Evening star., 1950-08-12
Akron Derby Entrants
Relax for Soap Box
Classic Tomorrow
BY Ted Mcdowell
Stor Stoff Correspondent

St1r Stoff Correspondent
AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 12.-ThiS is
relaxation day" for lat Soap Box
Derby champions here for the ALL
American Soap Box Derby. The
big race begins at 2 pm. tomorrow.
Today the boys got their first
opportunity to be with their fam
lilies here. The boys are living at
Derby Town, 127-acre camp site
IL miles from Akron. The par
entS are staying at hotels in town.
The contestants have had a
busy schedule since arriving
Thursday evening. A round of
entertainment has kept them on
the go. This morning special cars
took the parents to camp. Later
in the day the champions were to
receive souvenirs and awards from
Mayor Charles E. Slusser of Akron.
This afternoons schedule in
cludeS luncheon at camp with
some of Akron'S leading citizens
serving. Then come motorboat
rides. Lights-out time is set for
9:45 pm.
The Washington champions
entire family is here to cheer for
Davis Wrinkle tomorrow as he
speeds down Derby Downs, the
specially constructed 975-foot
Derby race course.
The Wrinkle family, which lives
at 4815 North Sixteenth street,
Arlington, is working as a team,
just as it did when 13-year -old
Davis won the Washington Derby
July 8.
Davis mother, Mrs. Noble
Wrinkle, keeps the clan calm and
in good spirits. The father, a |
Rural Electrif1cation AdminiStra-
tion employe, provides technical
advice. The sister Patricia Ann,
IS. helps keep Davis company.
AS Davis and his mother were
flying here Thursday, Mr.. Wrinkle
and Pat drove out. In the car
they carried two-dozen cleaning
rags which Mrs. Wrinkle washed
and ironed so Davis could clean
his car thoroughly before the race.
They also brought box full of
tools and two wooden stands in
which Davis can put his racer
while cleaning it.
Davis used all these items to
good advantage at yesterdays pre-
race inspection. He polished and
cleaned the two-tone green derby
car for several hours.
He spun and fabricated the
wheels for another hour. He passed
inspection. He and his car weighed
Just under the 250-pound limit.
Other boys were less fortunate.
The Baltimore champion, Larry
Bowersox, 13, tipped the scales
with his racer at 252 pounds. He
and his father, Baltimore police
man, ripped two pieces of wood
from the floorboard and cut some
excess from the seat cushion. On
the second try, he hit the $50
mark squarely. HE lost at least
a pound from worrying" said his
mother. !
Derby officials inspected the
sleek, brightly-colored cars in a
shed at the race course. A light
rain was falling and officials were
apprehensive about Sunday. A
question as to what action would
be taken in case of rain tomorrow
went unanswered. That is up to
Myron Scott, the derby director
for Chevrolet. Races during the
13-year history of the derby have
run under dry conditions. Mr..
Scott's only comment was, 1t
won't rain"
One boy was absent as his we'll
constructed black derby racer sped
through the inspection line. He is
Clannie Satterfield, Is, the Dur
ham IN. c. champion. He came
down with mild case Of polio be-
fore leaving Durham. So ne
named his "greasemonkey." Is
year-old Albert Peterson, to pilot
his car in the finals.
The attention Of most photog-
raphers and newsmen was CEN
tered on the German champion,
15-year-old Alfred Haenle. His
aluminium racer is one Of the best
looking here. He is accompanied
by his brother Otto, 81, a textile
salesman from Steinheim, near
Frankfurt, and by Army Sergt.
Aloysius Meehan of the American
constabulary forces in Germany.
Alfred will fly to Washington
Monday for a tour of the city and
visits with Government officials
before he returns to Germany.
Another Alfred-Ashton, that is
arrived last night from Wash
ington. Fourteen-year-old Alfred
is the 1949 Washington Derby
champion. He drove out with
friends.
Davis will race in this first
elimination heat tomorrow against
Lewis Coffman, IA, of st. Cath |