Soap box racers take to Soap Lake's streets during the weekend
The heats were close during the Soap Lake Soap Box Derby. The derby is sponsored by Soap Lake's Boy Scout troop.
SOAP LAKE - Racers reached speeds 25 to 30 mph as they zoomed down Main Street in the third annual Soap Box Derby on Saturday.
The derby was sponsored by Troop No. 44 of the Boy Scouts, Soap Lake. No results were available at press time.
Drivers had their choice of stock, super stock, master and oil can classes, all of which refer to the way the car is constructed. Some are built by the drivers from certified kits, others are built by the Scouts, and others come strictly from the driver's imagination.
In 2012 the derby was part of an all-town event, which included a fundraising city-wide yard sale to benefit the Soap Lake Police Department.
Race fans lined the street, and the pits bustled with activity. Racers lined up by the cars, the race director shouted for a missing driver (who didn't show), and volunteers weighed cars and drivers.
Just like horse racing, weight is used to even out the competition in soap box cars. Lighter drivers get a little extra weight.
The cars also are adjustable for height, as one driver learned when he tried to sit down in the driver's seat and couldn't. He tried various ways to wriggle into the seat, but nothing worked until somebody from the pit crew fixed the pedals.
The brakes on each car were tested before each heat, then pit crews loaded the cars onto the ramp. They were adjusted so each rolled in a straight line down the ramp, and the crew dropped the starting gate. The course was about 900 feet long, from the top of the hill by the Soap Lake Public Library to the corner of Canna and Daisy streets. A wall of tires was in place to stop any cars whose brakes failed.
Racing continued throughout the morning, with each driver racing in at least two heats.