Soap Box racers ready to roll ‘World’s Largest Derby’ of 183 competitors scheduled Saturday in Houlton

Call it the third leg of Maine’s Soap Box Derby quadruple crown.

The Northern Maine Soap Box Derby, billed as “The World’s Largest Derby” by organizers, will turn Houlton into ground zero for aspiring young racers and their families Saturday as 183 competitors, ages 9-16, start heading down Derby Hill at 7:45 a.m.

“This has been going on six years running in Houlton now,” said Northern Maine Derby director Andy Mooers. “At first, I thought it might be an event that would run its course in time, but it just seems to keep picking up steam. I think we look at it now as something that’s here to stay. It’s definitely not a flash in the pan.”

The expected crowd of 2,000 or more onlookers, the presence of 65 dedicated volunteers, and an annual operating budget around $30,000 can certainly attest to that statement. Not bad for an event that started out with 65 racers in 1996. Which gets back to the Derby’s label as the world’s largest.

“The state of Maine’s no slouch either with over 500 registered racers,” Mooers said. “We were the world’s largest last year with 183 racers and with 183 again, I expect we will be again this year, although a place in Texas and another in Fredericksburg, Pa., are trying to take that title.”

The Texas site drew 166 last year, so the competition is getting fierce, much like it will be on the 934-foot race course Saturday.

“It’s intense, but it’s more from the excitement of the kids,” said Mooers, now in his second year as director. “I think that’s what keeps me and the other organizers coming back is seeing the kids get so excited after winning a heat. Watching kids shake hands and get along so well with each other is the greatest thing for me.”

That comes from a guy who has five children and stepchildren involved in Saturday’s race. In fact, it was his daughter Elizabeth’s interest in racing that drew him into the sport.

“My oldest daughter Elizabeth is 16 now and she started when she was 9. All my other kids just kind of followed suit,” said Mooers, whose family’s Soap Box involvement is evidenced by the six Derby cars which are stored at the family farm.

Elizabeth has retired from racing, but Mooers’ 14-year-old daughter Amanda is still active along with sons Alex (13) and Elliot (10) plus stepdaughters Keegan Hovey and Lindsay Hovey. Lindsay has decided to trade the steering wheel for a wrench this year as a member of her sister’s pit crew.

Derby racing involves homemade kit cars which are not self-propelled. They rely on gravity for propulsion. Derby competition involves a multitude of rules and inspectors to make sure everything is uniform.

“We even have the kids race twice and exchange wheels after their first race so nobody has any kind of a technological advantage over the other,” Mooers explained.

Racing is held in two classes: stock, an entry-level class usually involving younger racers (ages 9-12) in which cars are not heavily painted and limited to a total weight (including the driver) of 200 pounds; and super stock, a more competitive division with a 230-pound limit which usually attracts the older racers (ages 12-16)

Don’t let all the rules and regulations fool you, however. The main aim and emphasis is fun.

That’s the main objective,” Mooers said. “The emphasis is not on winning because we feel that everyone is a winner who’s involved.”