Nelson is going car crazy as the Queen City Cruise comes to town, but there won’t be just classic cars on the streets. Soap box cars will join the action on Friday.
“Last year there was a guy who converted a GT racer and he won,” said the soap box derby organizer Lisa McGeady. “Another entrant converted a keg into a soap box and that was pretty fun. Another guy who is a mover in town converted his moving dolly.”
This is McGeady’s second year organizing the event for the Nelson Business Association, and since she began it’s become a family affair.
“My son built his car last year and he’s in the process of building one with another friend this year. He made it out of wood and old bicycle tires and skateboard wheels, and whatever else he could find,” she said.
In addition to friends building and racing their cars, McGeady said fathers and sons team up to build cars for the race.
The derby gets started at 4 p.m. on Kootenay Street.
“There are teams of four people (a driver and three pushers), and so the drivers do a couple of trial runs. Last year I think most people did about two, and then whoever has the best times, race for the final. There is an under 18 and an over 18 category,” said McGeady.
She said it has become a great community event that all ages enjoy.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” she said. “The kids just love it, it’s a great community event. People come out and they really have fun and they are excited about building cars.”
For more information on the Queen City Cruise events visit the Nelson Road Kings website at nelsonroad-kings.com.