Evening star., 1939-08-13

Soap Box Champions
10 Battle Today for
National Title
D. 6. Youth Makes
Fust Time in Test
Run at Akron

foSt lme IN est
Run at Akron
By GEORGE HADDOCK,
Star Star Correspondent.
AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 12.-Under-
meath . blistering sum reminiscent
Of Derby day in washington, Carl
Cederstrand. 1899 coaster champion
from the Nations Capital, sped
down the concrete track today In 4
test run at Derby Downs, where to-
morrow he and 1l3 other youngsters
will compete for the all-American
Soap Box Derby championship.
Carl was timed unof1cially over
the course in few tenths more than
% seconds-fast travelling for
1,200-foot distance when the only
motive power Is gravity.
Inspecting the wheels of his racer
after the test run, Carl said he
hoped to squeeze out little more
speed in the actual elimination races
on Sunday.
II didn't even think I was NOV
ing" he complained. But his time
today was more than six seconds un-
der his time at Washington over q
course about the same length. Here,
however, the track is very smooth
and the hill is considerably sleeper
for several hundred feet.
500 See Test Runs.
A crowd of approximately 500
Derby "rail-birds" watched the test
runs Of the youngsters, each one
of whom is addressed as champ"
by practically every one he meets.
Cliff Hardesty, II, of White Plains,
N. Y, first boy down the track, ran
into trouble at the bottom and
turned over after passing the finish
line. He appeared only to be shaken
up, however, and his car was not
damaged badly.
Carl, who is u, and the other boys
were to get plenty Of rest tonight
IN preparation for the big event to-
morrow. They are to leave the hotel
at noon, wearing white trousers
and their new blue and white satin
racing shirts. At the track they
will be issued shiny steel helmets
and goggles. which they will be al
lowed to keep.
At 2 pm. the first heat will get
under way as three boys flash down
the slope. AS they pass under an
ovarhnod hrid0e at tho Roi.l I~>
the winners time will be recorded
automatically and a picture taken
with photo-finish equipment.
Flanking each side of the finish
line are grandstands, seating $4,000
persons, and other thousands an
nually line the course on up the
hill. A loud speaker system is
rigged to keep the spectators in
formed about the progress Of the
eliminations.
Finals to Be Broadcast.
For those not at the track the
finals of the race will be broadcast
over the National Broadcasting Co.
and Columbia Broadcasting System
networks. The finals are to be run
between 5 and $50 pm.
After the race the contestants will
60 to the champions banquet at the
armory, where prizes will be distrib-
uted to all.
The boy who wins the all-Amer-
ican championship will receive the
top prize, Of course, and his award
will be a $4,000, four-year scholar.
ship to school of his own choos-
ing, donated by the Chevrolet Motor
Co., sponsors of the amateur event
with newspapers throughout the
country. In addition the champion
will receive the M. E. Coyle Trophy
and a gold medal set with diamonds.
No boy will 60 away empty-hand-
ed, however. At the banquet each
youngster will be given a gold wrist
watch for participating in the race,
no matter how or where he fin
ished.
Other prizes besides the winners
include a master de luxe Chevrolet
sedan, a trophy, and q silver medal
set with rubies to the second-place
winner; a midget motor car, q tro-
ply and bronze medal with sap
phire settings to the boy who nm
ished thiNd; midget motor car
for the fburth-place winner, who
also receives trophy and a bronze
medal, and trophies and bronze
medals to the lads who place fifth
and sixth.
Special Race for Places.
This year, fourth. fifth and sixth
places will be determined by q race
run among the boys who finish Sec
ond In the three semi-final heats.
The winners of the semi finals, Of
course, will go to the all-American
finals.
Each year, the boys who come to
Akron have fine time, and the
event has grown to be ar outstand-
ing amateur spectacle since its be.
ginning in 1884. The youngsters
race against fast competition, meet
celebrities and are entertained In
the town where they are practically
kings for the duration of their stay.
Yesterday, for example, Carl met
Wilbur Shaw, winner of the 500.
mile race at Indianapolis and spe-
cial guest at the Derby this year.
A few minutes later he met Harry
Hartz, another famous racing driver,
who will be chief starter at the
races tomorrow.
Carl, however, like most Of the
other boys, retains his balance
throughout the dizzy pace set. With
his car successfully past the rigid
insnecti0n Carl and HE fA1Inu,