POULSBO –– Eleven-year-old Ryan Wixson of Seabeck has a thirst for speed, and for the past three years it has been quenched by one thing – soap box derby.
Reaching speeds of up to 30 miles per hour on some tracks, he loves the wind whizzing by and the thrill of the race.
“I like not having to wait until I’m 16 to have a car,” Wixson said.
The Kitsap Derby Association gears up for its first rally race of the new year in Poulsbo on April 17 and 18 down Dauntless Drive NW, which will be closed during the races from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Curious future racers can learn about the sport and even do a trial run in a soap box derby car. Adults aren’t excluded, thanks to oil can cars that allow adults to race down the track.
“The loop is pretty well cut off and there’s not a lot of businesses there right now, so it is safe for families and watching the races too,” Silverdale derby mom Katie Walters said.
Poulsbo’s two-tenths-of-a-mile long track adds a curve, upping the level of difficulty for soap box racers.
“Our course might not be as fast as some of the other courses but it is more technical,” Walters said.
Dauntless Drive will host an expected 32 racers — and their supportive families — for the two-day event. Racers from 8 to 17 can participate and the road is open to new drivers.
“What’s kind of neat, is it’s one of those few sports that boys and girls can compete evenly,” Walters said. “It’s totally fun and it’s fun to see how some of the younger drivers, how they move up and throughout the season, how they get better.”
The Kitsap Soap Box Derby Association supports two divisions of soap box derby – stock and super stock — based on weight and age. The driver and car must weigh the same amount across each class. The stock division is for racers age 8 to 13 years old and can accommodate a racer up to 5 feet 3 inches tall and 125 pounds. The super stock division is designed for racers age 10 to 17 years old and accommodate a racer up to 6 feet tall and 150 pounds.
Rally races allow soap box derby drivers to earn points toward one of three regional spots to compete at the national level. The 73rd All American Soap Box Derby Championship Races will be from July 19 to 24 at the Akron, Ohio, Derby Downs racetrack. The region includes Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana.
“Everyone’s really nice and I have a bunch of friends there and we all get along great,” Wixson said. “No matter who wins or loses, whenever we’re done racing it’s like ‘no hard feelings, good race.’”
Rally ’round the race track
May 1-2, 2010 (Olympia, WA)
May 22-23, 2010 (Poulsbo, WA) May 29-30, 2010 (Salem, OR)
June 6, 2010 Poulsbo Local Championship
Winners of the local championship race earn a trip to the All American Soap Box Derby Championship Races. Last year Ryan Wixson was the local championship winner for the super stock division and made it to Akron, Ohio.
“This year I’m in second place for points and the first, second and third point people they get to go to Akron,” Wixson said. “So I think I’m going to Akron this year, but you can never know for sure.”
Interested in joining The Kitsap Soap Box Derby Association? Contact Sandy Smith at sandy@soapboxderbykids.com or (360) 692-4305.
