| The Soap Box Derby is a relatively new
event in Nevada City, begun in 2011 to raise funds for Pioneer Park
improvements while having barrels of fun. In this third year
lessons learned in the first two years resulted in a smooth-running
event. The course is just under 2000 feet long on Nimrod street
as shown in the map below. Hay bales lined both sides of the street for
safety, and the entire east side of the street was open for spectators.
The west side of the street is private property.
Pictures on these three pages are in the
order in which I took them, starting at the finish line for Heat 1
watching the cars being towed up (all of them, by about 5 volunteer
small utility vehicles) and then watching them zoom down, the
speedsters at more than 45 mph. Then I went to the pits to see the cars
before they were towed up for Heat 2. About 40 cars entered the
derby and 33 cars finished.
During Heat 2 I climbed up from the
finish line to the start line, taking in the fun and flavor of the
event as I went (including a beer at the NC Chamber of Commerce
tent). I snapped a couple pictures to confirm that much better
car pictures can be taken just after the start when the cars are going
slow.
By the time I got to the start line cars
were being towed up for Heat 3. There were a few photo
opportunities with the cars lined up along the side of Nimrod St.
waiting for the remainder to arrive. By then my 82-year-old body was
hot and tired, and I had some shopping to do in town, so I left just
before Heat 3 began. Oh to be 70 again!
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