Locals fare well in Soap Box Derby
Aug. 21—One year of Soap Box Derby racing has come to a close, but another is just getting rolling as the race season is a year-long passion for participants.
Cayson Hayes, 14, of Conneaut, finished second, by .005 of a second in the finals of the local Master's division at the All American Soap Box Derby in Akron in late July.
Hayes is part of a long line of soap box derby racers including his brother, Thane, 20, and their father, Travis.
Two divisions have been created at championship weekend with local regional champions competing against each other for a championship and "rally" qualifiers facing off in a different bracket.
Thane competed in the "rally" division and finished fourth in Akron. Cayson also won the national championship in 2017 and 2018 when the family lived in South Carolina.
Travis competed from 1985-93 and has worked with his children in the Soap Box Derby for many years.
Two Conneaut regional winners have won the Akron national race, including Tim Scrofano, who appeared on the Jay Leno show after his victory in 1996, and Alexis Rhodes, who comes back to assist in the Conneaut regional every year.
Travis Hayes said Cayson competed in the final heat four times, including winning the race in 2017 and 2018.
Three other local residents qualified for the Akron event, including Bella Welton, of Ashtabula; Jenna Wolfe, of North Kingsville, and Tristan Hall, of Conneaut.
The five Akron qualifiers were joined by Bridget and William Speidel, of Rock Creek and Kooper Newhart, of Pierpont Township, Conneaut Regional Soap Box Derby spokesperson Kelly Welton said.
She added Ohio and West Virginia make up a Soap Box Derby Regional that had a competition in early August to conclude the 2022 season and start a new one.
"They take the top two in each regional," Welton said.
The season is as busy as each family wants it to be.
"A lot of them will take a break and start racing in the winter," Welton said.
The "rally" race season allows competitors to reach the national event in Akron by scoring points at races throughout the year.
Travis Hayes said to make it to Akron, racers used to have to win a regional, but now people can earn a shot by racing regularly and having success at the rally races.
