Niles girl finishes third in Derby division race

Several participans from the Mahoning Valley placed at the event

Wire reports

AKRON

Hundreds of racers have given their all in the 77th All-American Soap Box Derby.

The Saturday event at Akron’s famed Derby Downs Track featured competitors from the United States and other countries competing for a share of $28,500 in scholarships.

Daniel Raulli, 16, of East Syracuse, N.Y., was the winner in the Rally Masters Division. He beat Bailey Peterson of Bowling Green, Ky., who finished second, and Hailey Frederick of Niles, who finished third, in the final heat.

Raulli posted a winning time of 29.146 seconds. It was his second World Championship victory. He was the 2011 Rally Super Stock Champion.

Victor Larose, a seventh-grader from Austintown and attending Austintown Middle School, placed fourth in the Local Stock Division.

Other Mahoning Valley youths who had high finishes in their respective divisions were Abbie Postlethwait of Mineral Ridge, eighth, Rally Stock Division; Rachel Bockelman of Cortland, fifth, Rally Super Stock Division; and Melody Castner of Hubbard, first in the DQ Rally Challenge Stock Division.

Mason Breeden, 13, of Culpeper, Va., won the Local Stock Division championship.

“I’m excited to win today,” said Mason. “Being a rookie at the World Championship race made me nervous … but I feel good now.”

Emerson Minch, 13, of Cleveland won the Local Super Stock Division.

Campbell Conrad, 17, of Arlington, Mass., took first place in the Local Masters Division.

“I’ve been racing for six years, and this is my third year at the World Championships,” Campbell said. “In my two years before this year I didn’t win a heat. I felt good throughout the day.”

Dylan Theisen, 12, of Tallmadge won the Rally Stock Division, and 12-year-old Sabrina Engleman of Troutville, Va., took first place in the Rally Super Stock Division.

This year, 495 racers competed in the downhill competition of gravity-powered cars.