28 youngsters take part in Labor Council event
Eric Barker remembers racing in the Brantford and District Labor Council’s annual soap box derby when he was ‘a few years younger.’
“We raced 30 years ago,” said Barker.
His sons Lucas and Mason Barker kept the family tradition going Monday morning racing in the council’s 66th annual soapbox derby.
“The very first car was painted like the beer Red Dog,” said Eric. “And they’ve been modified since.”
Lucas, who finished second in 2019, painted his own cart blue, while younger brother Mason went with red.
“We had a good crash that year,” Eric smiled, recalling Mason’s 2019 ride.
Racing with ‘Red Dog Racing’ on the back of their carts Monday, both racers won their first few heats.
“It’s nice that they’re doing it again,” said Eric.
Brantford’s 2022 soap box derby, which had 28 participants, had been postponed from May 1 to Labor Day due to rainy weather.
“We got rained out – we got soaked,” said Donna DeGroot, first vice president of the Brantford and District Labor Council.
DeGroot admitted she was a little nervous about the Labor Day weekend weather and a repeat – the forecast showed a 70 per cent chance of rain, however, it did not rain during the derby.
“We’re down a little – we’ve had some years with 40 kids racing, but I think this year it’s up a little from the last one (2019). Usually we run between 30-40.”
Racers were guaranteed two runs down the Icomm Drive track, followed by elimination runs.
Participants aged 12 and under received free dogs, free chips, granola bars, T-shirts, and a goodie bag – and for the winners, trophies.
“We have our (Brantford and District Labor Council) trophies, the Pistol Pushers hand out their own trophies – one for a girl and a boy they feel did the most work on their car – and because we had a new ramp built this year by Speed Syndicate, they are handing out two trophies,” said DeGroot.