Paping Soapbox Derby
Sunday, July 16th, 2006
Duct Tape beauty at the Paping Soapbox Derby – Near the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. I asked this guy if there was a prize for the ugliest racer, he said no, but there is one for the most artistic. 
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Spills, and thrills but no chills. It was a hot, humid, drizzly day.
Bug fix – A lot of the race cars needed repairs after every run down the hill. And there were many runs down the hill. They raced round-robin style two at a time, so each vehicle (if it survived) went down the hill at least a dozen times. This “birch beetle” won most artistic.
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The Cabinet of Death took a couple of tumbles. No injuries happened as far as I know. View Large
Good thing the guy on the little red wagon was well armored, he even had a spine protector. The other one was able to replace the bike wheel, and according to one of the folks at Paping: “Morgan in his refrigerator door/bike parts mobile was in a huge lead when the cops came and threatened to throw us all in the “paddy wagon”. We gave the trophy to him.”
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The sole function of the guy in the back is to brake, by standing on a piece of wood that drags against the pavement. Good thing he never fell off.
Photo finish
Hold onto your hat.
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The one that got away.
No way to win the heat when you are stuck on the ass of your opponent.
Soapbox attitude
New York’s Bravest.
Victory!
At the top of the hill.
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Ready.
Go!
The Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges are in the background. And a skybridge for Moufle as well.
Irena Kittenclaw has some great photos from the event.
Little Rascals make a derby winner -u tube – Via nickyskye on mefi
the expressions on people’s faces are just incredible.. nice shots… and i like your website’s new look….
Thanks, C.
these are awesome – i just posted it up on MAKE.
Very cool Phillip, thanks.
[...] VR photos of Tokyo » Bookmark on del.icio.us Great photos from the Paping Soapbox Derby held earlier this month. [viaMAKE] [...]
[...] Con esas reglas os podéis imaginar el tipo de cacharros sobre ruedas que se pudieron ver descendiendo la colina de Brooklin y los accidentes, como no, asegurados. Podéis ver muchas fotos aquà y aquÃ. [...]
Here’s a hilariously awkward Babel Fish translation of this blog entry from the Spanish:
One has always said that the inhabitants of the great crazy cities we are something and if we thought about a great New York city takes the palm, so imáginaros as their citizens estan.
Jokes separate, the race that the past organized 15 of Julio in Brooklin is of craziest than I have seen in time, is the Paping SoapBox Derby, an annual race only for purists who this year are in his fourth edition. The clear rules són: nothing of motors, nothing of kits and nothing of vodoo.
With those rules you can be imagined the type of earthenware vessels on wheels that could be seen descending the hill from Brooklin and the accidents, like no, assured. You can see many photos here and here.
Peculiar form to fight the heat of newyorkinos neighboring nuetros.
[...] link: GammaBlog » Paping Soapbox Derby [...]
I’ll try to translate better than Babel Fish our entry:
“Is always said than the people that lives in big cities are a little bit crazy and if we think in big cities then New York City is the one, so imagine how crazy they are.
Jokes apart, the race that was organized last July 15th is the most crazy I’ve seen in many time, it’s the Papin SoapBox Derby, an anual race only for purists that this year is in his fouth edition. Rules are clear : no motor, no kits and no vodoo.
With this rules you can imagine what kind of things on wheels have been in he Brooklin hill and the accidents, of course, assured. You can see a lot of pics here and here.
Couriuos way of fighting the hot summer of our New York neighbours”
My english is not as good as I want but this is more or less what we say. Cheers.
Thanks Nacho,
Your English is a damn sight better than my Spanish.
At least better than Babel Fish
The Cabinet of Death is hilarious, specially on pic #10
[...] 5 – Paping Soapbox Derby Underground soapbox derby racing in NYC – great pictures of defiantly illegal and slightly looney behaviour. If only we had some decent hills round here…Link via MAKEblog. (tags: fun hacks kart NYC York New racing derby soapbox underground) [...]
paping soapboxderby ‘07 will be AUG.11 in fort tryon park (190th st.) NYC. The website will be updated soon http://www.papingsoapboxderby.org live clean drive fast.