Teams

JACK HAS LEFT THE BOX

Garage Headquarters: Colorado Springs, CO

Driver: Al Brody

Mechanics: Clark Brace, Mitch Brown, Aimee Dorman, Bob Rohorn

Nuts and Bolts:

It's safe to say that Team Cyclepathz, who will be racing "Jack Has Left the Box" at the Red Bull Soapbox contest, has more human-powered vehicle racing experience than any other team on the roster. The Colorado crew, whose membership is fluid, was originally formed in 1998 to take part in the Boulder Kinetic Sculpture Challenge; since then, the group has participated in everything from dragon boat competitions to (could we make this up?) full-contact figure-eight unicycle ice racing. And they play for keeps. Besides being three-time overall champions at Boulder, they've won trophies in specific categories including engineering, sculpture, costume, and team spirit. And in 2005 they were part of the winning effort at Red Bull Dragster Day, a human-powered drag race in Motor City.

Spokesperson Al Brody explains what this bunch of "kind, kapable, kreative, and krazy kineticists" did with the Dragster Day prize money. "The team was able to take the funds and, via matching donations from Ball Corporation and the Gill Foundation, contribute $17,000 to hurricane relief efforts of the American Red Cross," he comments. "The combined team looks forward to participating in other events, perhaps with the opportunity to earn prize money to contribute to other charitable causes."