Racers Take On Derby Hill

The Southeast Georgia Soap Box Derby celebrated its 31st running this year, and their seventh running at Partin Park on the new Derby Hill. The weather on Friday and Saturday was great with lots of sun and a little breeze. The SuperKids this year went back to their traditional Friday running, while the three local races took place on Saturday. There were 50 cars this year that participated in the Southeast Georgia Soap Box Derby across the Stock, Super Stock, and Masters divisions.

The SuperKids got to enjoy a day heading down the big hill. This division is made for special needs kids. They get the opportunity to ride down the hill in a tandem car with an experienced driver at the helm. There was a good turnout this year, and a winner was declared and he will get his chance to race in Akron, OH. This year's winner of the SuperKids race was Carlos.

The Run What Cha Brung was also back this year and ran on Friday night down Derby Hill. In this race participants build there own contraptions and race them down the hill for bragging rights. And this year a familiar local and rally race name was also a winner in this race as Ashley Driggers took the top spot.

Local Race

This year there were again three different divisions that raced down the hill with the Stock, Super Stock and Masters all vying for their chance to head to Akron. The race numbers were back up from last year with a total of 50 cars taking to the hill for the three races.

There were again a lot of familiar continued from page

names that worked their way toward the finals. In the Stock division, with 27 cars racing, Kinsley Kidd took the top spot. Her first race was less than a month ago in a rally race at Derby Hill. Second place went to Chessley Horton, who has racing in her family, and also took third place last year. The third place finisher was Janna Hutcheson in just her first weekend in a car. Fourth place went to Cannady Cole.

For the Super Stock division, a somewhat newcomer Kiley Williamson got the win. This is just her second year behind the wheel. Second place was Noah Gordy, another familiar name in the local races. The third place finisher was from Macon, BG Bickley, who was driving a STEM built car, and fourth place went to Hunter Williamson.

In just the fourth running of the Masters in the local race, this year's title went to Cash Driggers, who finally picked up his first local race win. He is a two-time World Rally Race Champion. Second place went to his younger sister Quinn Driggers in just her first weekend in a Master's car. Alexis Head, a former Super Stock winner, was the third place finisher, and Kaylee Joiner took fourth place.

The greatest gravity racers in the world will come together at the world-famous Derby Downs Track in Akron, Ohio, July 16-22 for the 85th running of the First-Energy All-American Soap Box Derby. Champs from around the world will reach speeds in excess of 30 m.p.h. as they race down the 989' track in hopes of earning the title of World Champion.

Super Stock Race Winners – (L to R): Noah Gordy, Kiley Williamson (winner), BG Bickley, and Hunter Williamson.Photo by Mike Branch

Stock Race Winners – (L to R): Chessley Horton, Kinsley Kidd, Janna Hutcheson, and Cannady Cole.Photo by Mike Branch