Windsor-Essex Soapbox Derby Association wants to include races for adults

After two years of organizing soapbox races for kids, the Windsor-Essex Soapbox Derby Association is ramping up efforts to host soapbox races for adults.

Scott Windram, who founded the non-profit organization in 2022, said soapbox racing gained popularity in the early 1950s but declined in interest in the early 2000s.

"Our goal is to bring this back, work with kids in STEM, and just have fun," said Windram, during the soapbox derby races at the Belle River Sunsplash festival on Sunday.

Scott Windram founded the Windsor-Essex Soapbox Derby Association in 2022. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

"We're definitely getting them off the computers, out of the house, and into the garage where they are working with their hands."

Each race organized by the Windsor-Essex Soapbox Derby Association attracts about 15 to 20 participants between the ages of five and 16.

"Our daily races start with practice and qualifying races. We take a short break for lunch, then commence with racing and hold award ceremonies afterward," said Windham.

"We're actually working on a framework to bring adult racing into this as well. For a lot of us who have kids racing, we have built our own cars — myself included."

While some participants bring soapbox cars they have made at home, others can purchase a car kit from WESDA "where they just assemble them if their parents are not as handy."

"But we find a lot of people are finding them on Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace," said Windram.

Lacey Keith attended Sunday's races at the Belle River Sunsplash with her family. She said the first WESDA race they attended was in Harrow back in June 2023.

"My dad built a car out of plywood and loose stuff he found. We raced, and the kids loved it," said Keith, who has two sons and a daughter. "Two weeks later, he built another car, and both my boys have been racing here for the last year."

Soapbox derby cars are shown during a racing event at the Belle River Sunsplash festival on July 14, 2024 (Source: Belle River Sunsplash Festival)

While Keith's father handles the design work, her two sons help assemble the soapbox cars.

"Every race, my dad tweaks each car. He'll add weight, change the wheels, get new tires, or add extra air to them. He's made them more aerodynamic over the last year by adding extra panels to the side," said Keith.

"My kids have Mario and Luigi cars, and my daughter wants a Princess Peach cart. So, next year, we'll make her one."