News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Jim Youngers and Paul Sadler support young drivers like Makayla Sadler.
Makayla Sadler has that "need for speed" - and she has fulfilled it on the Soap Box Derby track.
The 11-year-old Sisters girl is the 2011 Salem Stock Local Champion, and next weekend she'll be one of some 35-40 racers running in the Sisters Mountain Rally at Sisters Eagle Airport on Barclay Drive and Camp Polk Road.
Soap Box Derby is gravity-powered racing for youth in cars that can hit speeds up to 35 mph.
"I like it when the tracks are faster because it's more fun," says Makayla.
The Sisters racer first saw Soap Box Derby racing on TV.
"I said it looked cool and my dad asked if I wanted to race, because my grandpa raced when he was a kid," she recalled.
Racing proved just as cool as it looked, and Makayla has a real knack for it.
"You have to be a good driver because on some of the tracks you have to steer and some you have to hold it straight," she explained. "You have to know your car ... you have to be able to tell if you like your steering loose or if you like your steering tight."
Makayla's dad, Paul Sadler, notes that the sport "is very family-oriented. It has to be; it takes more than a kid to race a car."
Moms and dads help build cars, load cars and set them up.
"We set the cars up a little different for different tracks," he explained.
Successful racers know their car, set it up properly for the conditions and are adept at "reading the ground" of the track. They also take very good care of their cars.
"These kids take their cars extremely serious," said Paul. "It is their pride and joy. (Makayla's) heart and soul is in that car."
Jim Youngers of the Salem Soap Box Derby Association noted that the activity also places considerable emphasis on sportsmanship. While competition is keen, the race is always concluded with a handshake.
"I think you'll be really impressed when you watch these kids come Saturday," Youngers said.
The Sisters Mountain Rally is an All-American Soap Box Derby-sanctioned rally race, which means drivers like Makayla can recruit points toward qualifying for the championship races in Akron, Ohio, which Paul said "is the Olympics for these kids."
Makayla qualified last year through her win at the Salem championships and she plans to head back again. She also dreams of NASCAR, which is not surprising, given that many NASCAR drivers started out in Soap Box Derby.
Cars may be available on a first-come first-served basis during the Sisters event for kids who are interested in giving racing a try.
The Sisters Soap Box Derby race is scheduled for September 29-30 at Sisters Eagle Airport. For more information contact Jim Youngers at 503-798-8140.
During the event, Sisters Eagle Airport will be hosting their first-ever open house. Hangar doors will be open from 1 to 4 p.m.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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