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Stafford County boy wins his division and several other area youngsters compete at 69th All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio Date published: 7/23/2006
By JENN ROWELL Scott Reed of Stafford County has won the masters rally division of the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio. The teenager was among six local racers who participated in the international competition yesterday. Like other rally division participants, Scott qualified by winning points at races in several localities. He's been racing for years. In 2004, he and his sister, Jennifer, both competed in Akron. Jennifer came in third in the stock division that year, though Scott didn't fare so well then. He kept racing, though, and rolled to victory yesterday. Winners in each division receive $5,000 scholarships sponsored by Levi Strauss Signature Brand. Spotsylvania County resident Amber Starcher also made it to Akron as a rally racer. She lost in the second heat of the super stock rally division. "It was a lot of fun," Starcher said by phone from Akron. "It was really hard because it was raining. You really can't do much when it rains." Travis Staples of Fredericksburg competed in the stock rally division, too. Like Starcher, he lost in the second heat. "That's actually really good compared to some other times," he said. Staples raced in Akron last year after winning the masters division in the Fredericksburg race. Win or lose, area racers had a good time. "It was a great race, and I enjoyed being here," Starcher said. "I lost my voice from screaming so much." Other local racers were Candice Smith of Stafford in the stock division; Phillip Snellings of Spotsylvania in the super stock division; and Monica Schmidt of Spotsylvania in the masters division. Smith, Snellings and Schmidt all won their divisions in the Rappahannock Regional Soap Box Derby, The Free Lance-Star Classic, held June 17. The race takes place on William Street between College and Kenmore avenues. To reach JENN ROWELL:
This area cannot begin to imagine the feat that my son accomplished in Akron on July 22,2006.It was a total team effort that all came together that day.All the perserverance and adversity that we had to overcome to climb to the top of the racing world.Only those close to this family can begin to imagine the countless hours that were put in to make this happen and yes,its true ,if it were not for the countless hours of people like Charlie and Arlene Martin this would have never been possible.
Fredericksburg has been the world's largest soap box local for several years. Considering all the local participation, the news of the first area Rally Champion was worthy of better coverage. This youngster earned a true article written on his journey & all local participates deserved a little insight to the differences between soap box & rally champions. With the huge interest in this family sport, FLS missed a great opportunity to really cover this event which FLS annually sponsers!!
I might have overlooked the hurried and muddled prose of this article, but it was more difficult to overlook the lack of substance. We learn very little about the boy who actually won his division and even less about how difficult it was to accomplish such a feat. Instead the article is diluted by an attempt to give equal time to all that participated and as a result we receive almost no real information about any of these children.
I wish you had given us what Scott had to say also info about his family. His Grandfather and Grandmother have traveled with all the Grandchildren over the years to all the Soap Box Derby events and would by a great article for the paper to run. They are Charlie and Arlene Martin of Stafford.
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