Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-08
Moore Ready
For Soap Box
Race Tomorrow
Washington Entry
Finishes TriuIs With
Others at Akron
BY c. Steed Evons
Stor Stoff Correspondent

BY c. Steed Evons
Stor Stoff Correspondent
AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 8.-Last-
minute repairs and a day of time
trials behind him, Johnnie
Moore, jr., the Districts 15-year-
old Soap Box Derby champion. is
set for the 18th annual ALL
American Soap Box Derby to-
morrow.
Yesterday Johnnie and the
other $50 boys here whizzed down
the 975-foot hill in practice runs.
Unofficial timing indicated last
years record time of PITT sec
onds set by Joe Lund. of Column
bus, Ca, may be broken.
Before the test runs were held,
the boys went through inspec-
ton. Some of them, including
Johnnie, were turned down for
minor faults. Expert advice and
a mobile machine shop, however,
probably will guarantee all of the
entrants will race.
Car Quickly Remedied.
Johnnie was turned down for
a loose weight in the body of his
car and the way his steering
cable was attached to the front
axle. These faults were quickly
remedied.
All yesterday morning, Johnnie
waxed his black No. 146 until he
could see his peach-fuzz beard
reflected in the cars finish. His
car drew favorable comments for
its construction, particularly the
steering. He has geared the steer
ing mechanism so that no road
shock can be felt in the wheel.
Johnnie and his car together
weighed a shade under the legal
maximum of $50 pounds.
AS he went through the various
checking stations. his mother
and father, Mr.. and Mrs. John
B. Moore, 300 Hume avenue,
Alexandria, stood at the rope
barrier around the pits with anx-
iouS looks.
Their worries disappeared
though, when their son knitted
down the green-painted, three
lane track in what looked like
near-record time. No timing de-
vices other than stop watches
were used, however.
Calls Chances Good.
cts a good course except for
the places where the road strips
are joined" Johnnie commented
afterwards. IT think I've got as
good a chance as anybody of
winning"
Official times on the especially
constructed course are obtained
by an electronic device con-
nected to the starting ramp and
a photo-electric eye at the fin
ish line. Three boys race in each
heat.
When he eases up to the start
ing line tomorrow. Johnnie will
be pitted against boys from
Mount Holly, N. j., and CleVe-
land. David Durham, 10. of
Cleveland, said he made a time
of 25.4 seconds on 900-foot hill
in his home town race. Jefferson
Stokes, 13, of Mount Holly posted
a time of 34.4 seconds on his
1,000-foot track. Johnnie won
tho Washington race in 81 Sec
onhs. The Pennsylvania avenue
Sc. hill is 875 feet long.
The winner of tomorrow's clas-
sic receives a $4,000 college schol-
arship to the school he chooses.
Second through fifth places re-
spectively, will receive $4,000,
$4,000, $4,000, and $1,000 schol-
arShips.
Swim and Ping Pong.
Yesterday, at Derbytown,
Johnnie went swimming, rode a
horse, played ping pong and ate
several dishes of ice cream.
He was looking forward last
night to meeting celebrities, in
Guiding Captain Video, Don Anne
che, George Montgomery, Dinah
Shore and Wilbur Shaw. race
driver. The celebrities will visit
Derbytown, a boys camp on the
shore of a lake outside Akron.
With the other boys at Derby
town is the champion of West
Germany, Heinz Martin, IA, Of
Nurnberg. Heinz's car is a silver
colored, all-metal job that looks
fast just sitting still. The Ger
man youth has raced for three
years and is very popular at the
camp, despite language difficult
ties.
Also at the camp is last years
winner, Joe Lunn. Joe has been
giving tie boys tips on how he
won and what not to do while
racing. He wore a brilliant gold
shirt with a diagonal red, white