Nazareth Adult Soapbox Derby to be Held Saturday

The 5th Annual  will be held tomorrow -- Saturday, May 5 -- at W. Prospect Street in downtown Nazareth.

The race is open to any and all local go-kart builders, and those who have the gall to climb into the driver’s seat. The 2012 race has 39 registrants.

, who was the "Crowd-Pleaser" at the 2010 derby, took the top prize in 2011.

The starting line is on the W. Prospect Street hill, and the course ends almost a quarter-mile later at the intersection of W. Prospect and S. Green streets. The road will be closed and marked into lanes, thanks to the aid of the Nazareth Borough Highway Department.

Practice starts at 9 a.m. and the races begin at noon. Expect the three-racer heats to last until about 3:30 p.m.

The rules, previously outlined for Patch:

• Cars can be a maximum of 5-feet wide and 10-feet long.
• There is no weight limit, but a driver and a helper have to be able to lift the car.
• All four wheels must stay on the ground.
• No “James Bond stuff:” no smoke bombs, oil slicks, smokescreens, etc.

Trophies are awarded to the drivers with the best three times.

At the end of each heat, the cars will be lined up and those in attendance can vote for their favorite. This fourth winner is dubbed the “Crowd-Pleaser.”

All registration proceeds have always gone to Nazareth-based charities. The 2010 proceeds went to the , and the 2011 proceeds went to .

To see the list of registered racers, as well as pictures and videos of past derbies, visit www.point-o-eight.com/soapbox/ or "."