Novice wins Soap Box Derby

Kristie Daubert, 9, of Wellington, is headed for Akron, Ohio, to compete in the National Soap Box Derby. She took first place honors on June 19 in the Fort Collins All-American Soap Box Derby, a competition open to boys and girls ages 9 through 16.

It was her first year of competition, and the only person to beat her all day, out of 21 competitors, was her brother Brandon, 11. In fact, Brandon outraced her during the first round and Kristie had to work her way back up in the consolation brackets. Brandon ended up with fifth-place honors.

During last year's derby, the children's grandfather passed away, so both youngsters wrote "In memory of Grandpa Haine" on the sides of their cars this year. The family is from Indianapolis, Ind., and their grandfather was an avid racer. Their mother, Janet Daubert, has always been interested in cars and encouraged the children to enter the Soap Box Derby.

Kristie was sponsored by Fort Collins Truss. Owners Mark and Terry Weishaup, who live in the Waverly area, purchased the car kit, and Mark's brother Matt helped Kristie put the car together. In Soap Box competition, car and driver must weigh exactly 230 pounds, so considerable weight had to be added to Kristie's car. The cars are powered by gravity on a sloping course, which ran along Centre Avenue in Fort Collins this year.

The Eyeopeners Kiwanis Club, which sponsors the local derby, gave the family $600 to help with expenses for the Ohio competition, a week-long event in late July. Kristie will be accompanied by Matt Weishaup, her mother, brother and older sister Stephanie.