ARX: Can Dish Soap Stop a 600hp AWD Rallycross Car from Launching??

We and our partner Steve Arpin recently teamed up with The Hoonigans to discover: can ordinary dish soap stop a 600 hp AWD rallycross car from launching?

The scenario:

  • Steve Arpin’s expertly crafted and tuned 600 hp ENEOS Loenbro Ford Focus 00 rallycross racecar
  • A Hoonigans custom-built launch skid
  • Dozens of gallons of ordinary dishwashing liquid

The question: will the soap stop this mega-powered vehicle from getting enough traction to move off the starting grid?
First up in this quasi-scientific experiment, the group had Arpin launch from a dry surface to test the standard “dig,” or launch from a dead stop:

As the team notes, rallycross cars are designed to make aggressive digs on many surfaces, including dirt, snow, wet tarmac, and gravel.
Dry launch results? 1.3 seconds.
The group made a hypothesis of how much the soap would slow the ENEOS Loenbro 00:

  • Vinny: 60% slower
  • Josh: won’t move
  • Arpin: 212% slower
  • Brad: total destruction
  • Scotto: 61% slower

What do you think will happen? Watch the video to find out.
We also wanted to send some high-fives all around for the dish soap launch video passing the 5m mark!


It’s currently at 5.5 m views on YouTube. Thanks for watching! We’ll be looking forward to Arpin and the Hoonigan teams’ last race of the season the last weekend of this month!

July 14 Circuit of the Americas Austin, TX 15th/NC
Aug 4 – 5 The Grand Prix of Trois Revieres Quebec, Canada 6th/6th
Sept 29 – 30 Circuit of the Americas Austin, TX

 

Catch Team Hoonigan’s video introduction of Arpin made during the initial race in Austin:
More about Steve Arpin/ARX Partnership