SOAP BOX DERBY RACING

The 74th All-American Soap Box Derby, the "Greatest Amateur Racing Event in the World," will be run on July 23, 2011, at Akron, Ohio, without a Terre Haute entry. However, as some readers remember, it was not always that way. The Soap Box Derby was a huge local event from 1937 through 1941 and from 1946 to 1958. Each year the winner of the local contest would compete at Derby Downs in Akron for scholarships and merchandise prizes.

Sponsored by G. H. Froderman's Downtown Chevrolet Sales Inc. and the Tribune- Star Publishing Co., the race was an annual summer event. The boys, age 9-15 and later 11-15, constructed and drove non-motorized cars relying completely on gravity to move. It has been said "Orange Crate Derby" might have been a more accurate name, since there is no record of anyone building a car from a soap box.

It was a true local endeavor--free to entrants and spectators. Each boy was sponsored by a local business. Members of service clubs, fraternal organizations, and city and state police all had important parts. The local Tribune and Star newspapers devoted pages to the publicity of the pre-race events, including parades, free movies, lunches and dinners, and the race itself, making a point of naming every individual involved. Spectator crowds were estimated in the thousands.

A listing of each race follows with the name of the winner, his sponsor and a few details of interest found in newspaper accounts. The number in parentheses indicates the number of entries in that year's competition.

1936 (47) Fred J. Huss--Holsum Bakery. The track was on Dorman Road just west of Concannon High School. Following each elimination heat, the winner was towed back to the top of the speedway by a 1936 Indian motorcycle. Boys from 135 cities competed in the national event.

1937 (40) Paul Lawrence--Fischer Auto Sales. Lawrence crossed the finish line just six-tenths of one second ahead of Bill Twigg Jr. His time was 37.4 seconds and Twigg's 38 seconds.

1938 (35) Jack Boyll--Isaac Ball Undertaking. The races were conducted under a steady rainfall, still on Dorman Road.

1939 (33) Jack Harkness--Fitzgerald Baking. The new race location was Hauger Hill,13. 6 miles south of Terre Haute on Highway 63.

1940 (35) Samuel "Bud" Fox--Jensen Bros. Norge Appliances. The crowd joined in singing "God Bless America," a new patriotic song played by the Mid-continent Petroleum Corp.'s sound car.

1941 (28) Ronald Clayton--McMillan's. The drivers were outfitted with steel helmets and jersey sweaters, and expected to attain speeds of 38 m.p.h. Each of these winners competed in Akron, Ohio, but none had won the championship.

However, Jerry Trimble, local veteran derby driver, brought Terre Haute into national news with his model of the International Soap Box Derby Downs at Akron.

After a photo of Jerry and his masterpiece was sent to J. P. Gormley, head of the All-American Soap Box Derby, the photo appeared in every Derby-sponsoring newspaper, automotive trade publications and boys' magazines in the nation. The Sunday Tribune-Star called Jerry "a real champion."

1942-1945 The Terre Haute Soap Box Derby was cancelled for the duration of World War II. On Oct. 18, 1942, Dan Anderson, Tribune columnist, wrote, "The kids turned out to be real scrappers! Rallying to a call for more scrap metal, the Soap Box Derby kids stripped their prized miniature racers of all metal parts.. wheels, axles, rods, steering gear, bearings and all other parts they considered of value to the war effort... It was a good job, well done, kids. Downtown Chevrolet thanks you. 'We Motorists' (column) thank you. Uncle Sam thanks you."

1946 (26) James Lawrence--Firestone Stores. The new track was located on Highway 40 east of Seelyville. The event was dedicated to the memory of Lt. Fred Huss, the winner of the first Terre Haute derby in 1936, who had been killed while serving in the Navy Air Force.

1947 (36) Kenneth Uran--Model Milk & Ice Cream. Collector Bob Clary of Terre Haute purchased this winning 1947 car at auction in 2002.

1948 (39) George Compton--Ermisch, My Cleaner. New rules called for the overall height of the car reduced from 32 to 28 inches.

1949 (48) Charles Compton--Gamble's. The Black & White Cab Co. Had one cab parked at the starting point and another at the finish line to transmit the results of each heat by two-way radio.

1950 (33) Robert Reedy--Yellow Cab. The track was moved to a section of the new Highway 40, west of Terre Haute which became known as Derby Hill.

1951 (34) Alphonse Stadler--Indiana Plumbing Supplies. Tony Hulman presented the trophy to Stadler who had negotiated the course in 38 seconds.

1952 (82) Willard (Bill) Kayser--Terre Haute Motor Carriers. The opening ceremony included the Civil Air Patrol Squadron flying in formation over the track.

1953 (142) Bob Carmichael-- McMillan's. This record number of entries included five boys from the Glenn Home and 22 from Brazil. Cars were inspected at the former Allis-Chalmers pilot plant on East Wabash Avenue.

1954 (100) Bob Topping--Pentecost & Craft. The track was shortened from 1,000 to 965 feet. The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Garage area was the inspection headquarters; the Winners' Party was held at the Terre Haute Youth Center, former Allis- Chalmers plant.

1955 (90) Larry Tunin--Roech-Burman Foundry. New rules called for floorboards and bulkheads to be made of wood only.

1956 (71) Billie McKee--Arab Pest Control. Fifty years later a detailed account of this race, written by McKee's daughter Deb, appeared in the Tribune-Star (June 18,2006) .

1957 (81) Gary Stevenson--Hillman's Jewelers. The Terre Haute Armory, North Ninth Street, was the new race headquarters.

1958 (102) Joseph McKee Jr.--Arab Pest Control. The weight limit for each car and driver combined was 250 pounds. Car inspection was supervised by Gilbert Williams, Toledo Scale Co. Carl Froderman was safety director.

Children's racing now took a new turn-- from gravity-powered to motorized cars. Quarter Midget Races were first featured as part of the July Fourth celebration at Memorial Stadium in 1958. The new Quarter Midget Track at 13th Street and Lockport Road was finished in 1959, and a racing association was organized under the sponsorship of the Fraternal Order of Police.

The Soap Box Derby, a part of Americana staged in Terre Haute, became racingdown- the-hill memories in local history.