Those involved with the Arlington Soap Box Derby are excited to kick off the 2018 racing season leading up to the annual derby championship set for Saturday, June 2, on Eastern Avenue. The rain date is June 3. Racers range in age from 7 to 21.
Depending on your level of interest, the time commitment is a few days in the month leading up to the race for clinics and qualification or you can talk to us about racing opportunities beyond the local race and how to get your car tuned up like a pro.
There is a $75 fee to enter the race and an additional $75 cost if you want to rent a car from the club (as kids advance, many families buy their own cars instead of renting a club car). The organization intends for all Arlington kids to be able to participate. Please ask about financial support based on need.
Complete the form at this link >>
If you have specific questions or want to speak to a director, email arlingtonsoapboxderby[@]gmail.com.
The instructions are very good. Most Lego Experts — perhaps your son or daughter? — have no problem with the instructions. If you want more specific information you can go to the Soap Box Derby website at www.soapboxderby.org. http://www.soapboxderby.org/
A series of events to help racers and families prepare for the local race. All racers will need to qualify to race before the local race but either racing in a previous All American Soap Box Derby race (either a local or rally race) or by completing a qualifying race on the weekend of May 12-13 in Waltham during our spring rally. If you cannot make any time that weekend you must email us at arlingtonsoapboxderby@gmail.com to discuss another time to qualify with a director. We do this to make sure that all racers have enough driving experience to have fun and be safe at the local race.
We also will have car clinics for families to pick up cars to rent and/or for help in building their car for race day. If none of these dates work, please email us at arlingtonsoapboxderby@gmail.com to work with a director to get help or pick up a car.
In-depth overview
The Arlington Soap Box Derby is a community based nonprofit organization whose mission is to build knowledge and character, and to create meaningful experiences through collaboration and fair and honest competition.
Arlington Soap Box Derby started in 2008 and has been organizing a local race annually here in Arlington while promoting STEM education, good sportsmanship, and collaboration by supporting local children through outreach, car building clinics, and renting club cars to make soap box derby accessible. The winner of the local race have the opportunity to go to Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio, to race in the All-American Soap Box Derby World Championships. Soap Box Derby is the oldest, cleanest and greenest kids racing circuit in the world.
There are expected to be two racing divisions in the local race where the winner will go to the championships in Akron:
Stock – Entry level division for boys and girls, 7 through 14. Cars are built using standardized kits.
Super Stock – Entry level for older children and/or more advanced model for older children ages 9 through 19. Cars are built using standardized kits.
In addition, there are two other divisions:
Masters: Advanced class of racing for boys and girls, 10 through 21. Cars are built using standardized kits with more advanced building skills. We do not anticipate to have enough Masters racers this year to hold a local race. Racers interested in Masters will need to go to their next closest local race with a Masters division (in the case of Arlington, this is the New Hampshire Local race).
Super Kids: The Super Kids division is a Soap Box Derby race for physically and mentally challenged children using specially designed cars where experienced soap box derby drivers help pilot a two person car with the Super Kid racer. Super Kid pilots and racers have the opportunity to work as a team and learn from each other. We plan to hold a Super Kids race this year but are unsure whether we will qualify for Akron.
If interested in racing this year, please complete the information form at Local Race Registration Form to be contacted by one of the race directors, get more information about soap box derby, or to register for this year’s local race. You may also email us at arlingtonsoapboxderby[@]gmail.com.
This news announcement was published Thursday, April 12, 2018, and updated May 11.
