Thirty young drivers met on Woodburne Road in Levittown on Saturday for the 59th annual Bucks County Soap Box Derby.
Kim McCauley has been the Derby Director for four years. Now, her grandson races to keep the competitive spirit of the family alive.
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The weather held up for the majority of the race day, with grey clouds holding over head but no rain pouring down. According to McCauley, though, rain wouldn’t have stopped the racing. The derby is usually only called off in times of thunder and lightning,
The day is truly a group effort. As well as volunteers and spectators, also present are past champions who might be too old to participate, but come to help make the event run smoothly.
Although the culmination of the racing takes place on Derby Day each year, participation in the sport is a year round effort. According to McCauley, the group participates in parades and rally races throughout the year.
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The driver’s technique is just as important, if not more important, than the build of the car in terms of success. “We have put a good driver in a bad car, and the bad car still wins,” McCauley explained. The participant must be involved in the building of the car.
The champions of Saturday’s race move on to Akron, Ohio in July to compete in the World Finals of Soap Box Derby, however, on the Thursday after the derby, all of the participants are recognized at a banquet.
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“They’re all champs in my mind,” McCauley said.
