On August 20th & 21st, the Moose Jaw and District Soap Box Derby Club (MJDSBDC) will be holding their Annual Soap Box Derby Races after two years of cancellations due to COVID-19. During the pandemic, it became impossible for the club to hold its event, due to racers cancelling, lock down measures, and other issues brought on by the pandemic. Now that the pandemic is winding down, the Soap Box Derby Club is making a return.
This is a very family-oriented event that promotes spending time with your family. Families from across the province, from cities such as Swift Current, Saskatoon, Ogema, and Regina, will be attending the race and the BBQ the night before.
The event will start on August 20, 2022, with the weigh-in of the derby cars. The junior cars are usually made from wood or fibreglass and should have a max total weight of 206 lbs. driver included; the senior cars are mostly made of fibreglass or a type of plastic from the United States and should have a maximum weight of 250 lbs.
Following the weigh-in, there will be a BBQ starting at 5:30 P.M. Racers, volunteers, and family members are encouraged to come and enjoy. During the BBQ there will be a raffle draw for prizes donated by various companies in Moose Jaw.
The following day, August 21, 2022, will be race day. The races will take place on Alder Ave., one block south of Saskatchewan Street. Races will start anywhere between 9:30 and 10 A.M. after a safety talk. Before the race, the racers, family and volunteers are asked to arrive at 6:30 A.M. to help with the set-up.
"This is a family event; everyone is welcome to come and watch on August 21st. The races will start around 10 and will [will finish when all of the racers have raced]. So, come out and enjoy, and if you want to get involved contact me," said Heather Carle, the president of the MJDSBDC.
The derby cars are placed on a ramp at the top of the hill with the racer already in the car. Once the racers are ready, a latch is pulled, and the derby cars are released. The driver will then maneuver down the hill trying to maintain speed. Each category has a different style of driving. For the junior team, it is a sit-up and lean-forward style of driving, and for the senior team, it is a laydown driving style.
Because this is a family-based event promoting family time spent together, every racer will get something for participating. The top eight racers in the junior and senior categories will get a trophy and a prize.
"Bring your kids out to the race in August to get a feel for it and have them experience the event. There are a few of us in Moose Jaw that are more than willing to chat with parents and kids and see how we can get them in a car and make it fun," says Roger Pilloud, the parent of three racers.
There are club cars available for both age categories. To use the club’s cars, the club charges $125 per year. Two postdated cheques ($75 and $50) or cash are required at the beginning of the year for payment. In addition to these charges, there is also a fee of $30 per racer to enter the race, and if there are additional kids in the same family that will be racing only a fee of $20 for each additional child is required. The only thing you need to provide is your own bike helmet.
The event itself is pricey to hold; the club spends approximately $3000-$5000 to run the event, so the Derby Club keeps busy with fundraisers like bottle drives, steak nights, raffles, and in the past, Sidewalk Days, to raise money. Generous donations by individuals and businesses are also greatly appreciated to help fund the event. .
Additionally, they are asking kids to go out and contribute to the fundraising by getting individual sponsorships from businesses and organizations. Sponsorships include a donation of $25 for a trophy; $100 to sponsor a car; $500 for a banner on the top of the hill on race day, and $1000+ for their logo on a banner and t-shirts that will be worn on race day. They can accommodate any combination of those options and will work with the sponsors for agreeable terms.
Soap Box Derby racing started back in 1933, in Ohio, by a photographer that witnessed a group of boys racing down a hill. From there the event grew in interest quickly, making its way to Regina in 1987, where they held a race for one year before moving the club to Moose Jaw due to the lack of hills in Regina. Now soap box derby racing has been an annual tradition in Moose Jaw for 35 years.
To learn more information about the derby races or to register you can call Heather Carle at 306-690-8300.
You can also email her at, [email protected]
