38 soapbox racers get behind wheels of cars

Some adults would cringe at the thought of racing down a street in a wooden box with wheels.
But it's a blast for many kids, including the 38 racers at the annual Moose Jaw Soapbox Derby Sunday.
"This is one of our biggest races we've had. It's usually 28 to 30 (racers)," said Queen City and District Soapbox Racing vice-president Don Brooks. "We've got a lot of new racers here today, maybe a dozen first-timers."
The youngsters competed in junior and senior divisions along Alder Avenue Sunday morning. The sloped street was blocked off from traffic and residents pulled chairs out to the sidewalk to watch the event.
Breanne Brooks - one of four Moose Jaw racers competing - said one of the biggest draws of soapbox racing is that any kid can do it.
"Whenever you go down, you just have to believe you can do it," said the 14-year-old. "You don't need any special skills or anything. You just go down and try to win."
But Brooks still remembers her first race three years ago, admitting that she was a bit nervous.
"Yeah, it was really scary," she said of the Saskatoon event. "We had to stop the race every now and then because they had buses going through."
The Moose Jaw derby is in its 23rd year under Queen City Racing. Racers came from around the province and as far away as Winnipeg to participate.
With the number of participants up, Brooks was asked what draws the youth to the sport.
"Competitiveness, I guess," said Brooks. "And it's pretty intriguing (for them) to have their own little car to drive. Like when you or I first drove a (motor) vehicle, it was pretty thrilling. It's the same thing, just in a smaller version."
He also speculates that the experience could help the youth become better motorists one day.
"For them, going from this to a motorized version is going to be a lot easier to handle," said Brooks. "It teaches them a lot of things, (such as) responsibility for that vehicle. I think it's good for little kids."
With no major injuries in 23 years, safety is a focus, and the racers are told to stop if anything goes wrong.
"You can run that race again," said Brooks. "Safety is most important."

Taylor Lambert can be reached at 691-1260.