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Derby makes its move
Soap Box classic in Valley to roll in Mineral Ridge
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
MINERAL RIDGE
The SOAP BOX DERBY is on the move. The venue for the 2010 Greater Youngstown Area Soap Box Derby, set for June 5, has changed from Youngstown to Seaborn Street in Mineral Ridge.
Andy Bowell Jr., derby president, said 40 to 50 boys and girls between 8 and 17 are expected to compete here for a qualifying spot July 24 at the 73rd All-American Soap Box Derby Championship in Akron.
All-American Derby officials expect some 550 qualifiers from 40 states and five foreign countries to compete in the national event.
Registrations are being accepted for this year’s local derby. Boys and girls from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties are eligible. Parents can obtain a registration form by going to the derby Web site, www.GYASBD.com, or by calling (330) 717-8661 or (330) 793-7192.
Because the local derby draws entrants from the tri-county area, local derby directors decided to have this year’s event in Trumbull County instead of the Fifth Avenue site in Youngstown, which had been home to the local derby for the last 10 years.
The Seaborn Street hill has been the site for many rally races hosted by the GYASBD over the years, but it has never been used for the local race. The derby board felt moving the event throughout the three counties would help provide renewed interest in the annual event, Bowell said.
Also, he said, the Mineral Ridge site requires less staff and money, and brings the derby to another area from which its participants are drawn. He said the derby committee also is planning to have the event in Columbiana County in the future.
As in the past, champions from three divisions, Stock, Super Stock and Masters, will represent the area in Akron.
The Stock division is for drivers 8-13 who are under 5 feet 3 inches tall and weigh less than 125 pounds. The maximum combined weight for car and driver is 200 pounds.
The maximum combined weight of driver and car in the Super Stock Division is 230 pounds. It is for drivers 10-17 who are under 6 feet tall and weigh less than 150 pounds.
In the Masters Division, the driver is between 10-17 with a maximum combined weight of driver and car of 255 pounds.
Families interested in entering their child in the local derby are encouraged to call the local organization in order to obtain a car kit early.
The local organization also is looking for new entrants as well as businesses that would like to sponsor a portion of the local race or individual cars. The Greater Youngstown Area Soap Box Derby is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. For more information, call Bowell at (330) 442-7498.