43
Drive to win: Youths race to finish in annual Soap Box Derby
Gallery
‘The race ... the speed’ is what the drivers like.
YOUNGSTOWN — Just three of the 45 racers who competed in Saturday’s Greater Youngstown Area Soap Box Derby will be eligible to compete in the All-American Soap Box Derby Championship in Akron on July 26.
Winners of two divisions — Stock and Masters — were determined before a thunder, lightning and rain storm with damaging winds hit the area and delayed the final race to break a tie in the Super Stock Division. That race was to be run at 9:30 a.m. today, weather permitting.
“We just needed another few minutes,” said race director, Andy Bowell.
But all of the drivers, ages 8-17, flew down the Fifth Avenue hill, between Arlington Street and Fifth, at least four times — just inches off the blacktop and trying to hold a straight line while reaching speeds estimated at 30 to 35 miles per hour.
Ask almost any driver, whether a rookie or a veteran of many derbies, boy or girl, what they like best, and they smile and say, “the race ... the speed.”
Anthony Bowell, whose 16th birthday was Saturday, started Soap Box Derby racing at age 9, but this was probably his last race. He hasn’t ‘aged out,’ he ‘sized out.’
Anthony, whose uncle Andy is the derby director, barely fit into his Masters Division car this year.
He has had a good career. He won his division here in 2004 and went to the national championships in 2004, which he said was “really fun,” even though he lost in the first heat.
Anthony, son of Duane and Maria Bowell, said he has made a lot of friends racing in the Soap Box Derby. “There is no anger here ... just a lot of fun,” he said.
Anthony’s sisters, Angela, 11, and Brianna, 9, competed Saturday in the Super Stock and Stock divisions, respectively.
All the race cars are similar in size, but the stock division cars are wedge-shaped front and back; the super stock cars have rounded fronts, and are usually driven by more experienced drivers; and the masters are more streamlined, with the drivers lying on their backs, and reach higher speeds.
A race official estimated that stock cars can reach speeds of 29-30 miles per hour; super stock, 32 miles per hour; and masters, 34-35 miles per hour.
Joey Sebest, 12, a fifth-year racer from Campbell, exemplifies the family aspect of the Soap Box Derby. “It’s fun just being with your parents and family and racing down the hill,” said the son of Marcy and Joseph Sebest.
It was also a family affair for two rookie families from Warren, who were encouraged to enter the derby by the Warren Youth Development Sports Alliance, and supplied six of the 18 first-time racers in Saturday’s derby.
David and Michelle Walker and Kevin and Markita Parks-Ingram each had three children race Saturday.
The Walker siblings, David Jr., 15, Joshua, 12, and Hannah, 9, all said they enjoyed the derby and planned to race again next year.
Markita Parks-Ingram said the derby seemed like a good way to keep the children, Christopher Parks, 12, Michael Parks, 13, and Moesha Parks, 12, busy for the summer. “They like racing video games, and I wanted them to do something outside,” she said.
Andy Bowell, the Greater Youngstown derby director, is upbeat about the future of the event here.
Not only were the number of drivers up this year from 2007, 45 compared to 36, but the board of directors is “working hard on the dream” of building a dedicated permanent soap box derby track.
He said a permanent facility would mean much less work for the derby committee, and would be safer for the drivers. At present, the derby closes off several streets for a number of hours, and equipment and facilities have to be set up and torn down.
alcorn@vindy.com