By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Hillsborough’s 10-year-old Louis Bizzoco won the New Jersey Soap Box Derby stock division on June 7 and will advance to race in the international race in Akron, Ohio, this month.
The International Soap Box Derby has held races for 76 years and is known as “the greatest amateur racing event in the world.” Races are open to ages 7-19.
Louis won in the division for racers ages 7-13, with car and driver weighing no more than 200 pounds, at the New Brunswick derby, the only official sanctioned race by All-American Soap Box Derby. The double-elimination event guaranteed all entries a minimum of four runs on Hamilton Street near sponsor Johnson & Johnson’s corporate headquarters.
Brother Michael, 13, raced in the super stock division, with a car-and-driver weight limit of 240 pounds. (Both boys weighed in right at the limit in New Brunswick.) To illustrate how close the races can become, Michael lost third place by 1/100th of a second, said his father, Brian Bizzoco.
The New Brunswick Soap Box Derby’s slogan, “There is only one seat but the whole family gets into it” is certainly true for the Bizzoco family. Louis and Michael have been racing for four years, getting into the sport when they inherited soap-box cars from family friends who “aged out” of competition, enabling the Bizzocos to avoid the cost of a kit at about $550. Louis’ blue Soap Box Derby stock car was sponsored by Turtle and Hughes, Inc., electrical company and Michael’s car was built by the family from whom he received it.
Louis attends Triangle School, where his mother, Karen, is a reading specialist. Mr. Bizzoco is an elementary school principal. The boys are involved with ice hockey, lacrosse and Scouting, among other activities, so the soapbox cars fortunately don’t require constant maintenance, just tweaking in the weeks before a race.
“It’s just a lot of fun getting to see people we don’t normally see,” said Michael. “We’ve made some really good friends with other racers.”
The whole family will make a vacation out of the Ohio competition for the weeklong (July 19-25) festivities. This will be the Bizzocos’ first trip to the international event, which pits local-race city winners from around the world. As part of the week, the event sponsors trips to a minor league baseball game, a water park and laser tag, in addition to family days and practice runs.
“It’s a great family event,” said Mr. Bizzoco, “and it gives kids a chance to do something they never would have had the chance.”
