The Great Sand Springs Soapbox Derby held in Sand Springs, OK, is an event used to raise money for the Sand Springs (surprise!) Civiton Club, which will renovate a park for special-needs kids. Zebco decided to go in for a pound and managed to score the fastest time through the traps, despite just missing out on a win in head-to-head racing.

They may not have finished at the top of the podium this year, but that's not really the point: it is for charity, after all. We imagine they'll be back next year with a renewed fire in their belly and resin under their fingertips. We wonder how Wert would feel if we took some time for a nice fall fishing trip. Press release follows.

ZEBCO THE TRUSTED NAME IN FISHING REELS BUILDS A GRAVITY RACER TO RIVAL VOLVO.

Zebco Enters The Great Sand Springs Soapbox Derby With A Stunning Example Of Technology And Ingenuity.

What do you do when asked to compete in a local soapbox derby for charity? You make a car worthy of racing against the likes of the Lotus and Volvo gravity cars. Zebco the maker of America’s Favorite Fishing Reel the Zebco 33, called in the troops to design, and build an example of the technologies going into their Quantum, and Fin-Nor lines of fishing reels all after hours and on weekends. The team building the car named themselves the Zebco Skunkworks since the project was kept quiet from the public and race officials until the car was ready for the race.

“This unique vehicle is constructed using a combination of cutting edge design, manufacturing and materials. “The number 63 car began life as a computer generated model developed using Pro Engineer software. After analyzing the race rules, the direction for the vehicle was set as a body on frame design using a three wheel configuration. By measuring the driver’s height, width and vision needs a body envelop was developed. In addition, the objectives of low aerodynamic drag, and simple manufacture were established. These dimensions and specifications were then transferred to the industrial designers to shape the body. The resulting model was rapid prototyped at 1:12 scale, using an Objet Eden machine for visual reference. The files were also, transferred to a plotter. The plotted drawings gave the fabrication team a life sized set of cross sections and profiles from which to begin the body’s construction.” according to Pete Sandretto Lead Engineer on the project.

Using composite materials, an extruded aluminum frame, high end recumbent bicycle wheels, and components the Zebco 63 car was deemed the fastest car at the first annual Sand Springs Soapbox Derby in Sand Springs Oklahoma by everyone who saw it race. The race, over 2 city blocks down Main Street brought out 107 cars made by everyone from engineering students to the average joe. “Zebco raised the bar on this, and next years Sand Springs Soapbox Derby. Hopefully, next year we will see some entries from the local aerospace companies in Tulsa. We put so much into this gravity racer that we would love to take on Lotus or Volvo since their cars inspired the Zebco 63 car.” commented Brad Ruprecht leader of the Zebco Skunkworks team.

Official dates are being set for next years Sand Springs Soapbox Derby, however Zebco is looking for additional competitions they can compete in. There is also talk of a second car pulled from the same body molds but with improved components and an improved tubular frame.

[Zebco]

Soap Box as we know it was discovered by one newspaper reporter Myron E. "Scottie" Scott. The idea of a series struck him as a good way to get some ink into the paper and some money into his pockets after Scottie spotted some aspiring hoons racing their motorless speeders down a hill. Using his camera and words along with some carrots in the form of prizes, Scottie started what came to be and is still known as the Greatest Amateur Racing Event in the World. Early race cars were actually made from wooden orange crates and presumably a soap box, even though no record of such a car exists.

Today's cars themselves are split into three categories. Stock, Super Stock, and Masters. Stock and Super Stock cars must be built with an official kit to make sure the field is level down to the last screw and wire. Masters cars are permitted a bit more leeway but must still conform to national series rules. The Stockers are pointed at both ends. The Super Stockers are more rounded, and the Masters cars are the most swoopy. Car and driver combined weights are 200 pounds for stock, 230 for Super and 255 for Masters.

All the cars run through tech at the beginning of the race to check for atomic reactors or other secret power sources. Each heat consists of two races with one run by each car in each lane. To prevent anyone from using some type of space-age bearings the wheels are swapped from car to car between each heat. You could start the race with some manner of superleggera wheels and sekrit flubber tire compound, but odds are good someone else would cross the finish line with them. Derby officials help reunite everyone with their wheels at the end of the race.

The local Kiwanis Club organized the event and got the Sheriffs to create a detour that blocked off the hill so the kids could turn gravity into velocity. With a pull of the lever these guys were off. By the time they got to the bottom of the hill speeds broke the 30 mph mark! Despite the best efforts at braking by some of the drivers, the Flintsones-style brake sometimes didn't do much good at speed reduction. Piling into the hay bales on the big end of the course made for some cone mowing drama. Even with a post wreck bruise or two, the kids looked like they were having a blast. – Mike Bumbeck

Related:
The Other Wheeled Sport in the Carolinas: Soapbox Racing [Internal]