Four wheels and a lot of faith for gravity car racers

SHARON — The Sharon Fire Department held its third annual Adult Soap Box Derby on Saturday, July 23, at Veterans’ Field. The day started out overcast with clouds. As race time neared, the clouds vanished and sunshine blanketed the spectator area and the downhill race section of the road.The derby was a fundraiser for the Sharon Fire Department. Although countless people helped out, it was organized by Eugene Aakjar.Before the race, a Connecticut Light & Power transformer went out on Sharon Station Road, cutting power to all homes and buildings on the road. Sharon Fire Department and Ambulance Squad Vice President Al Golden said, “CL&P brought a new transformer, but it was the wrong one.” By the time the derby began, a proper replacement had been found and installed. In the meantime, the race announcers and time keepers said they had a generator to run their equipment.While 54 race cars were entered in this nonpowered downhill gravity-pull competition, there was only one true “soap box” competitor: the Tide Racer, a nonaerodynamic replica of a rectangular Tide brand soap box. It was, most likely, the race car with the highest wind drag. No one can say that it’s owner didn’t run a clean race, however.The derby attracted some very serious competitors, although some were more concerned with creativity than speed. The Kenny Funeral Home’s pink coffin race car scored high for humor but finished in 34th place (this was not, as one wag put it, “dead” last). Car 36, driven by Carl Stahovec, finished in 30th place but its design eliminated the need for racecar pitstops: The driver sat on a real toilet seat. Car 16, driven by Kelly Kilmer, had a large rooster sitting up front. It came in 45th place.First place went to driver David Ralph in car 10 with a three-run average speed of 46.21 seconds. The second place winner was Joe Landry in car 19, at 46.32 seconds. Third place honors went to Greg Kilmer in car 24 at 46.64 seconds. The first four place cars all averaged under 48 seconds. The first 20 place winners all came in under 50 seconds. According to race officials, race car speeds reached as high as 44 miles per hour.The slowest race car averaged 111.47 seconds on its three down-hill runs. This year, three cars succumbed to the steepness and sharp curves on the road and lost control. No one was hurt but the the Sharon Ambulance Squad was there just in case.Complete results can be found on the Sharon Fire Department website at www.sharonfiredept.org/news.Rules for the derby were very specific and have evolved since last year’s race. No entry could weigh more than 450 pounds including car and driver. Entries could be no wider then five feet, no longer than 12 feet and no taller than seven feet. They had to cost $300 or less to build. Removable weights such as bowling balls, concrete blocks and dumbbells were not allowed.Spectators of all ages wandered through the race car preparation area before the derby, checking out the entries. Sharon residents Karen and Floyd Ellis were early arrivals, and staked out space for their folding chairs right on the finish line. By the time the race began, about a dozen other family members had congregated around them including the youngest race fan, their great-grandson, 1-month-old Everett Rost.Maureen Baker visiting from Vernon, Conn., brought a friend’s newly adopted rescue dog to the race, an as yet unnamed 2-year-old husky who proved to be lovingly accepting of all the children who stopped by to pet her.

Latest News

Tuning up two passions under one roof

The Webb Family in the workshop. From left: Phyllis, Dale, Ben and Josh Webb, and project manager Hannah Schiffer.

Natalia Zukerman

Magic Fluke Ukulele Shop and True Wheels Bicycle Shop are not only under the same roof in a beautiful solar powered building on Route 7 in Sheffield, but they are also both run by the Webb family, telling a tale of familial passion, innovation and a steadfast commitment to sustainability.

In the late ‘90s, Dale Webb was working in engineering and product design at a corporate job. “I took up instrument manufacturing as a fun challenge,” said Dale. After an exhibit at The National Association of Music Merchants in Anaheim, California, in 1999, The Magic Fluke company was born. “We were casting finger boards and gluing these things together in our basement in New Hartford and it just took off,” Dale explained. “It was really a wild ride, it kind of had a life of its own.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Robert Cray’s soulful blues coming to Infinity Hall

Robert Cray

Photo provided

Blues legend Robert Cray will be bringing his stinging, funky guitar and soulful singing to Infinity Hall Norfolk on Friday, March 29.

A five-time Grammy winner, Cray has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and earned The Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance. He has played with blues and rock icons including Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and many more.

Keep ReadingShow less