Teams

ZZ Top and the Eliminator

Garage Headquarters: Littleton, CO

Driver: Darren Droge

Mechanics: Scott Unruh, Steve Cohen

Nuts and Bolts:

To Steve Cohen, Darren Droge, and Scott Unruh, the concept of Red Bull Soapbox Race means “even though you grow up, you don’t have to grow up.” At ages 52, 39, and 35 respectively, the Littleton residents are definitely adults. They’ve got families, they’ve got homes, and they’ve got the adult jobs (mechanic, janitor, graphic designer) to go with them; but their playful spirit remains as strong as it was when they met. At the time, they were all – wait for it – indoor cliff divers at Denver’s Casa Bonita restaurant. Without a doubt, having fun is what these guys do best.

The entry’s name – Cheep Sunglasses – provides a strong hint about their theme. “ZZ Top and The Eliminator hot rod was our inspiration,” explains Scott, the team’s driver. “The Eliminator is the coolest car from the 80’s, and I want to build one, just smaller.” The teammates have devoted a couple of months to making the racer’s body perfect, and they also intend to go full-out in their recreation of the rest of the ZZ Top lifestyle; right down to the beards and the babes. After waving cheerily at his wife, who frequently peeks her head in the garage to make sure that there’s still room for her daily driver, Scott gets back into ZZ mode and asks conspiratorially, “Does anybody have a few leggy blonds we can borrow on race day?”