Red Bull Soapbox Race Draws 111,000 Downtown

By Eric Richardson
Published: Saturday, September 26, 2009, at 07:38PM

Ironheade Eric Richardson [Flickr]

Sean Feeley pilots his Ironheade racer over the first jump enroute to a first-place finish and speeds of over 45 miles per hour.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Over 111,000 people made their way to 5th and Grand today to see 40 teams take on the hills, jumps and banking of the Red Bull Soapbox Race Los Angeles. Team Ironheade of San Francisco won first prize in a competition that featured all manner of absurd vehicles and some intense wrecks.

The winning racer was the 6th of 40 vehicles to travel down the narrow course, which featured two jumps, some chicane sections and a banked turn. The vehicle set the scoring standard early and never gave up its advantage.

Not all vehicles made it down the course. Many saw their demise in the turn, and several crashes left the soapbox vehicles laying on top of their drivers. Despite the carnage, all drivers walked away from their crashes.

Second place went to Team Ludicrous Speed!!!, piloted by Dark Helmet from the movie Spaceballs and hailing from North Pasadena. In third place, and also claiming the People's Choice award, was Team Speed Racer of Broomfield, CO.

Among the race's local college entrants, it was Cal State Northridge who fared best. While the entry, titled The Human Factor, didn't medal, it did complete the course. That was more than could be said for entries from either USC or UCLA.

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Comments

1
Molly Taylor writes:

what a fun afternoon and a great use of DTLA. Cool blog BTW just came across it.

# on Sep.26.2009 AT 08:38 PM
2
D writes:

This was a great event and had a blast. it was great to see how many people used the metro system, from locals to tourists and plenty of people also went to Hollywood afterward s for the Italian festival. great day in LA!

# on Sep.26.2009 AT 09:49 PM
3
Gregory Netterville writes:

The Human Factor got robbed of placing in the RedBull soapbox race thanks to favoritism shown on a 3rd place Speed Racer team who placed in their home-state. Huh? What? I smell a fix... [story continues at gregoryanetterville.wordpress.com]

# on Sep.26.2009 AT 10:31 PM
4
Mohawk Matt writes:

Just another outrageous example of why downtown LA R O C K S.

I've Lived All Over The World. But I wouldn't Live Anywhere Else!

# on Sep.26.2009 AT 11:10 PM
5
t. Gar writes:

Fun but only about 5 percent of people actually saw the race. It was a drag to see the back of people's heads. Those fortunate enough to occupy a tree caught the show. I suggest that bleachers be used on the side streets to allow everyone to enjoy the race, especially children who mostly saw the waistband of people's pants.

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 01:04 AM
6
Jay writes:

Great event and excellent turn out. I really didn't care who won

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 06:29 AM
7
Justin Sullivan writes:

This event was an incredible amount of fun. Good times, good energy from all of the participants and fans, and very limited police presence made for an almost perfect day.

Thanks for capturing some of the best moments of the day!

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 10:48 AM
8
Taylor writes:

Hey I was part of the Team Miamoto...just wanted to say it was a blast! Alex was going for the banked curve, but a front wheel fell off!!

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 11:49 AM
9
guest writes:

you're right on the money t. Gar...i'm fairly tall, but had to crane my neck out to get a glimpse of the soap boxes whizzing by....bleachers next time please...also because they didnt have viwing bleachers, lots of people stomped on plants and landscaping on most of the office buildings...even saw a broken tree branch when one guy tried to climb it...

Plan better next time Red Bull.

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 12:03 PM
10
Ginny-Marie Case writes:

What do we have to do to get these guys back soon! 111,000 people! Hotels, Restaurants, Bars...Oh My! Hope Arda's and Weenez did well yesterday!

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 01:51 PM
11
Ken H writes:

Eric, do we know if this is/could be an annual event?....it was so much fun...it would be great to have this as an annual event for downtown.

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 02:37 PM
12
Allan writes:

Well, it looks like Red Bull moves the event around to different cities every year so it probably won't be coming back to LA any time soon. But the response was so incredible that maybe someone can step in and make this an annual event in conjunction with the Library Tower stair climb and maybe a couple of others.

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 02:44 PM
13
Jay writes:

I must add though it was great to snap some photos next to the man, the myth, the legend, that is Eric Richardson!

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 03:27 PM
14
Eric Richardson writes:

Jay: I feel honored and maybe a little frightened...

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 04:27 PM
15
D writes:

One more thing to point out. i twas amazing how many places were closed. How do they not understand the money making potential of a day like this? Famima was booming, as was roebeks, casa, really anything that was open was packed. Absentee ownership maybe?

# on Sep.27.2009 AT 05:50 PM
16
1234 writes:

Could not see a THING. Finally got a spot where I could see the top of the ramp for the crashes but otherwise it was impossible. Felt bad for my friends kid who basically just stood there all day.

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 08:40 AM
17
Erick L writes:

I hope they come back to LA next year. I had a great time at the event.

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 09:49 AM
18
joe writes:

The Banana Hammock driver along with two other soap boxes represented CSULB

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 10:27 AM
19
David Kennedy writes:

D's comment about the closed businesses is the most perceptive and a recurring issue. Too often downtown is treated as a blank slate pon which megaevents like this are plopped down without regard to the locals. Obviously, with a modicum of coordinatation from the event organizer, nearby downtown businesses could be made aware and take advantage. Those that were open had a field day.

My hunch is nothing of the sort happened. Which is not to blame the event organizer. I suspect the downtown business community is a fragmented group. Still, the truth is too many businesses downtown are still stuck in the early 90's and open only M-F/9-5. The opportunities are there. Getting local businesses to take advantage is the challenge.

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 11:49 AM
20
D writes:

I almost felt bad for the deli owner across from Casa. if that guy was open, he would have made enough money for the whole month.

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 12:55 PM
21
Eric Richardson writes:

David: Given how many of the businesses on California Plaza don't open for Grand Performances (though certainly more do now than used to), I don't think it's an outreach issue. It's a mindset issue.

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 01:12 PM
22
David Kennedy writes:

Yep, mindset it is. Too bad. Too many of these places are so hidebound in their behavior. I have a difficult time getting my head around businesses passing on the opportunity to generate income.

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 01:28 PM
23
Christophe Serafino writes:

My photos are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/05311980/sets/72157622474544404/

Good times.

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 01:58 PM
24
Jim Winstead writes:

some of the small businesses may have deliberately stayed closed because they simply can't handle crowds of that size. it's great to imagine that it means neatly-organized lines of people walking up and handing you money, it's an entirely different story when you realize it means someone might decide to go out your window because you wouldn't let them walk out with pockets full of shoplifted items.

i don't have a difficult time getting my head around the idea that some income isn't worth the cost or stress.

# on Sep.28.2009 AT 06:45 PM
25
Ankur writes:

Anyone know what channel they are going to show the coverage on?

Missed most of it, because it was so hard to get a good spot out there to see anything.

# on Sep.29.2009 AT 06:10 PM
26
nanorich writes:

http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite/en_US/Red-Bull-Home/001242746208542

Here are the video highlights.

# on Sep.29.2009 AT 06:20 PM
27
Eric Richardson writes:

Ankur: The race is scheduled to air on Fox Sports on October 10 at roughly 6:45pm. It's after a hockey game, so that time's not exact.

# on Sep.29.2009 AT 06:36 PM
28
Victor Franco Jr writes:

Eric, ! 110k? are those numbers official? Having a hard time believing that...if true, just shows how local news ignored a great story...crowd nips at the heels of the DooDah Parade...great photos, great event...

# on Sep.29.2009 AT 10:56 PM
29
Eric Richardson writes:

Victor: Red Bull says that's the number the Fire Department gave them, so it's as official as any number you're going to get.

# on Sep.30.2009 AT 06:47 AM
30
Natalie DeJohn writes:

Oh yay! I was hoping to see pictures from this. I heard it was amazing. Downtown does rock.

# on Oct.01.2009 AT 06:07 PM

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