February – News from Salem

Greetings from Salem

The weather these last few days has been beautiful and spring is definitely in the air, which means that race season is almost here. Our first race of the spring session, an NDR Rally is coming up in just 4 weeks, March 20 &21 and promises to be a really fun event. NDR rallies offer eligibility to racers as young as 7 and as old as 20. And with weight limits in Super Stock and Masters slightly higher than AA, if you’ve been growing (or have passed age eligibility in AA) and are having a hard time making weight, you can still race in NDR.

As an added bonus, this spring we are offering a super discounted entry fees of just $20 for past racers and FREE for anyone who has never raced Soap Box Derby before. We’ll be offering trial runs in association cars, as time permits, to kids who are interested in trying out the hill and offering car tuning and building help to new car builders. So come on out and join the fun. Look for some new additions at and around the track to help enhance the race atmosphere and to encourage new participants.

We have some new racers to introduce. Our new Legacy Sponsorship program, founded by past Champions Robie Mossbrucker, 1976 and Tom Parent, 1977, along with the West Salem Boys and Girls Club has chosen Shelby Peterson and Anna Kriedel, both 11 years old, to campaign in Stock this season. They are busy building their cars along with their volunteer pit crew from the Boys and Girls Club and are a very enthusiastic group to work with. We’ll have some pictures soon on our blog of their car building efforts and their great teamwork. Welcome to the great sport of racing girls!

We also want to welcome Maj and Kallan Wehrmeister who have recently relocated to Lake Oswego from Vallejo, CA. Maj represented Region 2 as Stock Rally Champ last year in Akron and is building a Super Stock to rally. Kallan is a first year racer in Stock. So let’s extend a warm Oregon welcome to the Wehrmeister family.

Saturday March 13 we are planning a workday to get ready for the season. We will be checking our equipment, including all the association cars, making some repairs at the track to the sound system and tuning up the association cars. If anyone would like to volunteer to help out please let us know. We also still have a couple of oil can cars that need some TLC so let us know if you can adopt an oil can to make some minor repairs.

For those of you concerned abut the state of business in Akron, things are looking up. As first reported on our blog, http://salemsbd.blogspot.com AASBD, First Merit bank and the City of Akron have reached a deal to restructure debt with the loan guaranteed by the City of Akron. This is great news and bodes well for the future of Derby.

For our out of town racers, we are in the process of finalizing an agreement with the Shilo Inns and Suites of Salem. They are offering our racer’s families a rate of $ 65.95 per night at their facility on Market St. in Salem. Their amenities include free wireless internet service, an indoor pool and spa, and a deluxe continental breakfast. Stay tuned for more details as well as a confirmation code to access this rate for online booking-we’re just a day or two away from getting this put to bed.

Lastly we want to extend a big Thank You to our sponsors, Les Schwab, PrintIt Sign Media, Maaco, Peterson Collector Cars, Hess Design and of course the great City of Salem. The support of these folks is crucial to us and we ask everyone to support them in return.

Jim Youngers-Race Director

And the Entire Board From SSBDA

NDR Spring Opener

Only 4 weeks until race season!

Click image to see full size.

Great news from Akron. The city of Akron, AASBD and First Merit Bank have come to an agreement to restructure debt and save the Derby:

http://www.ohio.com/news/83847457.html

&

http://www.akronnewsnow.com/news/itemdetail.asp?ID=37506&section=news&subsection=localnews&title=Soap_Box_Rescue_Mayor_Says_Yes

The Salem Soap Box Derby Winter Fun Event is next Saturday, January 23, 2010 from 1pm-3pm at the AMF Firebird Lanes, 4303 Center St. NE, Salem, OR 97301. Open to all racers from last year’s Local Championship race and any one who plans on racing in this year’s Local race at no charge. Parents & others may participate... at normal rates. Come on out and join the fun. Please RSVP as soon as possible to Jarritt Youngers; email jarrittyoungers@comcast.net or

(503) 798-0078.

January Newsletter

January 1, 2010

Greetings from Salem,

We’ve got lots of news to share. First off, our website has been completely re-designed and updated. There is a wealth of information for those folks new to racing as well as the veterans; many new pictures, a new “History” section celebrating our six decades of racing and the 2010 schedule is posted. Please have a look and let us know what you think:

www.salemsbd.org

I’m very excited to announce our new Legacy Sponsorship program. Founded by former Salem Champs, Robert Mossbrucker, (1977) and Tom Parent, (1976) the Legacy Sponsorship Program will provide opportunities for underprivileged children, who for economic or other reasons would not otherwise be able to participate in Derby racing. The program also provides opportunities for Past Champions, Racers, Board Members and other former participants to contribute to the Salem SBD Association and the Salem community. As founders of the program, Mr. Mossbrucker and Mr. Parent have each donated a new stock car kit. Working in partnership with the Salem Boy’s and Girl’s Club, participants will be chosen based on need, scholarship and sportsmanship. To find out more about the Legacy Sponsorship program and how you can participate see our website or contact me directly. And remember as a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit any contributions to the Salem Soap Box Derby are tax deductible.

In our efforts to recruit new participants Salem SBD is working on new business sponsorships. We have a couple of new sponsors lined up already and are working out the final details with them. We believe partnerships with businesses will be a great way to bring new racers into the sport and raise our profile in the community. If you have any suggestions or leads for business partnerships please contact us directly.

Also, as part of our recruitment efforts, we are hosting a series of information booths at various locations around town. Each first Wednesday, as part of the “Go Downtown Salem” event we will have an information booth showing off derby cars and passing our flyers. Come on downtown this Wednesday, January 6 and join us.

As I mentioned the 2010 schedule is now finalized. Our Spring Opener will be a NDR rally on March 20-21. The Spring Opener will be a low cost entry fee, only $20 per race for Salem SBD members and will be Free for first time racers. This is a great opportunity to get some track time, test those new setups and get ready for the AA rallies that begin in April, as well as the Local.

Olympia will host their first ever Derby race in conjunction with our friends from Kitsap SBD. Organized by racer Jared Sjolin this is going to be fun race and a great opportunity to introduce our sport to the folks in the Washington capital. Check the website for the complete 2010 schedule.

Many of you have likely heard grim news reports about the state of business in Akron and no doubt these are difficult times. AASBD Chairman Bill Evans has written a letter reassuring us that the 73rd World Championships will be held this summer in Akron. You can read his letter on our blog:

http://salemsbd.blogspot.com/

Only 10 weeks until the Spring Opener race. As mentioned in the November newsletter, please be sure to check out your floorboards. We will be checking floorboards at the Spring Opener race. Out of spec floorboards will not be disqualified for the Spring Opener but will need to be updated prior to the AA Rally in April. Details of the new floorboard policy are posted on our blog:

http://salemsbd.blogspot.com/

Our annual Winter Youth Event will be held Saturday, January 23, 2010 from 1 pm-3pm at the AMF Firebird Lanes, 4303 Center St. NE, Salem, OR 97301. Open to all racers from last year’s Local Championship race and any one who plans on racing in this year’s Local race at no charge. Parents & others may participate at normal rates. Come on out and join the fun. Please RSVP as soon as possible to Jarritt Youngers; email jarrittyoungers@comcast.net or (503) 798-0078.

As mentioned previously we are looking for volunteers to “Adopt An Oilcan Car”. I’m certain most of you have seen, our Oilcan cars are in need of some serious TLC and we’d like to get them all refurbished (and safe) for the upcoming race season. If you’d like to help out (please) and take one home to work on over the winter please let us know and we’ll get you lined up. It would be a fun family project and a great way to help out Derby. We’re hoping to have them all back in tiptop shape this coming season for some fun adult racing action.

Happy New Year from all of us at Salem Soap Box Derby. We are excited about our upcoming season and look forward to seeing you at the track.

Jim Youngers, Race Director

Floorboard Phaseout

As noted previously in our November Newsletter Akron is instituting a floorboard phaseout. We strongly recommend you check your flooorboard to make sure they meet spec. The official policy is below:

As of October 1, 2009:

The following stock and super stock laminated wood floorboards manufactured during the period of 1998 through 2005 will be phased out as follows with a final phase out date of August 1, 2012.

A description of the floorboards and their markings are as follows:

1998: The floorboards that do not have a burn stamp on them. Phase out: Immediately

1999-2001: The floorboards that have a “SBD” burn stamp on them. Phase out: No later than August 1, 2011

2002-2005: The floorboards that have a “SBD/Shield” burn stamp on them. Phase out: No later than August 1, 2012

Additionally, the following shall apply:

Stock Division: If upon measuring, any stock car that is found to have the front king pin greater than 7-15/16” from the front center of the floorboard to the center of the front kingpin, the floorboard is now considered illegal and can no longer be used.

Stock Division: The center of the front king pin to the center of the rear king pin is 61-1/8”,with a tolerance of +/- 1/16”. If upon measuring, these conditions are not met, the floorboardis now considered illegal and can no longer be used.

Super Stock Division: If upon measuring, the front king pin is found to be greater than 5-13/16” from the front center of the floorboard to the center of the front king pin, the floorboard is now considered illegal and can no longer be used.

Super Stock Division: The center of the front king pin to the center of the rear king pin is 63 3/8”, with the tolerance of +/- 1/16”. If upon measuring these conditions are not met, the floorboard is now considered illegal and can no longer be used.

The rationale behind this phase out period is listed below:
(1) Racers were permitted to re-drill their king pin hole in order to install the bushing
(2) Some racers have taken advantage of the opportunity to re-drill the king pin hole
and as a result have moved the hole closer to the rear of the car.
(3) With the above occurring, this has created an unfair advantage to the racers that
installed their bushing properly and are racing with floorboards manufactured after
2005.

Letter from Bill Evans

The Akron Beacon Journal recently published an article about the All-American Soap Box Derby’s current financial condition. This story was picked up by the Associated Press and appeared in several newspapers across the country. We feel it necessary to clarify a few misconceptions it may have created. The story seemed to suggest the Derby, based in Akron, Ohio, is on the verge of collapse. Although our situation is indeed serious, we want to assure our thousands of racers and their families across the country that we are confident support for the Derby is forthcoming. We intend on hosting our Championship Event in July 2010 in Akron, Ohio.

We are working closely with our bank to come to terms on our loan, and we’re aggressively seeking new forms of revenue. After USA Today published its own story this fall about our finances and future plans, we heard from companies and individuals interested in Derby sponsorship. We’re in discussions with some of them now. The actor, producer and director Corbin Bernsen also read the USA Today article. He was so inspired by our organization, he wrote a screenplay with the Derby in the central role. Bernsen plans to shoot part of the film in Akron, including scenes at our annual championship in July when winners from all over convene at Akron’s Derby Downs. Bernsen recently came to Akron to experience the “thrill of the hill” himself and discuss business matters, including a potential licensing fee for the Derby. We have had a groundswell of local support and we have meetings with the bank scheduled to resolve the current situation.

None of this is magic. We need money to keep the Derby dream alive for future generations of racers. We also need money to continue to expand our program into events involving alternative energies and other “green” resources. These sorts of deals take time, but we’re sure the event National Geographic recently called an American icon and SI Kids called the “coolest” will draw the support it needs to thrive.

Build your cars, follow your dreams, and we’ll see you in Akron when the cameras roll.

Sincerely,

Bill Evans
Chairman, Board of Directors
All American Soap Box Derby