Kar Derby returns to Brandon streets

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This article was published 05/06/2023 (1196 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Local soap box racers endured scorching heat this past Saturday to compete in the 34th Kiwanis Kar Derby, an event that hasn’t been held in Brandon since 2019.

Despite such a lengthy gap in activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s competition attracted nearly 70 participants aged 8 to 14, who spent the morning and afternoon showcasing the speed and superior steering their homemade, motorless soap box cars were capable of.

After five grueling hours of racing on a hill located just north of Rideau Park, competitors Elexiss Wilson (category eight to nine), Jackson Esler (10 to 11) and Blake Peterson (12 to 14) emerged at the top of their respective age groups.

The Kiwanis Club of Brandon also gave out trophies to Ryder Morris (eight to nine), Beckham Morris (10 to 11) and Idress Saban (12 to 14) for achieving runner-up status in each of these age brackets.

Right before entering the winner’s circle, Peterson told the Sun he is happy to go out on a high note, since this is the last year he will be eligible to participate in the Kiwanis Kar Derby.

“So it was honestly really fun to come back here and get first place,” the 14 year old said, having competed in past derbies before the three-year hiatus.

For this year’s contest, Peterson was also excited to get behind the wheel of his uncle’s old box car, which was designed to look like a vintage Ferrari Formula One racer.

Legacy box cars was a running theme amongst the top winners of this year’s derby, with the Esler family having raced in this same Boston Pizza-sponsored contraption for several generations.

“Everyone else got it close, up to second [place],” Esler’s dad Dean told the Sun on Saturday. “But Jackson’s the first out of five kids to win the whole thing in the family. So we’re very proud.”

Jason Wilson was similarly thrilled with his daughter’s performance over the weekend, since this marked Elexiss’ first time competing in the Kiwanis Kar Derby.

Despite this inexperience, Elexiss was able to expertly handle Flynn Canada’s sponsor box car, which consists of a traditional wood frame covered in waterproof material the company uses for its roofing projects.

“It’s been in our company for quite some time now. We put it on hiatus for a little while because of COVID and stuff,” said Wilson, who serves as a project manager for Flynn’s branch here in Brandon.

“This year we brought the car out of retirement, blew an inch of dust off of it, greased her up and away we went and won it. So this young girl has done wonderful for us, for the company and for herself.”

Speaking to the Sun after Saturday’s awards ceremony wrapped up, Kiwanis Club of Brandon president Tony Reid was relieved that this year’s Kar Derby went off without a hitch, since it took a lot of work to revive this event after such a lengthy gap in competition.

“It took a while to bring it back to life again,” Reid said. “Because after three years it’s hard to find sponsors and all that. But luckily a lot of our sponsors came through and we pulled it off.”

Reid also reminded the Sun of the Kar Derby’s fundraising angle, where all of the money raised from competitor entry fees and concessions will be invested right back into the community.

One of the most recent examples of the Kiwanis Club’s successful fundraising projects is the Louise-Laurence Accessible Playground and Park, which opened in the city’s east end last fall.

“Brandon really supports the Kiwanis Club and we really appreciate that,” Reid said. “It’s a good thing.”

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @KyleDarbyson