MEDIA ADVISORY

PIKES PEAK SOAP BOX DERBY ... MAY 1, 2011

SOAP BOX DERBY BUILDS CONFIDENCE

Not many sporting events pit boys and girls against one another. There are even fewer that allow
those with disabilities to compete on an even playing field with the able bodied. Most parents look
for opportunities to have their kids experience new challenges. Meeting the challenge is not
measured at the finish line; it's having the courage to start. The All American Soap Box Derby
encompasses and embraces all these aspects of sportsmanship.

Derby racing levels the playing field for all participants. The race cars are constructed following a
strict set of rules which are very precise. In this way, all the competitors drive cars that are almost
exactly alike. In the course of the race, a double elimination contest, the drivers run once down the
hill on their wheels. Then they switch lanes and wheels to run the second phase. Combining the
times of the two phases gives the heat time. The driver with the lowest combined time wins that
heat. In this manner, if one driver has a "hot" set of wheels, it doesn't matter as his challenger gets
to race on those wheels , too.

Often people ask, "If the cars are so much alike, where is the competition?". What makes a car better
or faster?". The answer is threefold. First, the car must be put together very well and it must be
perfectly aligned. Second, the weights added to the car must be well balanced. Weight distribution
should be fairly even from front to back. Third is the skill of the driver. The driver must make
him/herself small in the cockpit to minimize wind resistance and must drive a straight line. This is
more difficult than it might seem as any amount of over-steering causes the car to lose speed.

There are three divisions of cars in derby racing .... Masters is for kids 10 to 17, Super Stock is for
10 to 17 year olds and Stock is for youngsters 8 to 14. Masters cars are a little bigger and sleeker
than the other divisions and may weigh 255 lbs. car and driver together. The Super Stock car may
weigh 230 lbs., car and driver and the Stock version can weigh 200 lbs. The track is about 750 ft.
long and the cars reach speeds of 29 mph at the finish. Times between competing cars can be
extremely close, usually in hundredths of a second but often separated by only a few thousandths of
a second. The winning masters car last year beat the 3rd place car by .001 seconds and she won the
final by only .004 seconds. The 2nd and 3rd place cars will race again this year.

In building a car, even if it is from a kit, the youngster's knowledge and skill are significantly tested.
The cars are to be built by the driver with only a little help from an adult. The child has to read the
plans, a 50 page document, and follow the directions. In the course of putting the car together,
he/she will use several sizes of wrenches, a mallet, pliers, a wire cutter, hack saw, Allen wrench and
a power drill. When finished, the kid can rightfully display pride in their accomplishment. Done
together with a parent or mentor, an unforgettable moment is created which they will share
forever.

Then, to actually race in what the youngster has built, a new set of emotions is created. The "thrill
of the hill" takes over. The pride the drivers feel, the excitement of the race and the sportsmanship
they share makes this an experience of a lifetime. The derby is without question a huge confidence
builder and an extremely valuable exercise in helping youngsters from all walks of life experience
success.
Contact:
Glenn Scott, Director
kayglen@comcast.net
719-488-8808