A Derby Mom's View
Year 1 - 1999
In 1999 when my little angel was in third grade her Dad and I thought Soapbox Derby might be a great experience for her - She thought it sounded great too.
Because she had no car, and we felt it important she be responsible for all facets of this event, we had her write letters to various business's in our small community asking for donations. She hand wrote each one and included a 
picture of herself, I stood by as she made phone calls and appointments with these business people to ask in person for their support. She dressed up in nice clothes as she visited each place and bit by bit she collected $400 to pay for her car. (Her Dad and I paid the registration fees and for the lettering etc. on that car).
The big event came, it was 90 degrees in the shade. I was hot and miserable, she and her dad were thrilled. She was double phased her first heat, squeaked by a win in differential her first in the losers bracket and was double phased in her second heat in the losers bracket.
All the same they loved it and her hard work was rewarded by the Stock construction award, which she received at the awards banquet.
And so happily ended our first year participating in the Massena, NY Soapbox Derby
Year 2- 2000
For some reason she and her Dad decided that a what she really needed was a superstock car ( we passed the stock along to another family and it continues to be used through this year). Luckily this year she only had to write one letter and make one call... A check appeared covering the expense of the whole car.
She and her dad tore into the box and parts again as soon as it arrived, turning my living room into "parts central" as they read the directions and did an inventory of all the parts. Next out to the garage for building.
When the day arrived it was freezing, we are talking close to snow! I brought her leggings to wear under her pants. Everyone was wearing hats and gloves and it was the 20th of June. The day got under way and in her first race she actually won. Then she won her second race. WOW! I thought. About that time a wonderful Derby Dad came up behind me and said, pack your bags you are going to Akron.
"Your just being nice" I said "this is just luck! Put a kid in a little car and point it down the hill" He politely laughed and walked off, he knew alot more than I did and later that day as she continued to win he pointed out how 'well she held her line', how 'smooth she was taking it to the outside' and I guess he was right. She lost, finally to the winner of the winners bracket (got in the gravel to the side of the road) but she came back to win in the losers bracket and to beat the winner of the winners.
I met her at the bottom of the hill that day and we hugged and both broke into tears. On one hand out of joy and the other in sympathy for the wonderful young woman Christy had beaten. We walked up the hill still crying, together. Probably the nicest moment of the day for me....
AKRON...
What an adventure. People out there are nuts (in a good way of course). The hoopla around this event is amazing. From the Champs arrival to all the festivities I have to say these people really do their best to put on a great event.
Things can get a bit overwhelming at times...So many kids and so many parents.
Luckily we VIP'd (passed inspection, no repairs needed) so life was a bit easier. Of course you have to expect complete chaos when alignment and test drive time comes. Lots of folks and well, sometimes lots of frayed nerves. This photo was shot by a photgrapher as Christy, her Dad and our local Director worked on her car alignment in the rain.
Akron Hint #1) Plan for rain sometime during the week. While home gather the rain poncho's, tarps and other gear because there will be 200 other families looking for the same gear when starts there. It is wonderful to be dry, when all around you are soggy!
The week seems now to have flown by. Race day came and that was unique. Only one car handler is allowed in the gates at topside, and the kids are required to stay by their cars early on so I hardly saw her that morning.
Race time came and guess what ---She won her first heat!!
Akron Hint #2) Be prepared for a bit of a letdown! Akron is single elimination, 3 cars down the hill at a time. Over half the kids will go once and out. Make sure you focus on the experience, which is wonderful, not just on the race.
Next race, photo finish and she was done. Of course she was the first racer from Massena to have won a heat in more years than anyone could remember, so we all left feeling great.
Year 3- 2001
Yeah, a year off. Christy was only eleven and we decided to extend her racing career by putting off building the masters car for a year. Instead Christy helped out at topside during race day and her dad did the 'play by play'. Plus we had to cheer on Christy's original car that was now being driven by a great young man named Joe. First time driver and he took 4th
Year 4 - 2002
Months of doing who knows what (except that it involved alot of sanding) came to an end with a beautiful sparkly car that resembled a coffin to me, making it's way to the practice runs. Luckily I wasn't there to see the trauma to come. The brake worked fine in the garage but when it had to be put into action, well her foot cramped and she couldn't hold it down. She refused to take a test run and from what I was told there were ALOT of tears.
The team, Dad, his guide and Mentor Fred Bennett and our driver went to work and reconfigured the brake in a matter of days. Next thing I knew race day was upon us. There were alot of experienced drivers and we didn't expect too much. But< when the day rolled to an end, I met her at the bottom and again we cried and hugged. Because she had won, beating an incredible young woman who we had all been cheering for. She and I walked up the hill sniffling again, shocked that Akron was in the near future.It was the nicest part of the day for me...
AKRON...
Well we had learned a little from the past, we had discovered that you can get anywhere in Akron twice as fast if you get on the highway.
Akron Hint #3) NEVER take Market Street to get from one side of the city to the other. It looks like so many extra miles to get to the freeway but the time you save will be immeasurable. OK maybe you should take it once because all the shopping and restaurants are on the west end of the road, but only if you have some free time.
The champs arrival was alot of fun, and probably more exciting because Christy got to stay with us.
Akron Hint #4) Bring a bag to store all the stuff you catch from the Champs arrival. We stayed no more than an hour and we had pencils and pens for a year plus!
The week itself raced by. Sometimes we felt like we were spinning our wheels because things don't always go as smoothly as the Derby officials plan but overall they really do a good job. Race day came again and we returned to the hill. It was a crazy day, and got even nuttier when the sky opened up and a torrential rainfall came down. The derby crew did a great job squeeging the track when it stopped and getting the program back on track. I never in a million years thought they could get through all the races after the delay, but they did...
And guess what, Christy won her first heat, even though she was in the dreaded (by Massena history) lane 3. Then she won she second heat. Even more shocking, because masters have so few cars, that put her in position to be one of the top 9 finishers.
In her placing heat she took third, and in her final heat she took another first to place an overall 7th. WOW. They award the trophy's at the bottom of the hill for the 1st place finishers (everyone is recognized at the awards ceremony later). All the kids who didn't place are loaded into buses and taken somewhere to eat before the ceremony. The racers who placed stay behind to have there photo's done. Amongst all the people, somehow Christy and I found each other and walked up the hill together, hand in hand, crying a bit and laughing alot. It was the nicest part of the day for me...
Year 5 - 2003
She is now done racing locally, ineligible to race in SS and Masters and doesn't fit in the old stock car. She and her dad decided to have one last go at it and do a little rallying. They took off to New Hampshire a couple of times, we went to Bristol once and we even went to Rochester for the indoor Christmas Rally (after outside races indoor ones are like watching paint dry, but the people are great as always and Mark Scuderi and the Rochester SBD organization run the best organized races I have ever seen).
Low and behold thanks to John O'Connor's national point championship and Anthony Marulli's local win we are again going to Akron, this time as a District 8 rally champ. The car is just now getting painted a very glossy pink, we are having to discuss pin designs and car lettering. 
How come she and I have choosen a Flamingo as our 'theme' her dad keeps asking?
Who knows?
Who knows what Akron will bring? Will she place again, will she go once and out-- who knows...
Akron Hint #5) One third car, one third driver and one third plain old luck. When each part lines up perfectly for someone they are the one who takes home the prize in Akron. You are a champ just being there.
Look at the Massena Champs 2003 page for the outcome! WOW, what a week!