Racers speed down the track at soapbox derby

Racers from multiple states competed in sleek, gravity-powered cars during the Greater Chicago Soapbox Derby Saturday at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton.

Boys and girls age 7 and older raced in pairs, descending a slope at the start then continuing down a track that ran the length of the building. There were two categories of racing — stock and super stock.

Leslee Butler of St. Charles, treasurer of the Greater Chicago Soapbox Derby, said there is a big sense of community among participants.

“A lot of them are coming not just for the racing but for the social aspect,” Butler said. “These kids are making lifelong friendships as well as learning the engineering principles and physics principles that this type of racing offers.”

The soapbox derby continues Sunday and is open to the public.