Soap Box Derby set for Sunday

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DOVER — Over the years, the New Hampshire Soap Box Derby hasbeen held on different weekends in June. This year the event is onFather's Day, and given the strong emphasis put on parent-childcooperation in building the soap-box racers, it might be the mostappropriate day to hold the 65th annual event.

"In a lot of respects, it's the best day to hold it," said PeterLaPointe, the Derby director. "It's a great day for kids and theirfamilies, to enjoy a competition. It's sister against sisters,family members against each other."

Last year, all three divisions were won by females. Rollinsford'sAmy Poulin in the Super Stock Division, Dover's Jillian Nelson inthe Stock Division and Keene's Ali Borden in the Master's Divisionall took home crowns last year. All three will compete this year indifferent divisions.

Nelson has moved up from Stock to Super Stock, but is confident sheis capable of earning a return trip to Akron, Ohio, for theAll-American Soap Box Derby next month.

"It's really exciting," said Nelson, 11, about the chance tocompete in the Super Stock Division. "I have a different car. Itwill be a little harder competition from last year. I'll just tryto go out and not hit any cones."

LaPointe said the recent excellence of females in the sport is notan unexpected trend.

"Girls tend to do very well in the sport," LaPointe said. "Whenboys get older they tend to drop out. But I've had two girls andone boy of my own involved, and the girls were the mostcompetitive."

Bill Behan, who directs the Derby along with LaPointe, said thatgirls might be, literally, a natural fit for soap-box racing, whichrequires a smaller body to fit into the race cars.

"Boys tend to outgrow the sport, size-wise," Behan said. "The girlsare dominating not just because they're females. It also depends onhow involved the parents are."

Sunday's race, as always, will be held on Central Avenue in Dover,in front of the old Rite Aid building, starting at 9:30 a.m. withthe finals starting around 3:30. The event is free and open to thepublic.

Although soap-box racing might not be considered a mainstream sportby some, the competitors at Sunday's competition will be extremelyfocused on the big prize — an all-expenses-paid trip to Akronfor the 71st All-American Soap Box Derby in July.

"It's competitive racing," Behan said. "These are real race cars.They're fine-tuned. One little thing can throw it off. Any littleloss of friction will slow you down."

Nelson said she spends about an hour a day working on her soap-boxracer with her grandfather.

"He said I did most of the work," Nelson said. "But he did all theadjustments. My mom helped me a little, too."

Rare is the soap-box racer who succeeds without at least some helpfrom a parent, grandparent or other close adult.

"That's one of the best things about soap-box racing," said Behan."It's a parent-child project. It's very family oriented. Forfathers with someone racing in the Derby, it's a good way to spendFather's Day."

Nine racers are scheduled to participate Sunday in the MastersDivision, 12 in Super Stock and 20 in Stock. Those numbers aresubject to change.