Um, if Lucas' and Commander Hitchcock's design didn't win, then why do we see it for the rest of the show?
IIRC, they only use the same Stinger they built for this episode. It would be a waste of UEO money not to use the thing in SOME capacity.
IIRC (it was a long time ago, after all) Didn't they build the thing in like, one day, just using stuff they had around the ship? How hard could it be to make more? Of course, they probably didn't have the Miraculous Infinite Shuttle Supply Stockroom like Voyager had.
Yes, the Stinger was stolen, then destroyed, so they rebuilt her in a day in order to be in the race.
IIRC, it only appeared in 3 other eps - Sincerest Form Of Flattery (Bridger uses it to board the rogue sub), Meltdown (Ford is travelling in it when the super croc attacks) and Splashdown (Lucas uses it to escape when SeaQuest goes down of Hyperion)