Teams

Bull Fish

Garage Headquarters: Cincinnati, OH

Driver: Jason Voss

Mechanics: Jason Voss, Lacey Voss, Erich Voss, Melinda Voss

Nuts and Bolts:

Along with her siblings Lacey, Erich and Jason, Melinda Voss built a Jamaican bobsled back in the day after watching the movie Cool Runnings. Melinda claims that the bobsled’s “top speed approached 20 miles an hour down the driveway hill.” Not too shabby, but we’ll see how team driver Jason fares driving a soapbox racer down Mount Adams while wearing a huge catfish costume. Intrigued by tales of 15-foot-long Ohio River catfish, the Voss kids will bring one of the mythical oversized creatures to life for Red Bull Soapbox Cincinnati 2008.

Strapped down to a fish-cart-inspired racer, Jason will squirm free and make a break for it. His empty-handed teammates can throw down their fishing nets in disgust and kick the dirt with their wellington boots all day long, for all the driver cares. Focusing on the fishing-lure can of Red Bull dangling in front of him, Jason will happily zoom toward the finish line.

The event gives the brothers and sisters a chance to work towards a common goal. “Despite long-standing rivalries and varying opinions on global warming, Alan Greenspan, and the appropriateness of spandex pants,” Melinda says, “we all maintain a great relationship.” Keeping their racer-construction strictly within the family, team Bull Fish will put together the nuts and bolts at their old family farm outside the city.