A Run Down Alder Avenue Photo Story

Photos and Text by Robert Thomas

On Sunday the 34th annual Moose Jaw Soapbox Derby was held with 21 racers taking part. The race was put on by the Moose Jaw and District Soap Box Racing Club.

Speeds hit up to 40 kms per hour as the gravity driven cars propelled soapbox racers down Alder Avenue NE.

Follow our photo story from the start to the finish of a run.

A soapbox derby driver waits patiently for the race to start - MJ Independent photo

A soapbox derby driver waits to be pushed up into the starting machine - MJ Independent photo

A soapbox derby driver receives a tap of confidence on his helmet just prior to the start of a race - MJ Independent photo

Only the helmets of two soapbox derby drivers stick up as a week in the pit area - MJ Independent photo

The name of one of the soapbox derby cars says it all - MJ Independent photo

A soapbox derby driver watches as her cart is lifted in the pit area and is being taken to the starting area - MJ Independent photo

A soapbox derby driver waits to get inside her car as it about to be pushed into the starting blocks - MJ Independent photo

A soapbox derby driver sit in his car in the pit area as minor repairs are performed - MJ Independent photo

A driver waits patiently in the starting blocks for the race to begin - MJ Independent photo

The race is on - MJ Independent photo

A soapbox derby driver just after starting the race… - MJ Independent photo

…and then heads calmly down the course - MJ Independent photo

A John Deere sponsored soapbox derby car has a slight lead on the McDonalds restaurant sponsored car - MJ Independent photo

The crowd watching the event was largely a family based one - MJ Independent photo

Bumper to Bumper’s soapbox derby car was nose to nose in this run - MJ Independent photo

L-Evil Knieval has a sizeable lead in this race - MJ Independent photo

Constable Jayme Hoffman from the Moose Jaw Police Service shows one of the children near the finish line how to clock the soapbox derby cars. The cars were clocked regularly travelling 37 - 40 kms per hour - MJ Independent photo

A pair of soapbox derby cars just after crossing the finish line - MJ Independent photo

Two cars compete right to the end of the course after crossing the finish line- MJ Independent photo

A friend chases down a soapbox derby car as it slows down after completing the race - MJ Independent photo

Race official Ernie Penney points to where he wants a soapbox derby driver to steer his car at the end of the race. Penney first worked at the annual event 26 years ago - MJ Independent photo

A soapbox derby driver starts to disembark his car after his run down Alder Street NE - MJ Independent photo

While one soapbox derby driver literally did the happy dance in celebration after finishing his run - MJ Independent photo

A member of the pit crew wheels one of the soapbox derby cars to the trailer rack to take it up the hill for another run - MJ Independent photo

The pit crew loads the soapbox derby car in the trailer to take it back up the hill for another run - MJ Independent photo