Back in June, the Herald reported on a pair of siblings who compete in soap box derbies.

At the end of July, Quinny and Katie Stuart headed to Akron, Ohio, for the 78th All-American Soap Box Derby World Championships. They came home with the third-ranked Local Stock Division racer in the world.

As you may recall, Quinny, 9, and Katie, 11, race stock cars in Poulsbo.

After Katie won the local soap box derby title in 2014, Quinny won in 2015, both punching their ticket to Akron. The World Championships are hosted at  the world-famous Derby Downs in Akron. Derby Downs was built in 1936 and provides a course that is 989 feet long.

Although this track is different from the course the Stuarts are used to racing, as Katie said in an earlier interview, “It’s all about strategy and learning the right grooves of the course.”

Unfortunately, Katie was eliminated early in the competition, but, their mother Sarah said, “Clearly she taught her brother well, as he learned his racing skills and strategies from her.”

Quinny took third place in the Local Stock Division, leaving with a large trophy and a national ranking. He also earned his first college scholarship with this finish. He competed in multiple races to qualify for the final and finish amongst the top in the world.

The Soap Box Derby is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to build knowledge and character, and to create meaningful experiences through collaboration and fair, honest competition. And there is a branch right here in Kitsap.

The Kitsap County Soap Box Derby Association is always looking for more racers. Although Quinny is the only racer from Kitsap County to bring home a trophy this year, Kitsap Soap Box Derby Association was also awarded the honor of being named an “Outstanding Rally Organization.”

“Only two of these awards were given out, so this is a big honor for Poulsbo to bring home this award,” Sarah wrote in an email.

The Stuart family encourages everyone to try this unique sport, saying that it’s a sport that brings families and people together without gender segregation.

Who knows, you could be the next champion like Quinny, who “is on cloud nine and very excited,” his mom said.

For more information, go to www.soapboxderbykids.com.