Soap box racers in Geneva try to qualify for national championship
The third annual Geneva All-American Soap Box Derby was held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in downtown Geneva to determine who would go on to the national championships in Akron, Ohio.
Ten boys and girls, ages 7 to 13, from the area competed in gravity-powered cars. The winner was Mikey Racanelli of Forest Park.
"I just think that it is a great sport," said Race Director Stan Iglehart. "I love doing it for the kids. I see the kids racing and see that they are having a lot of fun.".
Soap Box Derby is a youth racing program that has run nationally since 1934. There also was a Superkids race Saturday for boys and girls ages 7 to 18 with special needs.
Heather McCollim of South Elgin said the family had difficulty finding a sport that her daughter, Aviana Rain McCollim, 7, who has autism and epilepsy, could participate in, but the soap box race welcomed them.
"She has caught the bug. She comes from a long line of racers and she's carrying on a history of racing in my family," Heather McCollim said. "Her goal in life is to beat her grandfather. She wants to get a trophy to beat him."
Visit genevasoapboxderby.info for details.