Straight off George Street, that’s how we roll

The All-American Soap Box Derby is an annual family sporting event that has been going on since its origination back in 1933.

 

The tradition has continued on a local level in the metropolitan area, specifically the New Jersey Soap Box Derby since 2000. It is an event that was coordinated by retired New Brunswick police officer Bruce Hawkins and longtime city recreation director Michael Blackwell, who is now the New Jersey Soap Box Derby director and current president of their board of directors.

 

Forty cars competed in the most recent race, which took place on the curved hill outside Johnson & Johnson corporate offices on June 13th. Families from all over the state as well as police departments, fire departments, and other businesses including J&J, sponsor cars every year in this particular event.

 

Blackwell indicated that 39 drivers from around the state of NJ raced in the three divisions: Stock (8 to 13 years old), Super Stock (10 to 17 years old, lean-forward design), and Masters (the most experienced drivers, 10 to 17 years old with the driver reclined).

 

Three girls won the 2010 New Jersey event and will advance to Akron July 18-24th to compete in the Soap Box Derby World Championships.

The Miller family of Keyport brought home the gold twice, with the Stock division champion 11 year old Julianne Miller and her 14 year old sister Meredith winning the Super Stock. Maegan Cerqueria, 14, of Warren, N.J. won the Masters division.  Maegan won the Super Stock Division in 2009 and competed in Akron last year as well.

Ten cars from New Brunswick schools competed in the first competition back in 2000. Blackwell stated that there were ten sponsors for each school list when the competition began. "Every sixth grade class built their own car and had their own pit crew," said Blackwell, who is recreation director for the city of New Brunswick for the past 24 years.

 

The "Soap Box Derby" was christened back in 1933, when a Dayton (Ohio) Daily News photographer encountered three boys racing home built gravity-driven carts down an inclined brick street. Myron E. ("Scottie") Scott was known at the News for his creative thinking as much as for his photographic ability, and one of the best ideas of his life hit him at that moment: Why not hold a coasting race and award a prize to the winner? He told the boys to come back to the same hill with their friends a week later, and they could participate in a race with a "loving cup"- as it was called in Depression America-as a prize.

 

Blackwell noted the excellent level of sportsmanship and camaraderie in the sport, citing a recent race where a car from the New Jersey association broke down between heats. A father from the opposing team went into their pit to help their opponents in need.

Neighboring schools and other communities in New Jersey have gotten involved through fundraising events. The costs for the car itself run around $500.

"It is for a parent and child who help put the car together, then compete in local events and then on a national level," Blackwell says.