Soap Box Derby delights young racers

Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
WINNERS — Franki White, left, and Chris Bruen of Hampden were the winners of the Northern Maine Soap Box Derby race. White won the Super Stock Division, while Bruen took the Stock category. Both racers will be on their way to the Great American Race in Akron, Ohio.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Soap Box Derby racers started under a mist that turned into heavy showers and by day’s end a steady rainfall. But, the weather didn’t hamper the fun or enthusiasm of the racers, who made the best of the situation.
    On Saturday in the Super Stock Division, there was no time for sisterly love or rooting for a best friend for Franki White, who defeated her sister Olivia, last year’s stock winner, to continue keeping pace toward the championship, against none other than one of her best friend’s and veteran racer, Rebekah Holmes.
    In the first heat, White won by .098 seconds, while in their second run, Holmes pulled out a .056-second win, but it wasn’t enough to overtake White, who was declared the 2011 Super Stock champion.
    “It feels awesome,” she said after the race.
    White had mixed emotions when racing against Holmes.
    “I didn’t want to beat her because she is my best friend,” she explained. “But, I kind of wanted to win too.”
The Sloat family — Andy, Chelsea, Matt and Justine
    White said she started the day “just going with the flow” because her sister Olivia won a year ago.
    “We have already been to Akron,” she said.
    White’s strategy for the day was pretty logical — “Don’t hit the water spots on the course” — which was pretty tough to do at times as the track was retaining water.
    “It was kind of scary [coming down the steep Derby Hill] because I thought we were going to hydroplane or something,” White added.
    With the number of Super Stock competitors less four people who dropped out, White said maybe there wasn’t as much competition, but it was “fun and I had to race Olivia.”
    White, 16, is a first-time winner of the Northern Maine Soap Box Derby race, but has competed through the years garnering an eighth-, sixth- and a fourth-place finish.
Lexi “Creampuff”’ Emerson is ready to roll
    The Stock Division championship was no less exciting, as Hampden’s Chris Bruen and Bangor’s Connor Hebert were neck and neck.
    Hebert, who was a WOW (winner of winners — losing no races) was pitted against Bruen, who had lost one race.
    In their first run, Hebert won by .121 seconds, while in the second heat, Bruen posted a .233-second win giving Hebert his first loss overall and setting up another A and B heat for a winner to be decided.
    In the A Heat, Bruen took the win by .268 seconds and Hebert the B heat with a time of .202, which was not enough to overtake Bruen.
    Bruen, who is only a second-year racer, said being a winner on Saturday was “pretty fun.”
    Though a tattoo was visible on his face, he said there was no significance to the marking.
    “He likes his tattoos,” said his father.
Rebekah Holmes embraces Olivia White after their race
    Since Houlton holds the only Soap Box Derby in Maine, Bruen, 10, traveled to be part of the competition. He said racing in the rain for him was a bit unnerving.
    “It was fun and scary,” he said. “And wet.”
    Bruen was able to get in a couple of practice runs on Derby Hill about a month ago, but downpours kept racers from taking advantage of that option during Tech Day, the day before the local race. So, Bruen’s strategy for the day worked.
    “Stay to the side and get down as low as you can,” he said.
    Each driver was presented a participation medallion and special awards were presented at the end of the day.
Drivers, from left, Austin Winslow, Seth Rand and Nicholas Craig keep themselves out of the rain
    White and Bruen each received a $500 savings bond (Chris and MaryAnn Holmes family and Katahdin Trust Company) and $100 cash (Brandon Carmichael 1996 local stock champion and In memory of Seth Fitzpatrick, 1998 local Super Stock champ from his family).
    Second place in Super Stock, Holmes was the recipient of a $300 savings bond from Houlton Water Company; third place, Olivia White, $150 savings bond from the Randy Lincoln Agency; fourth place, Jacob Worthley, $100 savings bond from Ross Sheet Metal; fifth through eighth place $50 savings bonds from Savings Bank of Maine, Aroostook Auto Glass, Crimps-N-Lites and Sloat’s Machining and Fabrication to Rachel Graves, Jessy Dickison, Jillian Haggerty and Rebecca Bullock.
Zachary Fitzpatrick realizes how slick the track gets with a good rain as he meets the cones
    Second in the Stock Division, Hebert had a $300 savings bond from S.W. Collins; third, Cameron Clark, $150 savings bond F.A. Peabody Company; fourth, Seth Rand, $50 savings bond from Alfredo and Rosemarie Casillas; fifth through eighth, $50 savings bonds each from TD Banknorth and Sport Vehicles to Lexi Emerson, Jason Collett, Cole Winslow and Zachary Fitzpatrick.
    The recipients of two of the most significant awards — thte Wayne Miller Sportsmanship Trophy and the Alicia Dudzinski Spirit Award — went to Matthew Sloat and Morgan Grant, respectively.
    Other special awards were: the Committee Awards in memory of Chris Hiscoe and Aimee Fitzpatrick to Adam Casillas and Lexi Emerson. Cody Graves and Courtney Jurson won the VIP Stock and Super Stock awards, respectively. Each received a $50 savings bond from the Casillas. The Best Decorated Cars for Stock and Super Stock went to Austin Winslow and Wyatt Harvey, respectively.
Cameron Clark keeps his car and himself dry