Day the of daredevils at Avon Dassett’s Soapbox Derby
22/06/2025
22 seniors and 6 juniors achieved impressive speeds on the step downhill course
Large crowds packed the main street through Avon Dassett on Saturday afternoon for the return of the hugely popular Soapbox Derby.
Daredevil drivers raced their homemade karts down the steep hill through the village, with a larger pool of 22 seniors and 6 juniors signed up for the challenge this year, including a number of first timers.
Race Secretary Sarah Richardson noted that the speeds achieved this year had been impressive. She said: “It was a very fast race and there were some very close races as well. We had them reaching over 58km/hour, but that’s averaged over the whole course so when they are at their fastest they’re often at 50mph.”
The senior race was won by Rob Preite who entered the competition for the first time last year, when he came third. He beat the winner from the last couple of years, Northend’s Brian Stanford, into second place.
The fastest junior for a second year was 13-year-old Freddie Morgan-Smart from Banbury. He made his kart with his grandad. Freddie said: “I’ve been racing here since I was seven. It took around a year to build. When I came here 2017 we saw all of this and decided to make one ourselves.”
Next year Freddie will move out of the juniors and into the senior section, making this the last year in his current kart. “We’ll be making a new one,” he said. “A bit longer, more dynamic and a competitive kart. This kart is more for looks.”
The challenge of building a new kart hints towards Freddie’s future career aspirations. “I’m going to Silverstone UTC college, so I’m going to focus on engineering there. I really want to be an engineer.”
In addition to the local entrants, drivers also travelled to the Soapbox Derby from Doncaster, Norfolk and London this year.
The event raises money for the Children’s Christmas Wish List, a charity which provides treats for terminally ill and sick children in hospital. Some of the drivers also raise money for other charities, which this year included Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Breast Cancer Now and MACs – who support children and adults born without eyes or with underdeveloped eyes.
Sarah Richardson was pleased with how the day had gone, but wanted a rest before thinking about next year’s event. She said: “We always feel shattered at the end but you get such a buzz and the drivers and crowd are so appreciative. It’s such a funny and quirky event. Ask me tomorrow about next year – but we’ve done it since 2018 now and we do enjoy it!”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
