Two Houlton girls are on their way to Akron, Ohio, for the All American International Soap Box Derby after clinching first-place wins in Houlton over the weekend.
After more than 30 double-elimination heats, Super Stock driver Lilie Henderson and Stock driver Tessa Wells each won in their divisions.
Thirty-three drivers of the gravity-powered cars vied for a win and a slot in the international competition during Saturday’s 26th running of the Northern Maine Soap Box Derby. Since Bangor’s derby club disbanded in 2009, Houlton’s event is Maine’s only surviving soap box race.
“Lilie is an amazing racer and we are so excited for her,” said soapbox board member Kristen Wells, whose daughter Tessa won on Saturday. “She is an excellent example of a soap box derby racer. We loved watching her.”
This was Tessa Wells’ second year racing. She drove a car that has a long local history and is the oldest skull in the race.
“It’s at least 25 years old and we’ve been able to keep it running with our good technicians,” said Kristen Wells. “It’s been in the family for a long time.”
Wells said they kept many of the old sponsor logos to preserve its history, including the Main Street Emporium.
The local Maine organizers have been trying to increase the number of racers and this year there were 11 more racers than last year, with many first-time participants. Organizers added three new cars for racers, said Wells.
The Akron-approved gravity-powered cars now cost $900 a car. When Wells saw the car go on sale, she decided to sponsor a car that another daughter, Ava, who has been racing for about eight years, will drive. Additionally, race organizer Karen Fitzpatrick and the local Maine derby also each sponsored a new car, Wells said.
“We’re really excited to have more kids and an increase in new families involved,” she said.
The drivers each won a $100 prize, which may help with some of the Akron expenses.
The cars will be transported to the Akron race separately from the drivers. The local teams are splitting the cost of transporting two Maine cars with New Hampshire and Saint John, New Brunswick, which each have two cars as well, Wells said.
This year’s championship race week kicks off on Sunday, July 16, and runs through Saturday, July 22. Throughout the week, participants at Akron’s Derby Downs will work on their race cars, practice with trial runs and compete in preliminary challenge races during the week.
Kristen and Tessa Wells will travel to Akron together. Kristen said she will get more technical training prior to the Akron race to help her daughter during the competition.
“I’ve been involved in the derby for a long time but I am learning more tech before I go,” she said. “I have a little more learning to take her to the race.”
