2nd Annual Brockport Kiwanis Soap Box Derby Rally

Back row: Kiwanian Wes Byers, Brockport Kiwanis President Bob Reusch, Kiwanian Tod Twitchell, Kiwanian Bill Reusch. Second row: Jim Turner (driver Adam Turner's father), Kiwanian George Mann, Kiwanian Dave Jewell. Front: Adam Turner, driver of the Brockport Kiwanis Soap Box Derby car.

On August 25 and 26, 2007 The Kiwanis Club of Brockport hosted two exciting days of Soap Box Derby racing at Smith and Clark Streets. For the second consecutive year racers from New York and other points in the northeast came to the historic Village of Brockport to participate in rally racing to earn points that would assist them in their goal of qualifying for the Soap Box Derby national championship races held in Akron, OH next year. The races in Brockport were among the first in the 2007-08 season. The twenty-eight racers and their pit crews began arriving in Brockport before dawn on the 25th.

The racing event was sponsored again this year by the Brockport Kiwanis Club with the support of the Village Trustees and the Village's police and public works departments and the Brockport Chamber of Commerce.

This year's races had some added excitement. Two racers experienced some mechanical difficulties that resulted in crashes through the hay bales lining the course. Both racers were unhurt and the cars and their drivers were able to return to the competition. A couple of heats were interrupted briefly by the Corbett Park resident ducks making marches to new feeding grounds. The ducks survived the two days of racing none the worse for wear.

The big winners in the three divisions of racing were Darcy Wheeler from Webster in the Stock Division; Lisamarie Valentin from Rochester in the Super Stock Division; and Alex Hoagey from Webster in the Masters Division.

Date Set for 2008 Soap Box Derby Races

According to President Bob Reusch, the Brockport Kiwanis Club hopes to continue the Soap Box Derby as an annual event for Brockport. The dates for the 2008 races are August 23 & 24. The hope is to expand the scope of the event to include additional organizations. Reusch added that the club would like to extend a special thank you to the residents of Smith Street residing across from the park and those adjacent to the park for their patience and support during the event.