50 racers to hit Soap Box Derby track

Jessica Dworetsky, 9, front, and Brianna Roth, 11, take a spin Saturday ahead of Sunday's annual Soap Box Derby.DOMINICK FIORILLE/Times Herald-Record

By Leonard Sparks

Published: 2:00 AM - 05/26/13

LIBERTY Brianne MacPherson lowered her head Saturday and aimed for the prize.

Through wind-blown rain chilled by unusually cold spring air, she guided her Big V Tours-sponsored car down a street behind Liberty Elementary School.

It was the last day of practice runs before Liberty's second-annual Soap Box Derby, and the Benjamin Cosor Elementary School second-grader is hoping to be one of three to qualify for the national derby in Akron, Ohio, in July.

"She wants to go to Akron," said her mother, Patricia Lewis.

So do dozens of other hopefuls who will race down a stretch of North Main Street on Sunday. More than 50 racers in all will face each other, up from 33 last year.

Carol Vandenberg, who launched the derby along with her husband, Dale, partly attributes this year's higher turnout to the popularity of last year's race, which drew at least 1,000 people.

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Liberty kids prep for race