It's edge of your seat sort of stuff in the world of soapbox racing. Picture: Neil Terry

The thrills and spills of soapbox racing

It’s Formula One on a budget, but its far more entertaining

“It doesn’t take any courage to fall down a hill,” says Josh, 32, the driver for Grimwood’s Garage as they make their final modifications before their timed run at the Bradford Soapbox Race. Instead of running on petrol, their fuel is “a bit of fear and a massive, massive drink”.

Soapbox racing is the purest form of racing on four wheels. There is no engine, no complicated electrics or ABS – it is just you and the machine.

It’s a very different world than that of Formula One. The budget isn’t in the millions of pounds, because the homemade soapbox carts are fashioned from bikes and parts destined for the scrap yard.

The 1000 horsepower engines are swapped for a great big shove. And the drivers don’t need to endure mile after mile of pedal to the metal action either – they don’t even need a driving license. Their cart just needs to make it down the hill and across the finish line.

The only requirements are a Soapbox driver and their four team members, a £10 insurance policy and a little bit of madness – “It’s the easiest job in the world”. The pit crew team need to know how to fix an inevitable puncture and be willing to push the cart back to the top of the hill, ready for another run.

A few cans and a hastily consumed meal deal later, Josh and his cart make the climb up the 14-foot ramp that looms at the top of the course.

The dazzling bank holiday sun above Bradford illuminates the task ahead for Josh and the other 19 teams: a winding, cobbled course lined with a single row of hay bales to protect the 20,000 spectators desperate to see some high-energy racing.

After some brief checks, the customary thumbs up are delivered between the driver and the crew. Five seconds later, the lights are out, and away Josh goes.

The Yellow Arrow flies down the track around the Kirkgate bend and past the Greggs, before rounding the final corner across the finish line.

“We’re all just big kids that should have grown up by now – at 57 I really should have”

Both the driver and the city of Bradford wait for the time to be revealed.

33.038 seconds.

A tumultuous cheer staggers its way back up the course and to the pit lane. But is it enough to secure a place on the podium?

Their closest rival is a team that are the favourites coming into the competition. Not only does the team “Batman and the Batmobile, Innit!” have an obvious name, but they also have a driver who knows a thing or two about soapbox racing.

Stuart, 57, isn’t just a driver conveniently dressed as Batman — he lives and breathes soapbox racing. From watching from the sidelines to building soapboxes and now driving them, he’s done it all and he’s won a lot too.

The Mighty Atom flying round the Kirklees Bend. Picture: Harry Merrell

Stuart’s first memory of the sport was at a competition in Rotherham organised by the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. He says, “I had a great day watching it, but all my family … were saying again and again that I could build one of those – so I did.

“I got two old kids’ bikes, some bits of scrap metal and got cracking. That was how the Batmobile was born,” he says.

On the cart’s first outing, Stuart not only made the podium, but he also raised over £300 for charity; his passion for the sport became clear – “I was hooked”.

But how would the Batmobile fair on the Bradford bends?

Before venturing out onto the track, the pits are a hubbub of activity with strategies being devised and straws being drawn for the role of pushing the cart back up the hill.

“There are no plans to crash,” said Stuart confidently as he suits up into his Dark Knight attire. “The first corner is the biggest worry because it’s quite slippery. Just as long as we make it past that, it should be a good fast run.”

Whether it’s the curse of the commentator or simply speaking too soon, you can imagine what happened as soon as the first corner comes into view…crash!

The brief visit to the hay bales renders the Batmobile immobile, with the rear left tyre, now at a right angle, taking the brunt of the impact.

Disaster at the first corner for Batman and the Batmobile, Innit! Video: Super Soapbox Challenge. Audio: Benjamin Tissot

On their way back to the pits, Stuart doesn’t appear fazed or panicked. Perhaps this is because he came prepared with an array of spare tyres or simply because of the supportive nature of sport.

“The soapbox community is more than just a community, it’s like a family,” he says. “I’ve borrowed tyres and given tyres to competitors with problems. I’ve welded damaged and broken karts with the equipment I have in my van. We get hints and tips from each other and we talk all the time on Facebook groups about the last race, and the next race.

“We’re all just big kids that should have grown up by now – at 57, I really should have,” he adds.

Thanks to the help of Robin and an ensemble from the DC universe, Stuart and the team are able to mend the cart just in time for the final run for the day.

“It doesn’t take any courage to fall down a hill, all you need is a bit of feat and a massive, massive drink

Heading down to the bottom of the course, in an attempt to catch a glimpse of a photo finish, Les, 66, who races for the Centre Point Only Fools and Horses Team shared how soapbox racing doesn’t just help those searching for an injection of adrenaline, but also those in need.

The Trotters’ Three-Wheeler soapbox was “designed and built by children who are homeless and despite whether they win or not, it is a great achievement for them,” says Les. “Some of them have anxiety and don’t often socialise, so a project like this helps immeasurably.”

In most motor racing you don’t want your race to go downhill, but that is the aim of the game in the world of soapbox racing. Picture: Neil Terry

Les, the other 19 teams and around 1,000 people are now gathered under the scoreboard at the finish line ready to see if “Batman and the Batmobile, Innit!” can take the top spot.

The cheers grow louder as the team makes their way down the track. The cart successfully navigates not just the first corner but the second one too, as Stuart comes into view. As soon as the nose of the cart crosses the line, the city of Bradford’s focus is firmly fixed on the scoreboard as the time is revealed.

And it’s 30.75 seconds – they’ve done it. Another victory, another bottle of prosecco to be sprayed and thankfully the cart is in one piece.

In carts made from two scrap bikes, some scrap metal, a tin of paint and with nowhere near the budget of Formula One, Stuart and his fellow teams have brought more excitement to a race circuit than anything we’ve seen at any Grand Prix since Abu Dhabi in 2021.

It might be because there is no safety car, no steward’s enquiries or perhaps because the pints are cheap? Regardless on this particular bank holiday, the city of Bradford is alive with the sound of soapbox power.


Want to join in?

If this sort of thing gets your adrenaline running, Odd One Out magazine are looking for a team of strangers to take part at the Colchester Soapbox Rally in September 2024.

Here are Nick Hunter, the 2019 winner of the competition, and Soapbox guru Stuart Highdale’s top tips for new teams.

Facebook is your best friend

From “finding second-hand bikes to finding a team full of strangers”, Stuart suggests that Facebook is the best place to go for the Soapbox enthusiast. “There are hundreds of groups dedicated to talking through race strategies, discussing conditions and even showing off silverware,” he says.

Call in as many favours as you can

“It’s always helpful to call in favours, begging or borrowing stuff for your build,” says Nick. “You’ve definitely got to scrounge around.”

Although the Odd One Out Pit Crew is small, we need a big following to cheer us on and maybe pick us up off the tarmac. If you don’t fancy hurling yourself down the hill, you can cheer us on safely behind the hay bales – we are definitely going to need it.

Go down the ramp with a smile on your face

Although a strong chassis and soap box is important, a good theme and a willingness to dress up will win you the crowd and the competition. “Just pretend that you’re five years old again, go down the ramp in what costumes you wanted to see then, that’s why I dress up as Batman,” says Stuart.

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