Winning 5 titles, girls dominate Soap Box Derby

An Austintown boy finished third in his division.

AKRON (AP) — Girls had their most dominant showing in the history of the annual All-American Soap Box Derby here, winning five of six individual titles for the first time and sweeping the three major divisions for only the second time.

Joe Puntel, 12, of Austintown had the strongest showing of Youngstown-area racers who competed in Saturday’s derby. The 12-year-old got third place in the Super Stock division.

In the Super Kids Classic race for children with disabilities, Dawn Mallot of New Castle, Pa., who qualified by winning the Quakertown Super Kids race in Salem, won her division. Dawn was paired with her experienced partner, called a ghost driver, Johanna Kuebler of Berlin Center.

The strong showing for the girls came during the 71st year of the grand prix of gravity-powered racing in Akron. A record 606 finalists from 160 cities and six nations competed and although a light, five-minute rain delayed racing at 2 p.m., it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of 15,000 fans.

“If you count this little sprinkle, it’s only the 17th time we’ve had some rain at the finals,” said Jeff Iula, the race’s general manager who started working at the track 50 years ago at age 6.

“We’ve never been rained out. The Indy 500 can’t say that.”

Nor can the fabled race claim such a female-dominated winner’s circle.

Courtney Rayle’s eyes filled with tears as she gazed toward her proud grandmother. Rayle, representing Washington, D.C., and one month shy of her 17th birthday, became the oldest champion in the Masters Division in history by driving to victory.

“It was the lucky number seven that did it,” Courtney said after winning on her seventh and final try in the finals at Derby Downs. “My seventh time and I had car No. 73 in the 71st race. I’ll never forget any of it.”

Johanna Barnowski drove to victory in the Stock Division, giving Akron its record 14th individual champion, and Haley Beitel of Tullahoma, Tenn., won the Super Stock Division.

Megan Newcomer of Danville, Ind., won the Rally Stock; Caitlin Smith of Federalsburg, Md., was the Rally Super Stock champion and Brandon Feagan, a 15-year-old from Richardsville, Va., was the lone boys champion, winning the Rally Masters Division.

“We needed one of us guys to come through,” said Brandon, adding that the experience of being in the finals for the second consecutive year helped him.

Other Youngstown-area racers who participated were Zachary Krohn, 9, of Austintown, Stock; Kuebler, 16, Berlin Center, Masters; Julia Castner, 10, Hubbard, Stock Rally; Jenn Rodway, 19, Boardman, Ultimate Speed; and Jamie Berndt, 18, Canfield, Ultimate Speed.