SANFORD — Akron, Ohio, here we come.
Clayton Carr made it two-for-two, while Madison Taylor and Mason Webb also claimed titles when the City of Sanford Parks and Recreation Department and Central Florida Soap Box Derby hosted their 36th All-American Soap Box Derby Local Race on Saturday, May 17, at the CFSBD Complex in Mike Kirby Park.
The victories earned the three Sanford Champions the right to represent the City and the CFSBD at the “Big Go” _ the 87th FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby later this month at legendary Derby Downs.
It was another beautiful Saturday in the park as Carr, the Stock Division Champion in 2024, moved up to the Super Stock Division this year and came out on top again, claiming his second trip to Akron in just over two years of competition.
Sanford’s own Madison Taylor won the Stock Division, edging another Sanford resident in Adarsh Koneru, who finished as the Stock runners-up for the second straight year.
The story was the same in the Masters Division, as Mason Webb, who finished third in 2024, leapfrogged his twin brother, Logan Webb, the runners-up in 2024, to win the Championship.
Following the races, the group moved to Downtown Sanford and the Sanford Civic Center for a banquet and Awards Ceremony where Taylor and Carr were presented Traveling Trophies sponsored by Mark Ferdinand, the 1977 Junior Division World Champion, Webb was honored with the Masters Traveling Trophy sponsored by Evan Griffin, the 2002 AASBD Masters World Champion, and Haley Hoagey was named the winner of the Dave Duberstein Sportsmanship Award.
Duberstein was a car lover. He owned street rods and vintage cars and was a member of the Celery City Cruisers car club. Duberstein came into the Soap Box Derby program in 1996 and joined the Central Florida SBD Board of Directors in 1997. He was instrumental in incorporating the Central Florida Soap Box Derby, Inc. in 2002 and served as the president until his passing in the spring of 2003.
Winning was not important as Duberstein tried to make sure that any child that wanted to race was provided a car. He even traveled to locations like Tampa, Miami and Georgia to buy used cars or accept donated cars to put in his fleet. Duberstein was never a complainer and was always available to help with any function or work that needed to be done to further the derby. A simplistic view toward challenges and a light-hearted patience was his trademark, which lives on in the Sportsmanship Award given every year to the competitor that exemplifies that spirit and life values.
The winning cars will be transported to Akron this week and the three Champions will join their vehicles in Ohio on Sunday, July 13, when a week of activities begin and be capped by the elimination runs on Saturday, July 19.
Also, after accumulating enough points during the 2024-25 Rally Derby Season several more local racers will earn an invitation to attend the Soap Box International event as representatives of Central Florida Soap Box Derby and Region 7 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina) and join the trio of local champions to compete in a series of All-Star races and the Rally Derby World Finals on July19 during Race Week 2025.
The most up-to-date schedule: Sunday, July 13, shell re-attachment, photo shoot and trial run; Monday, July 14, Opening Ceremonies, family picnic, movie night; Tuesday, July 15, Rally Challenge Day; Wednesday, July 16, Local Challenge Day; Thursday, July 17, All-Star and Legacy Race Day; Friday, July 18, Weigh-In, Wheel Selection, Super Kids Parade and Race; Saturday, July 19, World Championships beginning at 8:30 a.m. and Awards Ceremony at the Akron Civic Theatre at 7 p.m.
For more information on Central Florida Soap Box Derby or to download a registration form, please check out the websites at www.AASBD.org or www.centralfloridasoapboxderby.org; Eric Griffin, [email protected], 407-353-6228, or call the City of Sanford Parks and Recreation Department at 407-688-5120. More information is also available at _ https://www.facebook.com/CentralFloridaSoapboxDerby/ _ especially photos and flyers.
Here are the results for the 36th Local All-American Soap Box Derby:
Saturday, May 17
Stock
Winners Bracket
First Round
Race 1 _ Elijah Ortiz defeated Aidan VanTuyl, .008.
Quarterfinals
Race 2 _ Adarsh Koneru defeated Emma Meredith, .292.
Race 3 _ Brantley Sykes defeated Rayansh Wakchaure, .162.
Race 4 _ Madison Taylor defeated Bentley Gill, .004.
Race 5 _ Elijah Ortiz defeated Kaylin Keller, .119.
Semifinals
Race 6 _ Adarsh Koneru defeated Brantley Sykes, .134.
Race 7 _ Madison Taylor defeated Elijah Ortiz, .035.
Finals
Race 8 _ Madison Taylor defeated Adarsh Koneru, .134.
Challenger Bracket
Race 9 _ Aidan VanTuyl defeated Emma Meredith, .163.
Race 10 _ Bentley Gill defeated Kaylin Keller, .137.
Race 11 _ Aidan VanTuyl defeated Rayansh Wakchaure, .254.
Race 12 _ Bentley Gill defeated Brantley Sykes, .075.
Race 13 _ Aidan VanTuyl defeated Elijah Ortiz, .133.
Race 14 _ Bentley Gill defeated Aidan VanTuyl, .210.
Race 15 _ Adarsh Koneru defeated Bentley Gill, .178.
Race 16 (5/6 Runoff) _ Elijah Ortiz defeated Brantley Sykes, .117.
Race 17 (7/8 Runoff) _ Kaylin Keller defeated Rayansh Wakchaure, .026.
Championship Round
Race 18 _ Madison Taylor defeated Adarsh Koneru, .105.
Overall
1. Madison Taylor; 2. Adarsh Koneru; 3. Bentley Gill; 4. Aidan VanTuyl; 5. Elijah Ortiz; 6. Brantley Sykes; 7. Kaylin Keller; 8. Rayansh Wakchaure; 9. Emma Meredith.
Super Stock
Winners Bracket
Quarterfinals
Race 1 _ Clayton Carr defeated Christian Myers, .239.
Race 2 _ A’Nyla Byrd defeated Aaron Meredith, 1.197.
Race 3 _ Jaslene Rodriguez defeated Haley Hoagey, .910.
Race 4 _ Erick Richards defeated Rydr Will, .468.
Semifinals
Race 5 _ Clayton Carr defeated A’Nyla Byrd, .022.
Race 6 _ Jaslene Rodriguez defeated Erick Richards, 256.
Finals
Race 7 _ Clayton Carr defeated Jaslene Rodriguez, .054.
Challenger Bracket
Race 8 _ Christian Myers defeated Rydr Will, .127.
Race 9 _ Aaron Meredith defeated Haley Hoagey, 1.550.
Race 10 _ Christian Myers defeated Erick Richards, .088.
Race 11 _ A’Nyla Byrd defeated Aaron Meredith, 1.380.
Race 12 _ A’Nyla Byrd defeated Christian Myers, .155.
Race 13 _ A’Nyla Byrd defeated Jaslene Rodriguez, .196.
Race 14 (5/6 Runoff) _ Erick Richards defeated Aaron Meredith, .109.
Race 15 (7/8 Runoff) _ Rydr Will defeated Haley Hoagey, Did Not Start.
Championship Round
Race 16 _ A’Nyla Byrd defeated Clayton Carr, .085.
Race 17 (if necessary) _ Clayton Carr defeated A’Nyla Byrd, .010.
Overall
1. Clayton Carr; 2. A’Nyla Byrd; 3. Jaslene Rodriguez; 4. Christian Myers; 5. Erick Richards; 6. Aaron Meredith; 7. Rydr Will; 8. Haley Hoagey.
Masters
Winners Bracket
Quarterfinals
Race 1 _ Bryce Sykes defeated Samantha Hoagey, 1.952.
Race 2 _ Logan Webb defeated Keiyara Wimberley, .097.
Semifinals
Race 3 _ Mason Webb defeated Bryce Sykes, .004.
Race 4 _ Logan Webb defeated Chloe Keller, .296.
Finals
Race 5 _ Logan Webb defeated Mason Webb, .034.
Challenger Bracket
Race 6 _ Keiyara Wimberley defeated Chloe Keller, Did Not Start.
Race 7 _ Bryce Sykes defeated Samantha Hoagey, 3.181.
Race 8 _ Keiyara Wimberley defeated Bryce Sykes, .048.
Race 9 _ Mason Webb defeated Keiyara Wimberley, .069.
Race 10 (5/6 Runoff) _ Samantha Hoagey defeated Chloe Keller, Did Not Start.
Championship Round
Race 11 _ Logan Webb defeated Mason Webb, .009.
Overall
1. Logan Webb; 2. Mason Webb; 3. Keiyara Wimberley; 4. Bryce Sykes; 5. Samantha Hoagey; 6. Chloe Keller.
