Red Bull Soapbox Race Utah debuts on Main Street to massive crowd
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah | June 14, 2025 — Within hours on a sunny Saturday, Salt Lake City crowned its inaugural winner of Red Bull Soapbox Race Utah with an outstanding 50,000 attendees cheering teams on Main Street. Fifty-one crafts from Utah and across the country started from the Utah State Capitol on an obstacle-filled course. With bumps, jumps, fast speeds and other obstacles, the one-mile course tested the team’s navigation know-how and engineering skills. The imaginative carts reached speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, finishing after a few stumbles while others totaled their crafts trying to make it to the finish line.
Teams were judged based on criteria of one-third speed, one-third creativity and one-third showmanship by a panel of Utah’s finest, including local Red Bull athletes Mike Brewer, Natalia Grossman, Tyler Bender and Kindig-It Design’s Dave Kindig and Kevin Schiele, stars of a hit reality show. After more than three hours of blazing runs, crashes and spills, Team Desert Rats and their winning craft Fievel Gone West were declared champions of Red Bull Soapbox Race Utah after finishing the race in under 44 seconds.
Team Desert Rats and Fievel Gone West built an engineering masterpiece that wowed the judges and survived the course. They took home an one-of-a-kind experience to the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas.
“The energy of the crowd was amazing today! Standing at the start gate and looking down the course, it was so cool to see so many people in the crowd cheering us on,” said Matthew Henke of Team Desert Rats. “Our team, we’re all friends and also engineers, so this was honestly the best bonding experience to bring this cart to life. We were like kids with a bunch of toys getting to build together.”
The fifty-one homemade carts were modeled after various themes raging from old hot rods to sea creatures to rolling beehives, and much more. The crowd was also treated with additional honorary carts from partners including Maverik’s “Lil Mav” jeep-inspired cart and Smith’s “Checkout Chariot.” Kindit-It also designed and raced a craft inspired by the ole’ west roots of Utah with their “Rickety Rocket.”
First Place Winner – Team Desert Rats & Fievel Gone West from Kanab, UT
Second Place Winner – The Billy Groats & The Troll’s Bridge from North Salt Lake City, UT
Third Place Winner – The Seussual Suspects & The Cat in the Hat Can Go Faster Than That from Salt Lake City, UT
Smith’s Fastest Speed Winner – Not So Evel Knievel & Evel’s Rocket 2.0 from Denver, CO
Maverik Fueled for Adventure Winner – Orcs and Dorks & Grond the Gate Smasher from North Ogden, UT
“We’d been saying half-joking, half-serious, that we were going to try to win it all. And after our run, it really felt like we did something special. We didn’t touch the brakes once and the crowd was going nuts. Walking through them afterward, everyone was so stoked and we were just riding that high. Honestly, one of the best times we’ve ever had, “ said Aaron Grove, a member of Team The Seussual Suspect and Third Place Winner.
The event’s success couldn’t have been possible without the support of the Utah State Capitol, Utah Sports Commission, Atmosphere TV, BFGoodrich Tires, Decked, Maverik, Smith’s and the local businesses who helped bring Red Bull Soapbox Race Utah to life for the first time.