SANFORD — Outrunning the storm.
Performing in front of the biggest crowd in memory and keeping the action moving with a storm front moving in, a trio of drivers claimed titles when the City of Sanford Parks and Recreation Department and Central Florida Soap Box Derby hosted their 37th All-American Soap Box Derby Local Race on Saturday, May 2, at the CFSBD Complex in Mike Kirby Park.
The day started as another beautiful Saturday in the park for the large throng of family, fans and supporters, but as the day went on clouds and very strong gusts of wind made driving difficult at times and threatened to blow away some of the tents in the pits, but the organizers were able to fit in all of the races before inclement weather hit the area after the group had moved downtown for the awards ceremony.
In the Stock Division, Bentley Gill, who finished third in 2025, powered his way to the top step of the podium this year, edging Brantley Sykes, who also made great strides after finishing sixth last year, in the final.
Haley Hoagey, the 2023 Sanford Stock Champion, added the Super Stock title to her resume’, outrunning Sanford’s own Madison Taylor, who was the Sanford Stock Division Champion last year. Haley also joined her sister, former Rally Stock World Champion Samantha Hoagey, as two-time Sanford Champions.
In the Masters Division, Mason Webb capped off a 3-year march to the top, bouncing back from an opening round loss to win five consecutive elimination races, to claim the Championship over Bryce Sykes, the fourth place finisher in 2025, who was the last undefeated car in the field, but could not hold off the hard-charging Webb.
As mentioned, the title capped a yearly progression for Mason Webb, who finished third in 2024 and runners-up to his twin brother, Logan, last year.
The victories earned the three Sanford Champions the right to represent the City and the CFSBD at the “Big Go” _ the 88th FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby that will be contested the week of July 11-through-July 18 at legendary Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio.
Following the races, the group moved to Downtown Sanford and the Sanford Civic Center for a banquet and Awards Ceremony where Gill and Haley Hoagey were presented Traveling Trophies sponsored by Mark Ferdinand, the 1977 Junior Division World Champion, and Mason Webb was honored with the Masters Traveling Trophy sponsored by Evan Griffin, the 2002 AASBD Masters World Champion.
Gill (Stock), A’Nyla Byrd (Super Stock) and Bryce Sykes (Masters) were recognized as having the Best Appearing Cars in their respective Divisions, while Mason Webb (Masters) was also tabbed with having the Best Constructed Car.
Another special honor went to A’Nyla Byrd, who 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 Saturday, July 11, when a week of activities begin and be capped by the elimination runs on Saturday, July 18.
Also, after accumulating enough points during the 2025-26 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 July18 during Race Week 2026.
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 37th Local All-American Soap Box Derby:
Saturday, May 2
Stock
Winners Bracket
First Round
Race 1 _ Emma Meredith defeated Sadie Cooner, .112.
Race 2 _ Aaliyah Byrd defeated Aidan VanTuyl, .253.
Quarterfinals
Race 3 _ Bentley Gill defeated Dominick Rodriguez, .294.
Race 4 _ Adarsh Koneru defeated Emma Meredith, .062.
Race 5 _ Brantley Sykes defeated Madsen Cleveland, .035.
Race 6 _ Aaliyah Byrd defeated Kaylin Keller, .015.
Semifinals
Race 7 _ Bentley Gill defeated Adarsh Koneru, .029.
Race 8 _ Brantley Sykes defeated Aaliyah Byrd, .216.
Finals
Race 9 _ Bentley Gill defeated Brantley Sykes, .132.
Challenger Bracket
Race 10 _ Madsen Cleveland defeated Sadie Cooner, .059.
Race 11 _ Dominick Rodriguez defeated Aidan VanTuyl, .073.
Race 12 _ Kaylin Keller defeated Madsen Cleveland, .075.
Race 13 _ Dominick Rodriguez defeated Emma Meredith, .009.
Race 14 _ Adarsh Koneru defeated Kaylin Keller, .072.
Race 15 _ Dominick Rodriguez defeated Aaliyah Byrd, .228.
Race 16 _ Dominick Rodriguez defeated Adarsh Koneru, .010.
Race 17 _ Brantley Sykes defeated Dominick Rodriguez, .083.
Race 18 (5/6 Runoff) _ Kaylin Keller defeated Aaliyah Byrd, .066.
Race 19 (7/8 Runoff) _ Emma Meredith defeated Madsen Cleveland, .038.
Championship Round
Race 20 _ Bentley Gill defeated Brantley Sykes, .217.
Overall
1. Bentley Gill; 2. Brantley Sykes; 3. Dominick Rodriguez; 4. Adarsh Koneru; 5. Kaylin Keller; 6. Aaliyah Byrd; 7. Emma Meredith; 8. Madsen Cleveland. Others _ Sadie Cooner; Aidan Van Tuyl.
Super Stock
Winners Bracket
Quarterfinals
Race 1 _ Haley Hoagey defeated Madison Taylor, .107.
Race 2 _ A’Nyla Byrd defeated Aaron Meredith, .611.
Race 3 _ Sterling Porteus defeated Miguel Nieto, .078.
Race 4 _ Jaslene Rodriguez defeated Erick Richards, .240.
Semifinals
Race 5 _ Haley Hoagey defeated A’Nyla Byrd, .123.
Race 6 _ Sterling Porteus defeated Jaslene Rodriguez, .277.
Finals
Race 7 _ Haley Hoagey defeated Sterling Porteus, .294.
Challenger Bracket
Race 8 _ Madison Taylor defeated Erick Richards, .287.
Race 9 _ Miguel Nieto defeated Aaron Meredith, .186.
Race 10 _ Madison Taylor defeated Jaslene Rodriguez, .088.
Race 11 _ A’Nyla Byrd defeated Miguel Nieto, .223.
Race 12 _ Madison Taylor defeated A’Nyla Byrd, .194.
Race 13 _ Madison Taylor defeated Sterling Porteus, .175.
Race 14 (5/6 Runoff) _ Miguel Nieto defeated Jaslene Rodriguez, .021.
Race 15 (7/8 Runoff) _ Aaron Meredith defeated Erick Richards, .020.
Championship Round
Race 16 _ Haley Hoagey defeated Madison Taylor, .149.
Overall
1. Haley Hoagey; 2. Madison Taylor; 3. Sterling Porteus; 4. A’Nyla Byrd; 5. Miguel Nieto; 6. Jaslene “JJ” Rodriguez; 7. Aaron Meredith; 8. Erick Richards.
Masters
Winners Bracket
Quarterfinals
Race 1 _ Bryce Sykes defeated Christian Myers, .689.
Semifinals
Race 2 _ Keiyara Wimberley defeated Samantha Hoagey, .178.
Race 3 _ Bryce Sykes defeated Mason Webb, .031.
Finals
Race 4 _ Bryce Sykes defeated Keiyara Wimberley, .015.
Challenger Bracket
Race 5 _ Mason Webb defeated Christian Myers, .066.
Race 6 _ Mason Webb defeated Samantha Hoagey, .164.
Race 7 _ Mason Webb defeated Keiyara Wimberley, .047.
Championship Round
Race 8 _ Mason Webb defeated Bryce Sykes, .063.
Race 9 (if necessary) _ Mason Webb defeated Bryce Sykes, .137.
Overall
1. Mason Webb; 2. Bryce Sykes; 3. Keiyara Wimberley; 4. Samantha Hoagey; 5. Christian Myers.
