POTTSTOWN >> And they’re off.Family and friends could be heard cheering racers on as the annual Soapbox Derby returned to Pottstown for its 24th year.
The competition, which takes place every year in Pottstown on the third Saturday in June, kicked off on Wilson Street bright and early Saturday morning as eager drivers raced to make it to the top of their division.
The Soap Box Derby is a youth racing program that has run nationally since 1934, according to the Soap Box Derby website. The Pottstown Soap Box Derby is sponsored by the Pottstown AMBUCS and first began in 1994. This year’s race brought in 40 drivers total, with six competing in the Masters, 16 in Superstock and 18 in Stock division.
“We have a lot of new kids and new families that have come out and are very excited about it,” said Ginny McKain, assistant director of the races. “We’ve been doing it for 24 years. People look forward to it every year. It brings a lot of families together and it’s sort of like a derby family. We have so many families that come back year after year and they just look forward to it.”
That excitement was evident Saturday morning as families set up tents and made themselves comfortable along the curbs on Wilson Street while they clapped, cheered and celebrated their racers’ successes.
The race is not only a fierce competition and a way for the community to get together, but for many the Pottstown Soapbox Derby is a family tradition. McKain said in many cases, including her own family’s, drivers who can no longer race often come back each year either to volunteer or just enjoy the races.
“Both my children raced. This is actually my 17th year. My daughters started racing in 2001. My husband, who passed away, we did the derby last year without him for the first time. He was the race director. This would have been his 10th year. It holds a special place for us and both my kids are still here helping out even though they’re way over the age limit. I don’t know where I would be on the third Saturday in June otherwise,” said McKain.
During the competition, drivers are paired up by a random draw and then race against each other. The races are timed and the difference in time gets the racer through on the winner side. After a driver loses once they get put over to the consolation side. A driver has to lose twice to be eliminated and all the racers are guaranteed at least four runs down the hill.
Ultimately, McKain explained, three drivers, one from each division, will be sent out to Akron, Ohio to represent Pottstown in the race there.
When all was said and done, Perry Gibson took home first place in the Masters division, while Dan Curtis took first in Stock and Luke Culbert came in first in Superstock.
