Racing to victory 3 drivers advance to national event

Next year, a masters division may be added to the Youngstown race, said Jim Postlethwait, race director.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- It's on to Derby Downs for three winners of the third annual Greater Youngstown Area Soap Box Derby.
Jeff Davis, 15, of Austintown; Nicole Romeo, 11, of Boardman; and Ryan Rambo, 11, of Mineral Ridge won their divisions at the Youngstown derby Sunday and will compete in the national races in Akron next month.
Jeff won the super stock division. The son of Jeff and Donna Davis, he is a sophomore at Austintown Fitch High School.
Last year, he came in second, losing to Lindsay Kuebler, 15, of Berlin Center by .001 second.
This year, his mom said, "he had incentive."
"If I won, I got to get my driver's permit," Jeff said enthusiastically. He will be old enough to obtain his learner's permit July 4.
Jeff was sponsored by Molnar Concessions and M Manufacturing, Ed Miller Signs, and Denny's of Austintown.
Nicole won the metro stock division. A daughter of Pat and Rochelle Romeo, she is a seventh-grader at Boardman Center Middle School and was sponsored by Boardman Firefighters Local 1176.
Ryan won the suburban stock division. A son of Bill and Nona Rambo, he is a sixth-grader at Mineral Ridge Middle School. Ryan was sponsored by Baird Brothers Sawmill Inc., Canfield, and Turkali Heating & amp; Air Conditioning, Niles.
Starting off second day
The race began Sunday with 24 young competitors, eight from each of the three divisions, who had beat out the rest of the competition Saturday. Seventy-one racers from throughout Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties competed Saturday in the races.
By the time racing wrapped up around 8 p.m. Saturday, the field had been narrowed to include only the trophy winners. Racing resumed around 9 a.m. Sunday and, by noon, winners in each division had been named.
Next year, a masters division may be added to the Youngstown race, said Jim Postlethwait, race director. A masters division would allow kids up to age 17 compete.
Masters cars are "lay-down cars" -- cars where drivers lie down rather than sit -- are more difficult to build and slightly more expensive, Postlethwait explained.
Postlethwait said he hopes to have at least eight or 10 masters cars in next year's race. Among those planning to enter are Jeff Davis, this year's super stock winner, Lindsay Kuebler, last year's super stock winner, and Jenny Rodway, 13, of Boardman, who is ranked first in the nation by the National Derby Rally Association for rally racing.
Trophies will be awarded to this year's winners during a banquet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the ITAM, 115 S. Meridian Road. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $7 for children, $12 for adults. For more information, call (330) 727-4114.