Soapboxing clever

The Lotus Type 119c soapbox has claimed its second consecutive title and record in the Brooklands Soapbox Derby at Brooklands in Surrey, making Lotus the most successful soapbox racing team ever in UK downhill gravity racing competition.

Driven by Paul Adams, the engineless Type 119c closed-cockpit streamliner dominated the practice run and finished 1.8 seconds ahead of last year's winner, Lola Cars.

Other competitors included Vauxhall and Ford, as well as entries from schools, colleges and private individuals.

Adams

' fastest time of 72.4 seconds was just 0.6 seconds shy of last year's record, and he broke the 2005 record in the first of six competitive runs by producing a time of 68.5 seconds.

Adams went on to smash the record further in the second official timed run, setting a new course record of 67.7 seconds, 4.1 seconds quicker than last year's top time.

On the final 0.7-mile run, the time posted was within just 0.10 seconds of the new record.