THE FANCY DRESS SOAPBOX DERBY
Number of Teams: 34Course length: ? a mileWinner: "Wrecked 'em racing"; number 18 (looks like a yellow submarine) driven by Tim Male and Gareth Roe. They had the biggest crash of the day as there brakes failed at the end - but by far the fastest run, 57 seconds! Great Britain is acknowledged throughout the world as one of the last bastions of eccentricity. Motorized sport is just small part of that rich tapestry making the UK's sporting life an interesting mix to say the least. With such diversity motor sports such as Banger racing where the aim to take out your fellow drivers to having a race in electric cars such as the annual Greenpower challenge are abundant. Even driving your mum and dads lawnmower does escape the nutty Brits and as for your granddads old "Reliant Robin" car, well he would turn in his grave if only he knew! The history of Soapbox racing can be traced to 1933, when a newspaper photographer, called Myron E. Scott, encountered three boys racing homemade carts down a back street in Dayton, Ohio. He was fascinated by the amusing spectacle, and arranged a coasting race for the boys and their friends. In the same year, with the financial backing from his boss, Mr. Scott organized another race. This time, 362 kids showed up with their homemade cars and the event attracted more than 40,000 people watching along the hill. Very soon, the Derby blossomed into a fiercely contested competition across North America. At its peak, the All-American Soapbox Derby attracted 25,000 entrants in 120 races and drew an estimated crowd of 1.5 million people nationwide! Ice and freezing cold weather, not exactly ideal racing conditions welcomed fancy dressed daredevils in the village of Hoar Cross near Burton, Derbyshire, England as they attempted to hurl themselves down a hill in home-made vehicles at speeds of up to 35mph. After months of preparation 34 'soapbox' vehicles were all vigorously scrutineered (only rule being is that they had working brakes) and then driven down steep village lanes in the second fancy dress Downhill Soapbox Race. The half-mile stretch of road was closed between Hoar Cross Hill and the centre of the village to allow the event to go ahead. The event now in it's second year was held in aid of "When you Wish upon a Star" children's charity, with organisers saying just under £40,000 (forty thousand pounds sterling) was raised. The race was the brain child of The MAD Club (Meynell Arms Drinkers) a pub in the village of Hoar cross in Derbyshire. Regular locals decided to put together an annual event for both fun and the worthy cause of raising a few pennies for local charity. The inaugural event last year attracted over 600 spectators watching 16 homemade soapboxes piloted by pairs of crazed drivers. This year the event has doubled in size ensuring that the event will now be a permanent fixture. With names such as "Hugh Heffner and the Bunny Girls", "Biggles fly's undone" and "The Germans 4", the fancy dress-clad competitors lined up at the starting post at the top of a hill and let nature take its course. Get ready to Trundle! All the teams competed against the clock and as with any racing the fastest time on the day won. The average time of the ? mile course ranged from 1 minute plus to over 3 minutes. The Derby was displayed on large screens for the 1000 plus crowds that gathered road side and in the local pub car park. The race was won by duo Tim Male and Gareth Roe of "Wrecked en racing" (number 18). They certainly lived up to there name as they sped towards the finish line in 57 seconds crashing into fencing causing facial injuries to the driver Tim Male, who was later taken to local hospital for cuts and bruises. Well, motor sport is dangerous after all. For the winners apart from a bloody nose and damaged pride was free beer for a week and of course the bragging rights in their local boozer.