Evening star., 1940-07-04
Racing Instructions
And Numbers Go 10
Entrants in Derby
Careful Reading Advised.
Check on Steering and
Brakes Also Urged

Boy drivers of coaster cars who
hope to win the 1910 Washington
Soap Box Derby championship on
July 13 will receive race instruc-
tions and racer identification num-
bers tomorrow.
The letters of instruction with
car numbers for each of the more
than $50 entrants we're mailed from
Derby headquarters in The Star
Building yesterday.
Read these instructions carefully,
and follow them exactly" Zeb T.
Hamilton, Derby director, advised.
IF you are planning to race on
July 13 and don't receive a letter
by Saturday. call Derby head
quarters, at National 5000. Another
letter with final Instructions will
be mailed to you early next week"
Cars to Be Inspected.
The letter of instruction mailed
yesterday told the boys to take
their completed racers to the Chev-
rolet dealer where they registered,
before $50 pm on Monday, july g.
There the racers will be given a
preliminary inspection and then
taken by the dealers to the Randle
Heights School where the final in
spection will be made.
r. On Derby Day, Saturday, July 13,
the boys will report to the quarter
masters tent on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. Sc. near Branch avenue, at
$50 in the morning. There each
boy will be issued an all-steel Derby
drivers helmet and racing jersey.
The first elimination heats will be
started at II am. Inclosed with
each letter was ticket emitting
each entrant to lunch to be served
at the Ryland Methodist Church
on Branch avenue.
Trial Runs Described.
First-hand accounts of trial runs
over the new Derby course on Penn
sylvania avenue SE were given yes
terday over Station WMAL on the
regular Derby radio program at
AIS pm.
o. Gene Bean, II; Bill Jennings, IS,
and Phil Cuny, 12-three of the
drivers who had their cars at the
track on Tuesday-told their i'm
pressions of the new course, and
described how their cars performed
in interviews conducted by Bill
-Coyle, radio director of The Star
and a member of the Derby General
Committee.
Entrants were urged by Mr..
Hamilton to check their steering ar
rangements carefully and to pad
their racers dashboards and the
sides of the cockpit to insure the
maximum of safety.
Deficient Brakes Noticed.
Another important item," he said,
ais to carefully check your brake.
It's just as important to be able
to stop as it is to go. Some drag
brakes I noticed Tuesday were too
short and some were not covered
on the bottom where the brake
drags on the pavement. The rules
specifically say that drag brakes
must be faced with rubber or old
tire treads to give a better grip
when applied One boy I know
used the soles of an old pair OF
tennis shoes on his brake.
"As a whole, however" he said
'the cars seemed to be some of the
best we have ever had entered
in the Derby at Washington. Some
thing tells me that the competition
this year is going to be keener
than ever I have a suspicion that
the Washington champion who goes
to Akron for the national finals is
going to give somebody real race
before new national champion is
declared on August IL.
Polish off your car, boys, and
put everything in first-class work
ing order" he said Then you'll
be ready for Derby Day.
(Wdtch The Star for Derby Mems.