The Friday Flyer • September 1, 2017

CANYON LAKE’S NEWSPAPER • SEPTEMBER 1, 2017
Celebrate summer's end at Maui Monday on Labor Day Pg. A8
Reel in the fun at the 31st annual Kids Fishing Derby Pg. A9
Chair Volleyball brings Canyon Lake seniors together Pg. A15
The Street Taco craft was built by Canyon Lakers Matt Szymanski, Scott Covey, Dave Rowan, Anthony Rowe and Nate Duer who used it to race in the Red Bull Soapbox Race 2017 at Elysian Park in Los Angeles.
Team ‘Street Taco’ represents Canyon Lake in Soapbox Race
BY JILL TORKELSON
REPORTER, THE FRIDAY FLYER
Canyon Lake residents Matt Szyman- ski, Scott Covey, Dave Rowan, Anthony Rowe and Nate Duer represented Can- yon Lake with their soapbox, “Street Taco,” in the Red Bull Soapbox Race 2017 on Aug. 20 at Elysian Park in Los Angeles.
Team Street Taco was one of 300 race applicants and one of only 70 accepted. Sixty-three crafts made it to the actual race. “It was the largest Soapbox race in Red Bull history, and they’ve had over a hundred of these,” said Scott.
Red Bull judges selected the teams based on ingenuity, creativity, racing ca- pability and adherence to design regula- tions.
Soapboxes had to be solely human powered with no engines or batteries and built from environmentally friend- ly, non-toxic materials. Crafts can be no larger than six feet wide, seven feet high, 12 feet long and weigh under 176 pounds. All crafts were required to be equipped with steering and braking de- vices.
Each of the Street Taco members played an important role in the design
Members of team "Street Taco" pose in front of the Taco Bell sign at Taco Bell's headquarters in Irvine, CA, where the team was treated to a tour and lunch and given free tacos for a year.
you for the patience all of you Schooner Dr. neighbors,” said Scott.
Prior to the race, Red Bull’s produc- tion team traveled to Canyon Lake to photograph their craft at Holiday Harbor Park and at Matt’s home where it was built.
When word of the Street Taco craft reached Taco Bell, Taco Bell invited the team to bring their craft to the Taco Bell worldwide headquarters in Irvine. The team was welcomed with an electronic billboard in the lobby that read, “Taco Bell Welcomes Team Street Taco.”
While the team toured the headquar- ters and were treated to lunch, their craft was displayed in the lobby for employ- ees and visitors to admire. On race day, the team performed a dance skit donned in taco-tastic costumes that included sombreros and ponchos. Matt drove the craft, Scott served as co-pilot/brakeman and the other team members served as the pit crew.
Participants were judged based on race time speed, the creativity of craft design and the showmanship/race per- formance of the craft and team. At stake was the top prize of $6,000.
In the end, the team placed 28th.
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and building of the craft. Scott drew up the concept sketches and Matt, a mechanic, Dave, a metal fabricator, Anthony, an iron worker, and Nate an electrician, worked on the frame and mechanical aspects of the craft.
“We tried different taco shells and modified our cheese a few times,” said Scott. “We all struggled with the meat
until Anthony’s wife Andi came up with the idea of using crumpled butcher pa- per.”
The team had five weeks to build their craft. “ I’m sure Matt’s neighbors got a kick out of the five of us wearing our sombreros and ponchos while practicing our dance skit on his lawn. Plus we had a few late night build sessions, so thank
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SCOTT COVEY