The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1949-07-18
Rudy Maier, Is, Juneau Boy,
Is Winner Of Soap Box Derby
Classic on Sunday Afternoon

Rudy Maier. l3-year-old driver,
sped over the finish line two
lengths ahead of Glass B winner
Sandy Blanton to become champ of
Juneaus annual Soap Box Derby
Yesterday afternoon. He is the son
of Mr.. and Mrs. William Maier
OF the Loop Road.
Rudy. went on to win the final
race after banging UP his car in
an end -of-the-course accident in
the Glass A finals.
This years champ will follow
the footsteps to Akron, Ohio, Of
his older brother, Frank Maier. who
took the honors in the 1947 racing
classic.
Rudy had a hard time keeping
back the tears when he and his
speedy little Nile green car were
taken back to the judges stand for
the awarding of the trophy after
the big final race. But the champ
driver had had troubles enough
to warrant the tears.
After speeding over the finish
line to beat out Glass A final
contender Leroy (Spunky) West,
the champ driver swerved to avoid
hitting a spectator and ran into a
bicycle. The car was taken to the
service pit where a bent axle was
Strengthened. Greg Ripley, brother
of last years champ racer Justin
Ripley of Sitka. offered the use OF
two wheels to put Rudy and his
car back in the race Two trial
runs proved the car to be in RooC
order and he went into the finals
to win.
35 Racers
Twelfth Street was lined with
spectators to watch the 35 racers
in the three classes of competition.
For Sandy Blanton driver Of the
speedy Hot Rod this years race
was the second heart breaker in a
row. Sandy came through all the
way to the finals last year. also,
ana lost out in the big race for
the trip to the Akron meet. San
dy is the 13-year- son CT Dr.
and Mrs. William Blantor.
Glass G Winner
Joe Abel, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Don Abel, beat out Stuart White
head and his Virginia Express"
for top honors in the Glass c
competition for boys and 10 years
old. The Glass c race is run as a
training race for boys who will en-
ter the major competition when
they become old enough for Class B
and Glass A races.
Keen Competition in Class B
Glass B winner Sandy Blanton
had some stiff competition to beat
in first afternoon races. Harold
Donnelly, Jr., of Sitka raced Blan-
ton in the finals, after out-running
Sam Wagner in the semi-finals.
Blanton beat another Sitka lad,
Nathan Butcher, to move to the
final. Butcher took third spot in
the Glass B race, winning out over
Wagner.
Third Place Winners
Jay Osterman and Donald Dull
who went down to the finals in the
Glass A race, were paired off for
third place with Osterman taking
the race by only few feet.
Eighteen Glass A and IL Glass
B drivers were lined up in their
white tee shirts and red helmets in
he rear of the ramp before the big
race began.
Glass A contenders were: Jack
Gould, Rudy Maier, Jack Rhode
Leroy West, Jr. James Yelling
ton, Robert Kohlhase. Ted lis
dale. Albert Dobers. Mason Beach,
John Richardson, Skipper Museth.
Jay Osterman, Donald Dull, Gerald
Smith, Jerry Kelly, Rudy Ripley
Jim Price, Gregory Ripley and
Jerry Cropley of Sitka
Glass B contenders were; Har-
old Dcnnelly Jr, Of Sftka, Bobbie
Osterman, Clifford Robards, Sam
McPhetres, Sam Wagner, Sandy
Blanton, Edward Dire OF Haines.
Jerry McNeven, Michael Wade,
Wallace Volz, Jr and Nathan
Butcher of Sitka.
Five Glass c competitors were
David McPhetres, David Ramsay,
Stuart Whitehead, Jerry Rosen-
berger, Don Abel and Bohbie Dig.
With cloudy skies, but cessation
of an early morning heavy rain
shower the courses was dry and in
good condition after several days
work by the city to get it in shape
Rotary Club members, of the CO.
sponsoring organization carried the
whole thing off with dispatch and
efficiency. under the general chair
manship of DR.. William Blantcn.
Ellis Reynolds directed hill top OPP
erations with Carson Lawrence as
chief starter and Frank Tillson of