Perhaps you’ve hammered together a few harmonica-sized wooden cars for your son’s Boy Scout pack or pushed a sibling down a back alley in a janky Red Radio Flyer wagon. But how many can compare such experiences to having the opportunity to build a self-propelled soapbox car from literally anything you can get your hands on, sometimes including kitchen sinks, but sans motors? With the Red Bull Soapbox Race busting into Mount Adams on October 4, there is a guarantee that you’ve never seen creativity like this fly down any of Cincinnati’s seven hills.
“The steep and winding hills of Mount Adams lend themselves to hosting a perfect Red Bull Soapbox Race,” according to Jennifer Belongia of Red Bull. “We knew there was a wealth of untapped creativity in Ohio and we were correct! The applications are some of the most creative we have received to date.” It only makes sense for Cincinnati to host the fifth Red Bull Soapbox Race, as Ohio has proved to be a mecca for the wooden scooter sport. The first ever soapbox derby was held just a skip way in Dayton in 1934 and the annual Soapbox Derby is held each July in Akron.
The quarter-mile track beginning on the St. Gregory Street hill will hug the burning rubber of 40 lavishly fashioned soapbox cars all with two momentous missions: out-of-the-ordinary fun and of course, victory. First prize includes an unforgettable NASCAR experience for all members of the winning team – “they’ll get to be in the pit, meet Red Bull Racing drivers and enjoy the action up close and personal,” says Belongia. Teams are chosen based on their theme, concept and a blue print or mock-up of the proposed craft with the best of the best selected to build the soapbox cars of their caffeine-powered dreams.
“The city of Cincinnati's wonderful support is what tipped the scales!” Belongia said. “But soapbox race fans should know that this is not your childhood soapbox race; Red Bull Soapbox Race is unique because teams are judged on speed, creativity and
showmanship.”
This is the kind of showmanship and creativity that will blow your high school homecoming float out of the tri-state. Although many of the drivers are experiencing their first race, it does not mean they will be coming unprepared.
“We’ve put in over 10 man hours a week since August,” claimed Sue Brewer, driver of the Catch the Red Eye team from Blue Ash. Their soapbox car, influenced by the city’s spring infestation of cicadas, will entice attendants to “catch the buzz” as their team of “inhalators” fly down the hill propelled by a pit crew of cicada crunchers: a newspaper, a flyswatter and a flip flop, all trained to wiggle their wings to their own Cincinnati Cicada version of “Baby Got Back.” But not to worry; the team promises no cicadas were harmed in the making of their car. “We only used dead ones we picked up at Sharon Woods,” claimed team member Shannan Wheaton.
The self-proclaimed speed freaks and vehicle maniacs from Team Torro Rosso of Strata-G Communications named their car after the Formula1 racing car officially sponsored by Red Bull. “Our car corners like it’s on rails… for bike tires,” said Marc Phelps, who will be navigating their bull by the horns. Phelps is more than prepared, suiting up in full motorcycle gear, including titanium reinforcements on his spine, knees and elbows. “If I don’t wet the bed and go too fast into turns I’ll be in good shape. I’m counting on my adrenaline and not shooting into hay barrels while corning too quickly on the steep hills and corners.”
That will be important, considering that Cincinnati’s race will be the first Red Bull Soapbox race with a 90 degree turn. “I’ve got an iron butt from driving 6,000 miles to the west coast last week,” claimed Phelps, who seems fairly confident in meeting victory at the finish line. “I’m going to get the White Castles going with a sack of onion chips and some Gold Star to give me wind to pick up on the way down,” Phelps gushed.
As far as serious preparation goes, they “researched what did and didn’t work for other teams in previous races,” said team member Rob Foster. Although the Red Bull risk management crew turned down a few of their superfluous ideas, they will be showing off their bravado much like the matadors in the running of the bulls in Pamplona, tearing down the hill with the speeding soapbox car.
In classic soapbox car racing fashion, unlike Fred Flintstone style, the drivers will coast the whole way down the hill with nothing other than a hearty push at the beginning. The most recent Red Bull Soapbox Race in Philadelphia witnessed teams going as fast as 50 miles per hour. Teams have free range of passenger style and can stand up, lie down or sit sideways looking over one shoulder if they dare. With limitless creativity, utilizing foam cut with a filet knife to fun noodles and massacred doll parts to construct the vehicles, to pit crews dressed as human-sized Cheetos and rolling trolls, this race is destined to be one of Cincinnati’s fastest and funkiest events of the year.
If you plan to be among the 60,000 expected spectators, it is suggested that you set up camp early. Starting Thursday morning certain streets on the hill will begin closing to prepare for the race. Gates open Saturday at 11 a.m. - ever tried Red Bull in your coffee?- and the first race flies down the hill at 1:00 p.m. All of the local watering holes will be open, including Tavern on the Hill, whose burgers rival city favorites Zip’s and Arthur’s. Or have a beer and absorb one of the best views of the city from Mt. Adam’s Pavilion. Red Bull Energy Drink and Red Bull Cola will be sold at concessions stands along the route so bring your wallet and most definitely your video camera to catch some of the best YouTube footage Cincinnati has seen on 3 wheels.
“We hope to provide Cincinnati with a once in a lifetime experience you will never forget. Red Bull Soapbox Race embodies Red Bull's philosophy of vitalizing body and mind. It gives a platform for the everyday person to pursue their dreams whether that be speeding down a race course or shaking their tailfeather in front of thousands,” said Belongia.
Check out www.mtadamstoday.com and www.redbullsoapboxusa.com for further details.
A pint-sized YP with gallons of energy, Rene` is a Cincinnati native, born and raised in the Land of Love in the Heart of It All, Loveland, Ohio. Rene` is currently finishing her undergraduate degree in Communication with minors in Public Relations and Journalism at the University of Cincinnati.
Photography provided by Red Bull
Marcelo Maragni, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Fabio Piva, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Team Torro Rosso of Strata-G Communications, Cincinnati, OH
Toro Rosso rendering
Marcelo Maragni, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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