Indian Valley Soap Box Derby moves from Souderton to Perkasie - Montgomery Newspapers

PERKASIE >> After several years of holding its Spring Fun Day on Ninth Street in Perkasie, the Indian Valley Soap Box Association is moving its annual first Saturday in June soap box derby here, too.

“It works great for us to have it in Perkasie,” said Marc DeRosa, IVSBA president.

The race previously was held on Main Street in Souderton, but the Perkasie hill is wider than Souderton’s, he said.

That makes it easier and quicker to return the cars to the top of the hill for the next run, he said.

“We don’t have to close a lot of streets down,” DeRosa said.

“We can just go right up the track, rather than do a big loop around,” he said. “We almost have like a four-lane track.”

This year’s First Annual Perkasie All-American Soap Box Derby will be Saturday, June 2.

The Perkasie location is a good place for the race, DeRosa said.

“The logistics work perfect for us,” he said.

That includes being able to set up in the Penn Community Bank parking lot and getting electricity from the bank, he said.

The porta-potties will also be in the bank lot, he said.

Pre-race car inspections and impoundment will be at the Perkasie Borough garage, he said.

While the race, itself, is moving, most of the other things associated with the local derby remain the same, he said.

It will once again be followed by a post-race banquet at Franconia Heritage restaurant, during which all of the racers will receive trophies. Larger trophies are awarded to the top eight finishers in each division (stock and superstock). The $1,000 Courtney Isabella Memorial Sportsmanship Award is also presented to one of the drivers at the banquet.

The stock car division is for racers 7 to 13 who will not turn 14 on or before July 31.

“Stock cars can accommodate a racer up to (approximately) 5’3” tall and 125 pounds. (200 lbs. combined car and driver),” according to soap box information.

Super stock division is for racers 9 through 18 who will not turn 19 on or before July 31.

“Super Stock cars can accommodate a racer up to (approximately) 6’0” tall and 150 pounds. (240 lbs. combined car and driver),” soap box information says.

There are still cars available for additional drivers, DeRosa said. Information is available by emailing DeRosa at marcjd71@gmail.com.

Last year, there were almost 40 drivers in the local race, he said.

Ben Slack won the stock division and Olivia Seidle took the super stock. Madison Miller received the Courtney Isabella Memorial Sportsmanship Award.

The winner of each the stock and super stock local races and their families are sent to Akron, Ohio for the World Championship Race, which this year will take place during the week of July 15-21. Each of the winning families receive $800 for expenses during their time in Akron, along with $200 to transport the car there.

The top four finishers in each division also receive a deposit to their 529 College Savings Plan. First place receives $250, second place $100, third place $50 and fourth place $25.

This year’s Spring Fun Day, at which all drivers, especially new ones, can take practice runs down the hill, will be Saturday, May 12.

DeRosa said he thought the soap box derby was a thing of the past until his daughter got involved in it.

“I didn’t know they still did it, to be honest with you,” he said, “but it’s still alive and well.”

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