Roads are clear for this year's Soap Box Derby

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Anyone hoping to test their speed down Grant Street Hill or interested in trying out a new activity, this might be the year to sign up for the June 15th Greater Lafayette Soap Box Derby.

The derby leadership officially got approval to use the roads for this year’s derby after West Lafayette’s Board of Public Works and Safety approved the closure of several roads.

The streets were Grant Street from Forest Hill Drive to Dodge Street, Leslie Avenue from Hayes Street to Leslie Court, and Meridian Street from Hayes Street to Smiley Street will be closed on June 8 for the competition’s practice day and June 15 for race day.

The roads will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., but organizers are expecting roads to be cleared by mid-afternoon.

For anyone interested in racing in this year’s derby, they can register at the Greater Lafayette Soap Box Derby. Individuals who pre-register and pay their registration fee online before April 30 will receive a $10 discount. The registration fee is $50 which includes one free Greater Lafayette Soap Box Derby T-shirt for the racers. Additional shirts will cost individuals $15.

For anyone looking to register, the four different divisions are determined by the racer’s age and experience driving soap box cars.

Kids who have never participated in a derby or are between the ages of 7 to 13 years old should register for the stock division. At this division, cars should weigh approximately 70 pounds and combined with the driver’s weight not exceed 200 pounds.

Kids between the ages of 9 to 18 years old and are around 6-feet tall and 150 pounds, should register for the super stock division. The car should weigh approximately 73 pounds and should not exceed 240 pounds when including the driver’s weight.

Racers who are experienced at driving Soap Box cars and are between the ages of 10 to 20 years old should register for the masters division.

At the masters division, cars are designed to be driven in a lay-down position and the combined weight of the assembled car and the driver shall not exceed 255 pounds.

The last division is the super kids division, which focuses on providing children with disabilities between the ages of 7 to 18 the opportunity to race at local events.

Those wanting to register for this year’s event, organizers give racers the option to use a car owned by the Greater Lafayette Soap Box Derby or the option to purchase and build their own.

For those having trouble building their cars, organizers will host two car clinic sessions, from 6 to 9 p.m. on May 13 to 15 and May 22 at 445 Morland Drive in Lafayette.