Waggener High School - RingBrothersHistory.com

The Voice Of St. Matthews, July 18, 1957: Gary Young Wins DerbyGary Young Wins DerbyGary B. Young, 13 of Pleasure Ridge Park, won the first Soap Box Derby in Jefferson county in more than 15 years Sunday.The youngster zoomed across the finish line of the 1,000-foot course on Zorn avenue less than 15 feet ahead of his challenger,Richard T. Poppe of 313 Sage Road.Gary won himself a four-day trip to the National Soap Box Derby in Akron next month. Winner of the National gets a freetrip to Europe and a $5,000 scholarship.Consolation prize for young Dick was a bicycle given by Pendergrass Chevrolet, one of the sponsors of the event.The Derby went off like clockwork. Not a single boy was injured, although one racer’s brakes locked and the car rockedfrom side to side precariously, and a second racer crashed through the bales of hay beyond the finish line.The weather was hard to take. The temperature was in the high 80’s and the humidity was terrific. Alternate cloudinessand glazed sunlight gave the score of cameramen a hard time.The spectators had virtually no protection against the sun, except for those who brought beach umbrellas and the like. Cityand County Police estimated the total crowd at 4,000 to 6,000, but there was a heavy turnover because of the heat. Manyperson's came to see a race or two and then left.The St. Matthews Jaycees again arose to the occasion. To an outsider making inquiries, it was obvious that the organizationand coordination of the program was haphazard. But somehow everything fell into place on Sunday, and there wasn’teven a minor hitch to spoil the show.About 40 Jaycees turned out at 7 a.m. to construct the ramps and mark out the racing zones on Zorn Avenue, and to put upthe refreshment booths. After lunch they loaded up the truck and automobiles with racing cars, drivers and dignitaries.Promptly at 1 p.m. as scheduled, the parade started, going through St. Matthews to Brownsboro Road and then to ZornAvenue. Promptly at 2 p.m., the races started. They were over at 4:23, an hour ahead of schedule.By 7:30 p.m. the Jaycees had the place cleaned up and all the equipment moved out.Thirty-seven of the 52 boys registered actually took part in the races. The Jaycees weighed the boys and the cars, sent themdown the runways two at a time, and brought the cars back up the hill by truck in a smoothly functioning operation.The boys raced two at a time, with the loser being eliminated. The race was split into two divisions, the first for boys 11and 12, with Dick Poppe winning, and the second for boys 13 to 15, with Gary Young winning. Then the two divisionchampions met.The two boys were even for about the first 500 feet, but Gary gradually pulled away for a reasonably easy victory.Judges for the contest were Mayor James Noland of St. Matthew, County Judge Bertram C. Van Arsdale, and Robert Diehl,Republican candidate for Mayor of Louisville.Other guests were Mrs. Van Arsdale, St., Matthews Police Chief William Tolliver, and Gen. Phillip Ardery. Also on handwere Al Schansberg, publisher of The Voice, ad J. L. Pendergrass, president of Pendergrass Chevrolet.The Jaycees, The Voice, and Pendergrass were sponsors of the event. Mr. Pendergrass presented Gary with the winner’strophy.To liven up the proceedings, Mayor Noland and Mr. Diehl climbed into racers and staged a contest. Mr. Deihl won by fivefeet. In a later contest, television personality Ed Kallay defeated radio announcer Jim Bollinger.Major William G. Kiefer of the City police was the official starter, assisted by Jaycee Tom Bailey. Major Kiefer was enjoyinghimself so much, he turned down an offer of relief midway in the contest, despite the broiling sun.Mr. Diehl, too, had a good time. He told the Jaycees that if he wins the election in November, they can count on 100 percentcooperation for nest year’s Derby. He offered to provide City Police to help out.These were the heat winners:Class A (Boys 13 to 15)Second heat — Maurice Byrne, Edward Head, James Gatewood, Gary B. Young, Thomas Elston, Robert Colyer, BertMcQueen, and Joseph Hayden.Quarter finals — Maurice Byrne, Gary B. Young, Thomas Elston, and Joseph Hayden.