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Portland soap box derby race features a parade of creative gravity-powered cars

NPR | By Deena Prichep
Published August 17, 2026 at 5:17 PM EDT

At Portland's annual soapbox derby, motorless cars race downhill pulled by nothing more than gravity. It's part race, part parade, with cars built to look like sharks, guitars and slices of cake.

Copyright 2026 NPR
Deena Prichep
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