Red Bull Soapbox Race Returns To Los Angeles

SANTA MONICA – February 2, 2011 – Ready! Set! Go! Back by popular demand, Red
Bull Soapbox Race, featuring some of the wildest legal street racing
around, is set to once again screech into Los Angeles for a 2011 pit
stop. While the city is renowned for its traffic gridlock, on May 21
the usually clogged streets of downtown Los Angeles will transform into
a bona fide drag strip! Approximately 40 teams will compete in this
non-motorized racing event, which encourages gear heads and adrenaline
junkies alike to break out their toolboxes and build outrageous
human-powered vehicles designed to thrill the masses. On May 21, these
speed demons will race down Grand Avenue and brave a razor sharp turn
onto 5^th
Street in downtown Los Angeles, crossing the finish line right in front
of Pershing Square. Although it’s the same location as the 2009 Red
Bull Soapbox Race, racers beware- you’re in for a whole new set of
challenges!





CALLING ALL SPEED DEMONS

Ever wanted to speed past a crowd
of thousands as they cheer you on to victory? Well, Red Bull Soapbox
Race is calling! Teams can enter their engineering marvels and crazy
concepts with a formal application found at www.redbullsoapboxrace.com starting on February 2. Don’t delay – get that concept submitted ASAP, as applications MUST be submitted by March 25.



Teams will need more than just
courage to claim victory on these city streets as they will be judged
on three criteria: speed, creativity and showmanship. So, make it fast…
and fun! Previous events have proven that the most outlandish crafts
are typically the big winners, so put on your creativity caps and let
loose. In 2009 a heavy metal-inspired death machine, the Mach I from
“Speed Racer” and the flying Winnebago from “Spaceballs” all graced the
Los Angeles winner’s podium. Also on the track were a giant brain, the
creatures from “Where the Wild Things Are” and the DeLorean from “Back
to the Future.”





DRIVERS, START YOUR IMAGINARY ENGINES

Each soapbox must be powered by
gravity and imagination, which means no stored power or external energy
sources allowed. And size does matter! All vehicles must be less than
six feet wide and 20 feet in length, no more than seven feet high and
cannot weigh more than 176 lbs (not including the driver). Drivers must
be at least 18 years old, but engineers and grease monkeys of all ages
are welcome to be part of the five person team.



As the only race in 2011, the Los
Angeles event will be the tenth U.S. Red Bull Soapbox Race to ever take
place, with the first stateside race held in St. Louis in 2006. The
global event dates back to 2000, when it first took place in Belgium,
and has since visited almost 30 countries.



For more information and to apply, visit www.redbullsoapboxrace.com. A selection of high-resolution event photos from around the world can be downloaded at www.redbull-photofiles.com.



Twitter: @redbullLAX / #RBsoapbox