by KYW's John Ostapkovich

The annual bike race sends cyclists up the Manayunk Wall but there's another race in the works that has soapbox cars coming down.

You may have seen commercials for races sponsored by Red Bull energy drinks, either garish soapbox racers slamming into haybales or odd flying machines plunging off a pier.  The soapbox version comes to Manayunk's Lyceum Avenue in September but if you want in, you have to apply by mid-June. 

Colin Hutchens, a University of Vermont Engineering student, describes last year's entry:

"We had a car that looked like the Empire State Building, a gorilla and I dressed up as Fae Wray and danced with the gorilla and then drove the car."

So, yes, this is like the Mummers of soapbox racing, judged not just on speed but creativity and showmanship. 

If you're ready to sink, as in Hutchens case, hundreds of hours and upwards of $1,000 into building something, go to www.redbullsoapboxusa.com.