Teams

Chilly Willy Wagon

Garage Headquarters: St. Louis, MO

Driver: Curt Hoeft

Mechanics: Dave White, Mark Studer, Paul Suger, Dennis Mangnall

Nuts and Bolts:

Curt Hoeft, Dennis Mangnall, Mark Studer, Paul Sugar, and Dave White are facilities mechanics who claim to be “just a bunch of blue-collar schmoes,” but don’t let them fool you. They’re bona fide trendsetters. In 2006, they were among the first Americans ever to take part in a Red Bull Soapbox Race, speeding down the course in their hometown of St. Louis. And they also were hip to the appeal of penguins long before those waddling creatures became the bird of the moment, which is why they’re using the adorable “Chilly Willy” character as their theme for the contest in Providence.

“When we’re not working or building a soapbox racer, we’re usually hanging out at the dragstrip,” notes Hoeft, who happens to be the 2004 MAR Dragstrip Track champion. “Soapbox is a chance for us normal, work-a-day slobs to shine – our moment in the sun. Also, it sounds like a hell of a fun road trip.” They’re all hoping that, after getting their feet wet last year, everything will go swimmingly when they present their “awesomely hot” penguin craft and costumes in Rhode Island. “Curt is now a seasoned veteran at driving a gravity-powered car,” Mangnall comments, “and as for the rest of us, we can definitely wing it.”