• Features

Soap Box Derby moves indoors for winter racing

• By Dave Mast
• February 19, 2020
• 1145

After brutal weather hit the Tuscarawas County Soap Box Derby last winter at the indoor event at ProVia near Sugarcreek, the committee was hoping Mother Nature would show some kindness this year during the third annual event on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 15-16.

Mother Nature acquiesced, and two days of perfect weather brought in nearly double the number of participants for the indoor racing event.

“It’s been marvelous,” said Steve Haney, one of the members who puts the race together each year. “Last year was brutal, and we had really small numbers. It was ugly, but we made up for it this year with a total of 43 cars competing, which nearly doubles last year’s numbers.”

The indoor event is a rarity in the United States, where seeing derby competitions taking place is something to behold as racers fly down a man-made hill on their way to plenty of photo finishes.

While the cement floor of the ProVia warehouse may be level, the derby cars get their initial boost of speed from a man-made hill. The two-lane starting blocks were built by Haney and a group of men who created the 20-foot-high gates.

Haney designed the starting gates so they would provide a smooth transition from slope to floor, and the result is a two-lane gate they can transport easily.

There are few indoor events in the United States that race, and while the cars don’t reach the same speeds as outdoor downhill racing, the indoor event does keep kids plugged into the derby during the cold months.

“This is a great way to keep kids motivated and keeps the sport moving forward during the winter,” Haney said. “There is a lot of camaraderie in the derby worlds, and these families meet up with each other a lot at events and really have a chance to bond and develop good relationships with one another.”

The two-day event featured a single-elimination format and a double-elimination format where each driver got a chance to compete against an opponent twice — once on each track — with the combined totals advancing the winner.

In this indoor derby the drivers also get a chance to collect rally points, which can help carry them all the way to the national event in Akron if they are successful as a regional rally champion.

With competitors from all over the immediate area and out of state, these drivers enjoy chasing points to qualify for the national finals any way they can.

However important the points may or may not be, the one benefit of this event is it presents family time.

“It’s not just a father-son thing anymore,” Haney said. “We have families here, and we have seen mother-daughter teams and grandparents involved. It really is something that can provide some really quality family time because everyone can play a role.”

Cecelia Shamp, a seventh-grader at Indian Valley Middle School, is in her third year of derby racing. She said she prefers the outdoors event, but the indoor track is fine considering it’s winter.

“We don’t go as fast, but it is still competitive,” Shamp said.

Her father C.J. Shamp said the whole family enjoys being able to go to derby events and share time together. Cecelia’s brother Caleb also races.

“We get to spend time together in a way that isn’t involved with a television or a screen,” C.J. Shamp said.

This isn’t the only sporting event the Shamps enjoy doing together because the two children are involved with softball, baseball, volleyball and football and are almost always involved in some sport.

C.J. Shamp said derby racing is something unique from all of the other sports, and they enjoy getting to know the other racing families they continually meet.

Chris and Beverly Pearch of Gnadenhutten and their young daughter Camryn Pearch are new to the derby circuit, this winter event marking Camryn’s first time down the track.

“My brother told me this was fun, so I wanted to try it,” Camryn Pearch said. “It was awesome. I was a little nervous.”

Beverly Pearch works with Haney’s daughter at Big Brothers Big Sisters, and they talked the Pearches into getting their kids involved. Their son Conner raced at Sugarcreek this past year, and they really enjoyed the atmosphere.

“We’ve been able to meet some wonderful people, and we’re having fun as a family,” Beverly Pearch said. “There’s no better way to spend a cold winter day.”

Now in her sixth year of racing, Meredith Brown of Rittman has enjoyed many aspects of the derby. She earned the 2017 Wayne-Holmes Stock championship and now competes in Super Stock, where she placed runner-up last year in the Wayne-Holmes event.

“The indoor event is a lot slower because you’re coming off raps and the slope isn’t as steep,” Brown said. “It isn’t the same, but it is still competitive, and I still enjoy it. It’s really good driving experience, especially for younger kids who aren’t as experienced.”

Her father Dave Brown gave a ringing endorsement for the value of derby racing that goes beyond the track.

“If you want something fun to do for the entire family, this is it because everyone contributes,” he said. “Meredith drives. I work the top of the track. My wife works the bottom of the track and handles all of the travel and logistics. At home we put hours and hours together working on the car and getting it ready. It’s fantastic family time, and we have met some of the best people in our travels.”

While many people wouldn’t think about derby racing indoors, the Tuscarawas County event has provided an opportunity for all of the families to enjoy the weekend doing what they love doing.