At Large Going Sort Of Fast on Soapbox Derby Racers in Fremont
posted by September 29 at 22:29 PM
onI’m not exactly sure why today’s Red Bull Soap Box Derby didn’t get a single mention in the print or online versions of the rag this week—perhaps Dan Savage prefers his energy sipping in the form of Bawls?
In spite of annoying announcers who made Jamie Kennedy seem like James Bond, the show wasn’t half-bad. Watching adults crash soap box carts down Fremont Avenue was better than sitting at a parade, at least. And how many parades has Sir Mix-A-Lot served as a judge? (The closest he got to a rhyme was while giving the Alaska Airlines cart the lowest score of the day—“Just like Alaska. Always leaving late and leaving my luggage at the gate.” He didn’t get to use the mic much more after that sponsor slam…shame.)
The Seattle-inspired cart designs happened to be the most amusing of the bunch, such as the product-whoring troll (above) and the freakish ferry-meets-Space-Needle (below).
When the latter vehicle crashed, the driver hopped out in his tighty-whities…I snapped a shot, only to notice one crowd member’s look of glee/horror just as I was writing this. Enjoy the zoom below.
Comments
only losers go to that shit
So true. I thought it was pretty fun. The best soapboxes were the Slave to the Brine, the Troll, the Firetruck, and the giant Polaroid camera complete with giant pictures and flashbulb. The only bummer? Most of the cars were really sloooow. Alaska Airlines took a full three minutes to finish the course. (Most were in the one-two minute range.) They needed a bigger starting ramp. The best part? The 15-second skits/dances they were required to do prior to launch. Many involved pants-removal, which was nice.
Overall, it was a fun (and free) way to spend a Saturday.
I hear a lot of the "unexpected" events were planned beforehand.
Glad it was fun!
It was fun and free, but the announcers sucked bigtime. It was produced like a cheesy TV show (they had four big screens erected along the course). If you were willing to stand near one of the speaker pylons (ugh) you'd get a better view of the whimsical vehicles err... zooming by. And I'm amazed anyone pours that nasty chemical syrup called Red Bull down their throat a second time.
Fremont: Getting Worse Since 1997.
It was free in the sense of no money charge to line the barricades, but there was a fee paid in terms of being marketed to very aggressively by Red Bull. The runup to this on Thursday included neighborhood zoomarounds by six little Mini Coopers with Red Bull paraphernalia, zoomong around, horns blaring in parade in the pouring rain, with young white people pretending to be grooving their asses off to the music blaring from their open windows. The parade stopped in front of my window for a couple minutes - the scrubbed kids all jumped out of their cars and danced around a bit, shouting "wohoo" nonstop.
In a downpour. Cheesiest thing! Hoot.
People who say Seattle has lost his freaky needed to go to this. Houston where I moved from would put freaks like these in jail. In Seattle this kind of creativity is celebrated! I love my eco-luxury condo and I love this town. It's like burning man 365 days a year. Freak OUT!
You tell 'em As If. Only losers have fun in public. The 40,000 people with smiles on their faces? Mortifying in their lack of cool. The winners among us know that if you ain't publicly miserable, you ain't shit.
gurrrrrlll dontchoo think i aint trippin' cuz jew don'no
snap! ~twirling effect~
#3: What "unexpected" events? The whole thing seemed meticulously planned, including pants removal.
I have never had a Red Bull and never will, but I appreciate them providing a free, fun, creative event for the community.
Christ, what a bunch of pissy fucking assholes.
This comment thread could suck the fun out of anything.
I'm happy for the people who went there, and I'm glad they had a good time.
But more importantly, I want to see the guy's weiner!!!
Oh it's on!
Everything used to be a lot better than it is now.
Of course it was, @15.
I am the guy with no pants on, and it will cost you.
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