Teams

Zoot Suit Riot

Garage Headquarters: Philadelphia, PA

Driver: Bryan Exley

Mechanics: Joe Desidenrio, Joe Desidenrio IV, Larry Kaseyick, Erick Maladro

Nuts and Bolts:

“I think our biggest challenge will be keeping the car and me in one piece going down The Wall,” says Bryan Exley, who will be steering an entry called Zoot Suit Riot at the Red Bull Soapbox Race. “That is one f––ing steep hill!” Fortunately, Bryan isn’t daunted by sheer drops: he previously participated in a Red Bull event that broke the World Record for most tandem skydives in a single day and says of the experience, “It was amazing – I will never forget it.”

Taking the leap with him in Manayunk will be Joe Desiderio, Joe Desiderio Jr., Larry Krowlicki, and Eric Malandro, who Bryan describes as “a pretty eclectic group of guys that add to the team in different ways.” While Bryan and Eric can work a crowd (they are both employed at a bar, plus Bryan is a marketing rep), Joe Senior, Joe Junior, and Larry can just as skillfully work the tools necessary to create their racer (they’re an electrician, a mechanic, and a property superintendent, respectively). As a team, they also possess the charm to have persuaded several lovely ladies to join their retro entry as old-school “gangster girls.” From the New Jersey garage where the teammates are building their racer, Bryan comments, “We’re all looking forward to this. It’s going to be THE EVENT of the summer of 2008!”