Tipp Hill priest, church host inaugural Soapbox Car Derby for food charity
The Tipp Hill Soapbox Car Derby gave teams of adults and teens a chance to build and race their own soapbox cars, which donors could sponsor. Each car had a different theme, chosen by competitors. Avery Magee | Asst. Photo Editor
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Father Ambrose Inlow was riding on his scooter around the streets of Tipperary Hill near his church, his cassock floating behind him, when he had the idea to take advantage of the hills.
“People, they turn their heads, like, ‘What did I just see?’ I’ve had people come up to me and they say, ‘Are you a wizard?’” Inlow said. “The scooter was fun for me to do around the hills. I was thinking, ‘What can we do?’ And then it clicked.”
Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Syracuse hosted their inaugural Tipp Hill Soapbox Car Derby at Burnet Park on Saturday and Sunday. The event was part of the church’s annual Country Fair and BBQ. It gave teams of adults and teens a chance to build and race their own soapbox cars, which donors could sponsor. Proceeds from the event support the church’s charitable food programs.
Before the race started, the church had already raised over $10,000, team member Connie Simser said.
Last year, the church hosted a soapbox event for children on the street in front of Ss. Peter and Paul. They hired a soapbox car company from Rochester who brought premade cars for kids to ride in and win medals and prizes.
But the adults and teens wanted in, too.
Inlow went on a “quest” for a hill that was thrilling enough for older riders, but also not too dangerous. He reached out to the Syracuse Police Department and city government to find the perfect location. Eventually, they landed on a hilly road in Burnet Park.
The race track included so-called “hairpin corner,” “momentum mountain” and “blind man’s curve.” Inlow did a test run of the course the night before the race.
“It was a blast,” he said. “I wish I was racing.”
Proceeds from Tipp Hill Derby support the church’s mission to reduce food insecurity, especially given that Syracuse has one of the highest child poverty rates in the country, Inlow said. The church works with Food Recovery Network to recover uneaten food from Syracuse University dining halls and restaurants to distribute in local low income neighborhoods. They also host monthly free family dinners and cooking classes.
“People say, ‘Well, where do you start?’ You literally just start one block at a time, one house at a time, one person at a time, and just see how you can meet that need,” Inlow said.
Teams in the Tipp Hill Soapbox Car Derby were judged on creativity, pre-race performances and bonus points for completion of the obstacle course. Participants had to wear a helmet, and their cars couldn’t have any sharp edges. Avery Magee | Asst. Photo Editor
Each car had a different theme chosen by the competitors, from 1920s Gatsby to “Grease Monkey.” The teams were judged on creativity of design, pre-race performances, adult races, teen races and bonus points for successful completion of the obstacle course.
Basic requirements for the cars were simple: at least three wheels, brakes and a steering mechanism. Participants had to wear a helmet, and cars couldn’t have any sharp edges.
Teams got creative with their materials. “Great Gatsby” used a rain barrel for the base of their car, with wooden planks, rubber wheels and glitter paint, which Colin McInnis, one of the team’s drivers, said always helps. All the members were dressed in 1920s costumes for a “roaring ‘20s feel.”
For McInnis, the event was the perfect way to connect with others, especially since his family just moved to the area.
“These are the things that really bring you together as a community,” McInnis said. “In a more fragmented world, it’s just nice to be out on a sunny day and good to do something together.”
Simser drove for the “Be the Bee” team. The name comes from Saint Paisios of Mount Athos, who told his followers to “be like a bee.”
“He said to be like a bee and find the beautiful things in life like the beautiful followers, instead of being like a fly and finding the garbage or the bad things in people,” Simser said.
Thirteen-year-old Natalie Gressel, Simser’s niece, was the teen driver for “Be the Bee.” Her father and uncle worked together to build the car from a blueprint they found, mostly out of wood with construction paper for the bee’s wings. Next year, they plan to add bigger wheels for more momentum. Gressel said the course was fun, although potholes and curves made it more difficult.
Marie Manh drove “Grease Monkey.” She said the car parts came from “random stuff” her fiance’s brother found in his garage, like a wheel from a motorbike, a tree stand and another wheel from a lawnmower. Despite the rubber around the wheel coming off during one of the runs, Manh won each race she participated in.
“We didn’t do a test run or anything,” Manh said. “I was a little scared it was just all new, but once I got the hang of it, I think I got the rest of them too.”
Manh is getting married at Ss. Peter and Paul in October. She said she appreciates the opportunity for the community to come together and to be a part of a large, diverse group, rather than her usual social circles.
Inlow said this is just the beginning for the Tipp Hill Derby. Drivers agreed, already brainstorming how to improve their cars for next year.
“Our hope for this year is to just get it started to show the community, ‘hey, this could be legendary in Syracuse,’” Inlow said.
