Eighth Annual Soap Box Derby Is This Weekend

One week off its usual pace the Greater Los Angeles Soap Box Derby will take place this Saturday, June 2, on the ‘Michigan Hill’ (along the easternmost portion of Foothill Boulevard) in La Cañada.

The annual event was previously staged during the long Memorial Day weekend, but this year was moved to June to accommodate commencement exercises for the Class of 2007 at St. Francis High School, which is adjacent to the hill.

The Derby will be staged from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s the only day of the year when drivers — licensed and unlicensed — can race down the hill with impunity, according to the La Cañada Kiwanis (noon) Club, which sponsors the event.

The race is open to kids 8-17 competing in the stock, super stock and masters divisions, with the winner of each division representing Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kern and San Luis Obispo counties in the 70th Annual All American Soap Box Derby National Championships, held in July in Akron, Ohio.

The day will also feature celebrity races. Slated to appear in those races are Shirley Hingst, president of the La Cañada AM Kiwanis Cub versus Diane Della Valle, president-elect of the La Cañada (noon) Kiwanis Club; and La Cañada Flintridge Mayor Dave Spence against Councilmember Don Voss.

For more information about the Greater Los Angeles Soap Box Derby contact Joel Smith at 790-6418.