That’s the way to represent.
The City of Sanford, Central Florida Soap Box Derby and Soap Box International Region 7 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina) capped off another great year with another successful week at the 86th Annual FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship and 19th Annual National Super Kid Classic, held the week of July 14-to-20, at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio.
Race Week got off to a very good start for Region VII on as on Rally Challenge Day (Tuesday, July 16) Alicia Swinderman, who actually calls Rittman, Ohio, home, was runner-up in the Challenge Stock class. But the young lady and her family are well-known to the CFSBD family as she and her family make regular appearances at the Sanford Soap Box Derby Complex in Mike Kirby Park and the past couple of years have created amazing trophies and awards for the March 2-day rallies.
Also placing second was Clearwater’s Alexa Mello, who calls the CFSBD and Region VII home, in the Rally Challenge Super Stock class.
But is was on Saturday (July 20) on Championship Day that both Local and Rally claimed their a share of $36,000 in college scholarships provided by the Bill Speeg Memorial Scholarship Fund.
For Sanford and the CFSBD, the highlight of the week for the second straight year was Oviedo’s Samantha Hoagey, the Sanford Local Super Stock Champion, who followed up with the 2023 Rally Stock Division World Championship with a 3rd Place finish in Local Super Stock.
She was joined in the Top 9 by another pair CFSBD regulars in Sanford Local Masters Champion Kira Hart, who finished 4th in Local, and Logan Webb, who was 7th in Rally Masters.
Another CFSB and Sanford regular, Georgia’s Alyssa Head, was 3rd in Rally Super Stock.
Following the event, a perusal of the final standings saw that a majority of the Top 9 in both Local and Rally had raced in Sanford, usually in the Holiday Rally, in either 2023 or 2024, while Virginia’s Caleb Gilbert, the World Champion in Local Super Stock, was here in 2021 and Colorado’s Ethan Awerda, who won the 9th Annual National Super Kid Classic, did not race here, but two of his siblings did in December.
Here are the Sanford/CFSBD/Region 7 representatives:
Local Stock Champions:
Lyons _ Isaac Pickels (first round win).
Moss Point _ Conner Thompson.
Ocala _ Chase Raas.
Sanford _ Clayton Carr.
Tallahassee _ Axel Brock (first round win).
Local Super Stock Champions:
Lyons _ Taylor Copeland (first round win).
Moss Point _ Elise Amador.
Ocala _ Ayva David (first round win).
Sanford _ Samantha Hoagey.
Tallahassee _ Douglas McAlarney.
Local Masters Champions:
Lyons _ Alexis Head.
Sanford _ Kira Hart.
Rally Stock Champions _ Haley Hoagey; Addison Mello; Maggie Soucey; Madison Taylor.
Rally Super Stock Champions _ Charles Conner; Alyssa Head; Alexa Mello; Aliviya Mello.
Rally Masters Champions _ Noah Gordy; Brianna Scallatino; Corey Walker; Logan Webb; Mason Webb (first round win).
2024-2025 RALLY SCHEDULE RELEASED
The City of Sanford Parks and Recreation Department and Central Florida Soap Box Derby has announced the Rally and Derby Season for 2024-2025 season.
The normal race day schedule at Mike Kirby Park is as follows:
Racing is set to begin at 8 a.m. and the day will consist of a Double Elimination race for each class in the morning, followed by a lunch break and a Single Elimination race for each class in the afternoon.
Soap Box Derby racing is open to children ages 7 to 20 _ Stock, 7-to-13; Super Stock, 9-to-18; Masters, 10-to-20 _ with a limited number of loaner cars available for new participants as well as individuals who wish to make a trial run to see if they would like to participate.
Everyone, especially interested non-racers, is invited to attend any of the family friendly events, free of charge, at beautiful Mike Kirby Park located on the west side of Sanford on Oregon Avenue, north off of CR-46A (25th Street/H. E. Thomas Parkway) or east off of Rinehart Road, just south of the GreeneWay entry. The track is East of Bentley Elementary School.
For more information on Central Florida Soap Box Derby or to download a registration form, please check out the websites at www.AASBD.com or www.centralfloridasoapboxderby.com; 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 is the 2024-2025 schedule:
* September Rally _ Saturday, September 14.
* 2-Day October Rally _ Saturday, October 12, and Sunday, October 13.
* Toys for Tots and Celebrity Race _ Saturday, November 2.
* 2-Day Holiday Rally _ Saturday, December 28, and Sunday, December 29.
* 2-Day March Rally _ Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16, 2025.
* Super Kids Derby _ Saturday, April 12, 2025.
* 35th All-American Soap Box Derby Local Race _ Saturday, May 17, 2025.
