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Fallbrook man enters by Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame

Brian Graham interested in reviving sport in greater Fallbrook area

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

During the Depression, kids scrounged for discarded soap crate boxes in Dayton, Ohio, to create primitive race cars. Now, nearly 80 years later, the activity has become an international sport for youth and a Fallbrook man has been selected as a member of the Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame.

Brian Graham, 66, was recognized last month at the annual "Super Bowl" of the sport in Akron, Ohio. Graham has been involved in the youth program for 25 years, establishing the Soap Box Derby program in Oceanside in 1995.

He served as local race director as well as a board member from 1995 through 2005. He joined the All-American Soap Box Derby's rally commission in 1997, and served as its chairman from 2015 through 2017. He became an assistant regional director in 1998 and has served as Region 2 director since 2014.

In addition, the personable retired handyman and contractor has served as an announcer at races throughout the western states, as well as at the national finals in Akron, Ohio.

However, he hasn't given up his true interest in the program: seeing the youth and families participating and growing as a unit.

"I can't turn my back on what this sport does," Graham said in a recent interview. "It's true Americana."

Racers rely on gravity for power and all the cars are the same – built from kits now – meaning their individual driving skill is the key element to be a winner.

"It's learning how to face challenges and do what needs to be done to succeed," he explained. "Building the car only takes a couple of hours, but the practice runs and traveling to different venues for racing, that's what brings the unit together."

The nearest races are in San Diego on two designated residential streets.

There are still racers in Oceanside, but Fallbrook has not had participation in many years, something Graham would like to change.

"I would love to see it come here," he said, "and would work closely with anyone interested. There was a church that was considering it, but I don't know what's happened."

All it takes is for an organization to become motivated. That's how he became involved 25 years ago.

"I was a member of the Jaycees in Oceanside and someone suggested we sponsor it in Oceanside. They wanted a volunteer and I stepped in," Graham recalled. "My daughter was the right age, too, so we did it together. Some of our trips were so memorable."

Graham's son also became involved, but the senior Graham said his son was too big to race. Instead, he became involved in administrative duties and is still active. In fact, he's also become a regional director.

Graham resigned from one of his roles on the national level but is continuing as a rally commissioner and announcer.

"I believe it's important to give back to the community," Graham said. "The greatest value is to see families work together."

He has made the trip to the national finals in Akron – he calls it the "heartland of America" – for each of the 25 years he's been part of the organization. Through the involvement, he said he's developed a number of close friends.

One of the things he loves is to work with "at risk" youth. He's done that in Oceanside and San Diego, but a special time was in 1997 when Graham worked the Sheriff's Department in Los Angeles for a Soap Box Derby startup in the Watts area. The youth were brought to Oceanside to see a race, and Graham recalls many of them being amazed to actually see the ocean.

"It really struck me because Watts is about 10 miles from the ocean but they had never been there," Graham noted.

The story doesn't end there. About five years ago, an aide for a Los Angeles city council member called Graham, asking about establishing a new Soap Box Derby program. When Graham shared the same story about the Oceanside visit, the aide replied, "I know. I was one of those boys."

Boys and girls, ages 7 to 17, compete in three divisions with the goal of advancing to the annual championship in Akron's world famous Derby Downs, built as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1936. Derby Downs has been the home of the All-American Soap Box Derby for 76 of the event's 78 years.

Derby Downs is a center of activity and interest from the spring through the fall for special events, corporate outings, Derby rallies and local races leading up to the All-American Soap Box Derby in mid-July.

The official track is 989 feet, 4 inches. To obtain the propulsion that produces exciting races, the track's decline is separated into three stages. The first 53.75 feet carry a 16 percent grade, meaning a drop at the rate of 16 feet for every 100 feet. There follows a 6% grade for the next 530 and a two% drop over the remaining 405.5 feet.

The record for the Master's Division was set in 2004 by Hilary Pearson of Kansas City, Missouri, with a time of 28.24 (2004).

In the Ultimate Speed Division, the record was set in 2011 by Sheri Lazowski of Aurora, Oregon, with a time of 26.585.

"With all the cars standardized, the onus is on the driver," Graham said. "Daddy can't go and get something special done to the car with money. It's all about learning your car, and not the dollars. The biggest difference is developing your techniques and weight locations.

"Sometimes you lose, but you learn and grow. This isn't a drop-off sport. The parent is needed. There's growth and maturity that comes in dealing with life's inconsistencies."

Graham added that it's really a safe sport, with most courses letting the driver reach 15-20 MPH maximum.

"We've had drivers who have gone on to become designers, engineers and even astronauts," he added. "And, yes, some race car drivers, too."

For information about establishing a Soap Box Derby program in the Fallbrook area, email Graham at [email protected].

 

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