Evening star., 1938-05-25
SOAP BOX DERBY
-RULESANNOUNCED
Boys Told How to Enter
: Contest for Coaster
Racer Prizes.

Directions to Washington boys on
how to enter The Star-American
Legion Soap Box Derby were an
nounced today by Derby Director o. C..
Holleran.
Boys who want to build and run
their own coaster racers in the derby
should 60 to the nearest Chevrolet
motor car dealer and obtain:
CD The 1888 Official Rule Book
- for the Fifth All-American Soap
Box Derby. This book gives you
minute rules and regulations on
how to build a racing car that will
qualify for the Washington Derby.
(2) Your entrance blank for the
Washington race tentatively set for
July %.
90 The Star Legion
safety pledge which you are to sign
and return to the Chevrolet dealer
together with your entry blank. In
this pledge, you promise mot to run
my derby racer on the streets or
sidewalks in such manner as to
endanger my own safety or the
safety of others"
Boys wishing to enter the derby
should be accompanied to the Chevro-
let dealer by a parent or guardian who
must indorse the registration blank
and the safety pledge, or the proper
blanks may be obtained, indorsed and
returned to the dealer.
Age Limits Are Set.
With this information. boys not
= younger than or older than IS can
start at once in their own back yards,
garages, attics or tool shops to build
"a motorless miniature automobile that
may capture Washington's first Soap
Box Derby championship. The winner
= will be sent to Akron, Ohio, at The
Stars expense to compete in the ma
: tional and international races on
; August IA. And even those who do not
5 win stand a fine chance of capturing
/. valuable prizes.
. The 1888 Official Rule Book will tell
{" Sou CNCl tliiiAS SOu iICCo w h2lo"
about building derby entry, such as:
t Materials you will need and ma
. terials you are not allowed to use.
: Cost of the car, which must not
. exceed $40.
> Specifications and dimensions for
wheels, wheel tread, tires. wheelbase,
. length, width, height and weight.
I Frame and body construction, steer
y ing, brakes, attachments, drivers posi-
: tion, race procedure and inspection of
entries.
= In setting the age limits, national
! sponsors of the Soap Box Derby de-
eided that a boy is not eligible for
> competition if he has passed his 10th
, birthday anniversary on the day of the
; local race.
Two Divisions in Contest.
There will be two divisions, accord
ing to ages, class A for boys 13 to Is
and class B for boys to IL. inclusive
The champion of each class will COM
pete for the title. The date for the
local derby will be announced later.
Mr.. Holleran, director of the derby,
is chairman of the Anericanism Com
mission OF the District Department
of the American Legion, which devotes
much of its program to the training
and development of American youth.
In Just few days, he will name the
members OF committees that will han
die all the minute arrangements for
the derby.
"I have been greatly impressed"
Mr.. Holleran said, "by the fine spirit
of cooperation manifested by mem
hers of the Legion and other Wash
ington organizations toward the Soap
Box Derby. We are going to call on
as many persons and as many groups
as possible to help us in this fine
venture for the boys of Washington.
There has been tremendous number
of volunteers thus far, so there will
be plenty of people to do plenty of
work" But the first thing to do now,
said Mr.. Holleran, is to get the proper
blanks and enter your name as derby
contestant.
3hl 4bollCidA pO4ltCd OuI CLldt
groups of boys, such as Boy Scouts
and boys clubs. may enter racers in
the derby. This applies to American
Legion posts, too," he added.
These boys groups can pitch in
with their work and chip in with their
money and build car for the city
championship race" the derby direc-
tor pointed out I'VE hope to see a
large number of them represented in
the competition"
Mr.. Holleran already has suggested
to Legionnaires that they might Sc
lect orphan boys in Washington and
finance their entry in the derby. The
Washington winner stands good
chance of becoming the national win
ner and obtaining four-year schol-
arship to any American University.
Watch The Star every day for
Derby News)
=