Evening star., 1951-08-12
Crowd Of $4,000
Expected TO See
Soapbox Derby
D. c. Entry Spins
Through His Final
Preliminary Test
By Meredith S. Buel
Stor Stoff Correspondent

annual running of the ALL
American Soap Box Derby here.
The big race will get under
way at 2 pm. washington time)
with a weather bureau promise of
a fair day with temperatures in
the high 7O's.
A pleasant day is in keeping
with the tradition of previous
national Derbies as rain has never
marred a single running of the
colorful event.
The 141 city champions from
the United States, Canada, Alaska
and Germany have all passed in
spection of their cars and are re-
laxing tonight at Camp Derby
Town, waiting eagerly for the
starters gun to send the first
three racers along the Derby
Downs speedway,
Sheets Breezes Through.
Don Sheets, Washingtons 15-
year-old representative in the ma
tional championship race, breezed
through inspection today and took
his solo trial run down the fast
975-foot track. The three-laneI
course is about rs feet longer than
the one used in Washington on
Pennsylvania avenue Sc.
The tall, slender youth weighed
in with his racer at 248 pounds,
only two pounds short of the to-
tai weight allowed for boy and
car. Don's inspection and trial
run were to have been completed
yesterday afternoon but when
called up for inspection toward
the end of the day, he was told to
make minor repairs to his steering
mechanism and return in the
morning.
Several other Derby champs
facing the same situation also
passed their inspection today and
made trial runs.
Eager to Meet Celebrities.
Boy, I certainly feel much bet
ter now that know I'm all set for
the race" Don said on his return
from Derby Downs. Il was almost
too nervous to eat, up to now.
But I can't wait to wade into that
food tonight"
Don was particularly anxious to
get back to camp today because
the special Derby celebrities have
arrived in town and spent the
afternoon visiting with the cham
pionS.
Andy Devine, star of Western
motion pictures, radio and tele-
vision, and Ronald Reagan, mo-
ton picture star. are two of the
guests. The third land fourth) is
Ventriloquist Paul Winchell and
his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, popu- |
lar radio, stage and television
team.
The "Oil Can Trophy" race in
which they will compete will have
a new twist this year with four
contestants riding in three cars.
Mr.. Winchell promises that he
and Jerry will ride double.
Special Event Slated.
This special match race will be
run at Derby Downs several min
utes before the start of the Of
ficial derby. These racers are of
considerably larger dimensions
than the boy-built racers. They
are called the Golden Shark,
gaily painted replica of the deadly
fish; the Black Jet, miniature
jet plane on wheels, and the Spiral
Bullet, shaped like an diversified
screw.
Wilbur Shaw, In Indianapolis
speedway racing champion, will
wave the checkered flag at the
finish line. Jack Dempsey won
the 1850 "Oil Can Trophy"
Seventeen bands, led by the
United States Air Force Band, will
play in the parade preceding the
derby. The 85-man Air Force
Band led by 1t. Col. George S.
Howard, director, will give a As
minute concert at Derby Downs
before the parade.
Special top-ranking Air Force
guests are Gen. Hoyt S. Vanden-
berg. chief of staff; Gen. Nathan
F. Twining, assistant chief of staff
and 1t. Gen. B. w. Chidlaw, COM
manding general of the Air De-
tense Command.
Gov. Frank j. LauSche of Ohio
will lead 1000 marchers in the
parade.
Majorettes Catch Eye.
Akron is tingling with excite
ment on the eve of this gravity
powered car race for boys II
through Is. Crowds keep a con-
slant vigilance in front of derby
headquarters at the Mayflower
Hotel seeking to catch a glimpse
of the movie and television stars
staying there.
The winner receives a $4,000
four-year college scholarship.
Washingtonians On Hand.
There are a number of Wash
ington fans attending the race.
The special group that hoverS
around Washington's Derby speed
ster at every possible moment is
made up of Don's two brothers,
Russell, II, and Warren, 20; al
cousin, Stanley Thompson, "a, of |
Vienna, Va, and three close
friends, Allan Halves, 16, of Ar
lington; Bobbie Yates, Is, of Ia
koma Park, and Charlie Buck, II,
of Washington.
Others who arrived tonight tol
cheer for Don in, lude Robert A.
Peck of Arlington, the 1851 Met
ropolitan Area Chevrolet Dealers
derby champion; Bobbie Moore,
13-yar-old Alexandria boy who
won the best upholstered car prize
in this years Washington Derby