In Portland, this soap box derby combines downhill speed with extreme pageantry

Soap box derbies send motorless cars down a steep incline. At one event, contestants make their cars look like cartoon characters, subway cars, food, and giant animals (among other outlandish shapes).

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4500x3001+0+0/resize/4500x3001!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fbe%2F4d%2F6b0ddbb343728c51f36c178a2daa%2Fhv0a4246.jpg' alt='Racers a few moments after the start of the derby at Mt. Tabor Park during the 27th Portland Adult Soap Box Derby on Aug. 15 in Portland, Ore.'/><p>Soap box derbies send motorless cars down a steep incline. At one event, contestants make their cars look like cartoon characters, subway cars, food, and giant animals (among other outlandish shapes).</p><p>(Image credit: Celeste Noche for NPR)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5935518' />