Soap Box junket family affair Walkers’ pursuit of Derby glory involves extensive travel

For Kari and Matt Walker, the chance to compete in the 67th All-American Soap Box Derby is special, for there’s nothing quite like coasting down Derby Hill in Akron, Ohio, to those who pursue that goal.

On the other hand, for the Walkers the road trip itself is no big deal.

That’s because the brother and sister from Carmel already have traveled throughout much of the country as Soap Box Derby rally racers who accumulate points at weekend events throughout the year.

In fact, no other Masters division competitor throughout the country has competed in more rally races since the 2003 All-American Derby. The Walkers took part in 78 races, and as a result shared the national top points designation in their class.

Kari won 34 races, while Matt won four, the mininum number of victories required to be eligible for the national top points crown.

Like Ryan Thomas of Hermon, who earned the national top points designation in the Super Stock division, the Walkers earned automatic bids to the Soap Box Derby.

“We’re both so excited,” said Kari, who will be a junior at Hermon High School this fall.

Together with their parents, Galen and Susan, the Walkers logged 34,000 miles on their GMC pickup in pursuit of the national top points championship, traveling as far south as Florida and as far west as Indiana competing in as many as four races in a weekend.

“I like the socializing, it’s just a lot of fun,” said Kari of the appeal of rally racing. “Our parents say it keeps us out of trouble.”

“I really hadn’t been out of the state much before this,” added Matt, a 12-year-old who will be a seventh-grader at Caraval Middle School. “It was great to see some of the country.”

When the Walkers compete in Akron on July 31, it will hold special meaning, as they plan to race in honor of their grandfather, Harold Walker, who died May 1 in Zephyrhills, Fla. Harold Walker and his wife, Jo, have been great supporters of Kari and Matt’s Soap Box Derby efforts.

“Gramp put the number and letters on my car,” said Kari. “A lot of our races have been for him, and we’ll be racing for him out in Akron.”

Other Mainers who amassed enough points in rally races to qualify for the All-American Soap Box Derby were: Super Stock: Nicholas Thomas, Hermon; Tyler Maney, Waldoboro; Dustin Champagne, Fort Kent; Jeffrey Holmes, Houlton; and Joshua Bullock, Newburgh; Stock: Ashley Estrella, Rockport, Nathan Catell, Rockport; Zachary Bullock, Newburgh; and Joseph Holmes, Houlton; Masters: Sarah Radmore, Mexico; Alyssa Radmore, Mexico; and Roger Guptill, Jefferson.

The rally qualifiers will join 10 other competitors who earned their trip to Akron with victories at Maine’s four regional Soap Box Derby events.

They include sisters Krystal Baker and Mandi Webb of Dedham, who earned Masters division championships at different regional meets. Baker, 17, won her title at the Midcoast Maine Soap Box Derby in Camden, where she has competed in that division in 2001. Prior to that she earned trips to Akron in both the Super Stock and Stock divisions at the Eastern Maine derby in Brewer, making her only the second Mainer to qualify for Akron in all three divisions.

Webb, 10, won her Masters title at the Eastern Maine derby, marking the second straight year she has earned a trip to the All-American Derby. She qualified as a Stock division champion in 2003.

Others who qualified for the 2004 All-American Derby through local events are: Northern Maine: Luke Brabant of Chapman, Super Stock; Logan Holmes of Houlton, Stock; Eastern Maine: Devin Secord of Bangor, Super Stock; Jeremy Vroom of Bangor, Stock; Midcoast Maine: Rachele Catell of Rockport, Super Stock; Sarah Bullock of Newburgh, Stock; Southern Maine: Taylor Bartlett of Poland, Super Stock; Cody Douglass of Turner, Stock.