[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 121 (Thursday, July 26, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING THE WINNERS OF THE 70TH ANNUAL ALL-AMERICAN SOAP BOX 
                                 DERBY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 26, 2007

  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the winners of 
the 70th Annual All-American Soap Box Derby--one of whom, I am proud to 
say, is one of my neighbors and constituents from Mechanicsville, 
Maryland.
  On July 21, 550 soap box champions from 183 cities in 43 states 
gathered in Akron, Ohio to compete for the National Championship. In 
the Stock Division, Tyler Schoff took home first place. In the Super 
Stock Division, Andrew Feldpausch bested the field to earn a national 
title as well. And in the Master's Division, Kacie Rader, of Maryland's 
Fifth District, took the National Championship after winning the 
Greater Washington Soap Box Derby in a race held right here on the 
Capitol grounds. Kacie is the first racer from the National Capital 
region--or the entire state of Maryland for that matter--to win a 
National Championship.
  Kacie, who started her racing career at the age of 7, has worked 
tirelessly to earn such a noteworthy win. Last year alone, Kacie 
competed in 40 Soap Box Derby events and traveled to 6 different states 
over 20 weekends to compete. Kacie, who will be beginning her senior 
year at Chopticon High School in the fall, will now continue on to 
Indiana for the National Derby Rally Championship where she will be 
ranked number one in points. I along with the people of Maryland wish 
her the best of luck.
  My congratulations go out to Kacie, Tyler, Andrew, and everyone who 
participated in what has become a national tradition over the last 
seven decades. The All-American Soap Box Derby is one of the oldest 
road races in America today--second only to the Indianapolis 500. And 
those who compete in this race are part of a long-standing legacy that 
highlights the best that American youths have to offer.
  That is because it takes more than just athletic prowess to be a 
champion soap box racer. It takes imagination and creativity to design 
a vehicle that has the durability, handling and speed needed to win. It 
takes hard work and diligence to build a racer once it has been 
designed. And it takes intelligence and grace under pressure to 
successfully command a soap box racer in a racing environment.
  Once again, I offer my congratulations to everyone that participated 
in the ``greatest amateur racing event in the world.'' And I want to 
thank Kacie Rader, of Mechanicsville, Maryland, for bringing national 
acclaim to Maryland's Fifth District by winning the All-American Soap 
Box Derby Master's Division Championship.

                          ____________________