Testimonials

by: Kirsten (Stock Division Racer)

Swish! Swish! Down the soaked track over the finish line. You won! Soap Box Racing is a blast but it
doesn’t sound too hard, does it? The tension for me is awful. The competitors, enemies, and not to
mention, friends. I have one really good friend her name is Hannah. She gives me good tips and great
support while I am racing. The winning light, the blankets, the lawn chairs, and thank goodness for Mr.
Heater!!! It was cold outside, absolutely frigid! The track was swarming with people of all different
shapes and sizes. Everyone was diligently trying to find his or her child. The sound of, “Did (s)he win?
Did (s)he win?” bombs through my memory.
The first ever Soap Box Derby Ghost Busters Rally took place in October of 2003. Tools were being
rattled with. Mrs. Dyer and some other directors were announcing cars rapidly. She is a great person.
Mrs. Dyer has two daughters that race in Soap Box. Their family is kind to everyone. There was the
non-mistakable crunch of food in others mouth’s, including my own. We were munching on hot dogs
and pizza from the concession stand. We were sipping hot tea and cocoa and boy did it taste excellent
at the time because of the harsh, wet wind brushing against my face.   The air was fresh, not by the
heater though. Smoke piled up but we didn’t care, the competitors and I, we were just glade to be by a
heater.
When my number was called I could feel my heart drop, dead in its tracks. What if I crashed? What if I
messed up at the end of the race? Once my opponent and I swapped wheels my grandpa and my dad
helped load up my car. I was sweating bullets until I got up the hill, closer and closer to the starting
gates.   My dad loaded up my car, I got in like a reflection of my opponent, and…we’re off!   We
gained tremendous speed as we went farther and farther down the hill and closer and closer to the finish
line. I could hear my family screaming, “Go Kirsten!” Then there was a light, the winner’s light! But
was it mine? Had I won? No, I had tried my best but I was a couple of seconds too slow.   I was still
in though. The race was double elimination. I had one last chance. Could I do it? My car was called
shortly after that. I was up again. I shared the same feelings as I went up the hill before, only this time
they were stronger. This was my last chance. Then it began. Starting gates, hill ride, brakes on,
light…off. I had lost again! I was out. For the rest of the day I sat in the car and waited with my family
for the race to be over because there was a race afterwards that I planned to attend. We waited, and
waited, and waited. The race wasn’t over until about 10:00 PM!   It was too late and my mom and dad
wouldn’t let me race. We still didn’t leave quite yet because they were going to have some costume
contests and we would go trick-or-treating. When they announced the winners of the costume contest
and I didn’t win but I still enjoyed my treats and “T” shirt that was handed out in the beginning of the
race. Even though I didn’t win anything that October I still had a great time racing!!