Two young racers head to Nationals after Saturday’s soap box derby race in La Mesa. Lakeside’s Brandon Stephenson came in with the best time as Stock Division Local Champion and Spring Valley’s Daniel Wood took home Super Stock Division Local Division Champ.
These winners of the Drew Ford/Kiwanis Club of La Mesa Soap Box Derby are now eligible to compete in Akron, Ohio in the last week of July at the National All-American Soap Box Derby.
Two young racers head to Nationals after Saturday’s soap box derby race in La Mesa. Lakeside’s Brandon Stephenson came in with the best time as Stock Division Local Champion and Spring Valley’s Daniel Wood took home Super Stock Division Local Division Champ.
These winners of the Drew Ford/Kiwanis Club of La Mesa Soap Box Derby are now eligible to compete in Akron, Ohio in the last week of July at the National All-American Soap Box Derby.
Chuck Ferguson, long time soap box derby dad said he is grateful for the support of Drew Ford and the Kiwanis for making it possible for any local kid to join in the action.
“It is a double elimination race so the kids will have a minimum of four races,” he said. “The nice thing about the club cars provided is not only do the kids not have to build their own cars, but all they have is an entry fee and if they really get into it they can move forward.”
Ferguson said these events teach scientific ideas, how to align wheels, and build kits. He said the best is that the sport is very family oriented.
His son, Sam Ferguson, 14, a student at Literacy First Charter School in El Cajon has been to Akron twice and to Bowling Green (the international Super Bowl of soap box derby racing) once. Sam Ferguson entered his cars for the past two years in the San Diego Science Fair and took first place in his division both times. He said Literacy First has its own team, with three racers participating in the event. This year, he stayed out of the races and held the position of sports announcer. He said it is more than just racing it is learning science.
“The whole thing is a learning process,” said Sam Ferguson. “It combines science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). When you take your car into a wind tunnel that would classify it as a STEM project.”
Racers got the chance to walk the track beforehand to see obstacles, check the slope of the street to know how to set the car and come out of the track and where to align the car for the race. Each racer got a trial run down each side of the track before the races began. When they raced, they switched lanes and tires to try to make conditions as fair as possible to even out the conditions for the racers.
Junior High Drive, adjacent to La Mesa Middle School proved to be a great location for the race, good slope and even obstacles on each side of the track for racers to deal with. For the first time, racers, fans and family were able to see race times instantly as digital lights over the lanes gave instant results.
Derby Director Steve Blake said it is a double-bracket derby where two drivers compete, time recorded, and they switch lanes and race again. In the results, the top two competitors from the stock and superstock divisions compete in a final heat for the title.
For further information on sponsoring future soap box derby races, or to enter derby competitions contact Steve Blake at 619-461-1608.
