Schuylkill County racers, in Ohio, prepare for All-American Soap Box Derby

Jul. 19—Derby racers from Schuylkill County look forward to competing against more than 300 fellow racers Saturday at the national soap box derby.

Jayden Moyer, of Pottsville, masters division; Ryan Examitas, of Shenandoah, super stock division; and Gavin Lutsky, of Palo Alto, stock division — winners at May's Pottsville Area Soap Box Derby — are set to compete in the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio.

The racers arrived in Akron on Sunday and are spending the week at preliminary races and social events, enjoying downtime in the city ahead of the big race.

"We're proud of them, no matter how they do," said Barbie Womer Carroll, president of the Pottsville derby. "We wish them the best of luck."

The competition will consist of a series of single-elimination heats for the three divisions.

Races, which start around 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Derby Downs, will be livestreamed on the All-American Soap Box Derby's YouTube channel at youtube.com/@aasbdorg.

The racers spent their first day in Akron preparing their vehicles and took them on test drives.

On Monday, they marched alongside fellow derby racers in a parade in downtown Akron, which was followed by a welcome ceremony.

Tuesday was the AAA Local Challenge, a single-elimination, three-phase race in which local champions raced in all three lanes.

Racers are currently enjoying downtime and exploring the city, as Wednesday and Thursday are free days for local division champions.

Friday will be dedicated to checking cars and making final adjustments before the races, which will begin Saturday morning and continue through the afternoon.

The most seasoned Schuylkill County racer is 13-year-old Jayden, who has competed in all three divisions at the Pottsville derby since 2016. This is her first year in the masters division.

Soap box racing runs in her family: Her older sister, Jasmine Moyer, competed in super stock this year, while her mother, Angie Moyer, raced in the stock and super stock divisions in the 1990s.

Angie is proud of her daughter for advancing to the national derby.

"It's something I always wanted to experience, as well, when I was a kid," she said.

Jayden said she is trying to stay optimistic after having suffered a mishap during a test run Sunday. While driving down the track, a cable in her car became pinched, which made it difficult for her to steer and caused her to strike a guardrail.

"I'm still kind of nervous, but I'm happy I made it this far, to be able to compete," she said. "But if I win, that would be awesome."

Ryan, 14, said he has had a memorable experience in Akron thus far.

Although he fell short of his goal at the local challenge, finishing in third place in his series, he is determined to learn from his mistakes and perform at a high level Saturday.

"It's been a good experience so far, and I've learned a lot of things over the last couple days," Ryan said.

At the competition, he will race the "Joe Cully Special," a car built specially for former Pottsville derby director Joseph C. Culley.

Ryan used the Special in his derby debut last year, grabbing second place in his division.

Gavin, 12, said he has enjoyed spending time in Ohio with his family. They have spent downtime visiting attractions, such as the Akron Zoo and A Christmas Story House in Cleveland.

He feels confident about his chances in Saturday's races.

"I feel good about it," he said.

The divisions refer to the design of the car as well as different weight and age classes.

Stock drivers must be between 7 and 13 years old, with the combined weight of the driver, car and wheels not to exceed 200 pounds.

Super stock cars are slightly heavier, and drivers must be between 9 and 18 years old.

The masters division, meanwhile, has a larger, more enclosed design and is for more experienced 10- to 20-year-old drivers.

In 2018, Bradeyn Ditzler, of Port Carbon, won the masters title at the All-American Soap Box Derby.

To date, he is the only racer who qualified from the Pottsville Area Soap Box Derby to win a world title; a homecoming parade was held in his honor.

Contact the writer: hlee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6085