_owner(kart)
 {
     video::SColor color(77, 179, 0, 0);
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ RubberBand::RubberBand(Plunger *plunger, const Kart &kart) :
     updatePosition();
     m_node = irr_driver->addMesh(m_mesh);
 #ifdef DEBUG
-    std::string debug_name = m_owner.getIdent()+" (rubber-band)";
+    std::string debug_name = m_owner->getIdent()+" (rubber-band)";
     m_node->setName(debug_name.c_str());
 #endif
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ RubberBand::~RubberBand()
  */
 void RubberBand::updatePosition()
 {
-    const Vec3 &k = m_owner.getXYZ();
+    const Vec3 &k = m_owner->getXYZ();
 
     // Get the position to which the band is attached
     // ----------------------------------------------
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ void RubberBand::updatePosition()
  */
 void RubberBand::update(float dt)
 {
-    if(m_owner.isEliminated())
+    if(m_owner->isEliminated())
     {
         // Rubber band snaps
         m_plunger->hit(NULL);
@@ -147,12 +147,12 @@ void RubberBand::update(float dt)
     }
 
     updatePosition();
-    const Vec3 &k = m_owner.getXYZ();
+    const Vec3 &k = m_owner->getXYZ();
 
     // Check for rubber band snapping
     // ------------------------------
     float l = (m_end_position-k).length2();
-    float max_len = m_owner.getKartProperties()->getRubberBandMaxLength();
+    float max_len = m_owner->getKartProperties()->getRubberBandMaxLength();
     if(l>max_len*max_len)
     {
         // Rubber band snaps
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ void RubberBand::update(float dt)
     // ----------------------------
     if(m_attached_state!=RB_TO_PLUNGER)
     {
-        float force = m_owner.getKartProperties()->getRubberBandForce();
+        float force = m_owner->getKartProperties()->getRubberBandForce();
         Vec3 diff   = m_end_position-k;
         
         // detach rubber band if kart gets very close to hit point
@@ -179,7 +179,11 @@ void RubberBand::update(float dt)
         }
         
         diff.normalize();   // diff can't be zero here
-        m_owner.getBody()->applyCentralForce(diff*force);
+        m_owner->getBody()->applyCentralForce(diff*force);
+        m_owner->increaseMaxSpeed(MaxSpeed::MS_INCREASE_RUBBER,
+            m_owner->getKartProperties()->getRubberBandSpeedIncrease(),
+            /*duration*/0.1f, 
+            m_owner->getKartProperties()->getRubberBandFadeOutTime());
         if(m_attached_state==RB_TO_KART)
             m_hit_kart->getBody()->applyCentralForce(diff*(-force));
     }
@@ -198,19 +202,19 @@ void RubberBand::checkForHit(const Vec3 &k, const Vec3 &p)
     short int old_kart_group=0;
 
     // If the owner is being rescued, the broadphase handle does not exist!
-    if(m_owner.getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle())
-        old_kart_group = m_owner.getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle()->m_collisionFilterGroup;
+    if(m_owner->getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle())
+        old_kart_group = m_owner->getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle()->m_collisionFilterGroup;
     m_plunger->getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle()->m_collisionFilterGroup = 0;
-    if(m_owner.getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle())
-        m_owner.getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle()->m_collisionFilterGroup = 0;
+    if(m_owner->getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle())
+        m_owner->getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle()->m_collisionFilterGroup = 0;
 
     // Do the raycast
     World::getWorld()->getPhysics()->getPhysicsWorld()->rayTest(k, p, 
                                                                 ray_callback);
     // Reset collision groups
     m_plunger->getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle()->m_collisionFilterGroup = old_plunger_group;
-    if(m_owner.getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle())
-        m_owner.getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle()->m_collisionFilterGroup = old_kart_group;
+    if(m_owner->getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle())
+        m_owner->getBody()->getBroadphaseHandle()->m_collisionFilterGroup = old_kart_group;
     if(ray_callback.HasHit())
     {
         Vec3 pos(ray_callback.m_hitPointWorld);
@@ -246,7 +250,7 @@ void RubberBand::hit(Kart *kart_hit, const Vec3 *track_xyz)
         irr::core::stringw hit_message;
         hit_message += StringUtils::insertValues(getPlungerString(),
                                                  kart_hit->getName().c_str(),
-                                                 m_owner.getName().c_str()
+                                                 m_owner->getName().c_str()
                                                 ).c_str();
         gui->addMessage(hit_message, NULL, 3.0f, 40, video::SColor(255, 255, 255, 255), false);
         return;
diff --git a/src/items/rubber_band.hpp b/src/items/rubber_band.hpp
index 687060933..7e0fd2571 100644
--- a/src/items/rubber_band.hpp
+++ b/src/items/rubber_band.hpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ private:
     /** The plunger the rubber band is attached to. */
     Plunger            *m_plunger;
     /** The kart who shot this plunger. */
-    const Kart         &m_owner;
+    Kart               *m_owner;
 
     /** The scene node for the rubber band. */
     scene::ISceneNode  *m_node;
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ private:
     void updatePosition();
 
 public:
-         RubberBand(Plunger *plunger, const Kart &kart);
+         RubberBand(Plunger *plunger, Kart *kart);
         ~RubberBand();
     void update(float dt);
     void hit(Kart *kart_hit, const Vec3 *track_xyz=NULL);
diff --git a/src/karts/kart_properties.cpp b/src/karts/kart_properties.cpp
index 81c7141a8..c6383331d 100644
--- a/src/karts/kart_properties.cpp
+++ b/src/karts/kart_properties.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ KartProperties::KartProperties(const std::string &filename)
         m_track_connection_accel = m_min_speed_turn = m_angle_at_min =
         m_max_speed_turn = m_angle_at_max =
         m_rubber_band_max_length = m_rubber_band_force =
-        m_rubber_band_duration = m_plunger_in_face_duration[0] =
+        m_rubber_band_duration = m_rubber_band_speed_increase = 
+        m_rubber_band_fade_out_time = m_plunger_in_face_duration[0] =
         m_plunger_in_face_duration[1] = m_plunger_in_face_duration[2] =
         m_zipper_time = m_zipper_force = m_zipper_speed_gain =
         m_zipper_max_speed_increase = m_zipper_fade_out_time =
@@ -404,9 +405,11 @@ void KartProperties::getAllData(const XMLNode * root)
 
     if(const XMLNode *plunger_node= root->getNode("plunger"))
     {
-        plunger_node->get("band-max-length", &m_rubber_band_max_length  );
-        plunger_node->get("band-force",      &m_rubber_band_force       );
-        plunger_node->get("band-duration",   &m_rubber_band_duration    );
+        plunger_node->get("band-max-length",    &m_rubber_band_max_length    );
+        plunger_node->get("band-force",         &m_rubber_band_force         );
+        plunger_node->get("band-duration",      &m_rubber_band_duration      );
+        plunger_node->get("band-speed-increase",&m_rubber_band_speed_increase);
+        plunger_node->get("band-fade-out-time", &m_rubber_band_fade_out_time );
         std::vector<float> v;
         plunger_node->get("in-face-time",    &v);
         if(v.size()!=3)
@@ -543,12 +546,14 @@ void KartProperties::checkAllSet(const std::string &filename)
     CHECK_NEG(m_upright_tolerance,          "upright tolerance"             );
     CHECK_NEG(m_upright_max_force,          "upright max-force"             );
     CHECK_NEG(m_track_connection_accel,     "track-connection-accel"        );
-    CHECK_NEG(m_rubber_band_max_length,     "rubber-band max-length"        );
-    CHECK_NEG(m_plunger_in_face_duration[0],"plunger: in-face-time[0]"      );
-    CHECK_NEG(m_plunger_in_face_duration[1],"plunger: in-face-time[1]"      );
-    CHECK_NEG(m_plunger_in_face_duration[2],"plunger: in-face-time[2]"      );
-    CHECK_NEG(m_rubber_band_force,          "rubber-band force"             );
-    CHECK_NEG(m_rubber_band_duration,       "rubber-band duration"          );
+    CHECK_NEG(m_plunger_in_face_duration[0],"plunger in-face-time[0]"       );
+    CHECK_NEG(m_plunger_in_face_duration[1],"plunger in-face-time[1]"       );
+    CHECK_NEG(m_plunger_in_face_duration[2],"plunger in-face-time[2]"       );
+    CHECK_NEG(m_rubber_band_max_length,     "plunger band-max-length"       );
+    CHECK_NEG(m_rubber_band_force,          "plunger band-force"            );
+    CHECK_NEG(m_rubber_band_duration,       "plunger band-duration"         );
+    CHECK_NEG(m_rubber_band_speed_increase, "plunger band-speed-increase"   );
+    CHECK_NEG(m_rubber_band_fade_out_time,  "plunger band-fade-out-time"    );
     CHECK_NEG(m_zipper_time,                "zipper-time"                   );
     CHECK_NEG(m_zipper_fade_out_time,       "zipper-fade-out-time"          );
     CHECK_NEG(m_zipper_force,               "zipper-force"                  );
diff --git a/src/karts/kart_properties.hpp b/src/karts/kart_properties.hpp
index 8a17b87dd..7649f4159 100644
--- a/src/karts/kart_properties.hpp
+++ b/src/karts/kart_properties.hpp
@@ -159,7 +159,12 @@ private:
     /** Force of an attached rubber band. */
     /** Duration a rubber band works. */
     float       m_rubber_band_force;
+    /** How long the rubber band will fly. */
     float       m_rubber_band_duration;
+    /** Increase of maximum speed of the kart when the rubber band pulls. */
+    float       m_rubber_band_speed_increase;
+    /** Fade out time when the rubber band is removed. */
+    float       m_rubber_band_fade_out_time;
      /**Duration of plunger in face depending on difficulty. */
     float       m_plunger_in_face_duration[3];
     /** Wheel base of the kart. */
@@ -465,6 +470,14 @@ public:
     /** Returns the duration a rubber band is active for. */
     float getRubberBandDuration     () const {return m_rubber_band_duration;  }
 
+    /** Returns the increase of maximum speed while a rubber band is 
+     *  pulling. */
+    float getRubberBandSpeedIncrease() const {return m_rubber_band_speed_increase;}
+
+    /** Return the fade out time once a rubber band is removed. */
+    float getRubberBandFadeOutTime  () const {return m_rubber_band_fade_out_time;}
+
+
     /** Returns duration of a plunger in your face. */
     float getPlungerInFaceTime      () const 
             {return m_plunger_in_face_duration[race_manager->getDifficulty()];}
diff --git a/src/karts/max_speed.hpp b/src/karts/max_speed.hpp
index 098e831da..ff12b1619 100644
--- a/src/karts/max_speed.hpp
+++ b/src/karts/max_speed.hpp
@@ -28,11 +28,12 @@ class MaxSpeed
 {
 public:
     /** The categories to use for increasing the speed of a kart:
-     *  Increase due to zipper, slipstream, nitro usage. */
+     *  Increase due to zipper, slipstream, nitro, rubber band usage. */
     enum  {MS_INCREASE_MIN,
            MS_INCREASE_ZIPPER = MS_INCREASE_MIN, 
            MS_INCREASE_SLIPSTREAM, 
            MS_INCREASE_NITRO,
+           MS_INCREASE_RUBBER,
            MS_INCREASE_MAX};
 
     /** The categories to use for decreasing the speed of a kart: