Sharon's Soap Box Derby offers thrills July 24

SHARON — The small community of Sharon could normally be described as a quiet and reserved place hidden among the hills and valleys of northwestern Connecticut.

An air of tranquility and normalcy envelops you and makes you feel as though you have stepped back in time as you wander the lush Town Green and set your watch by the Clock Tower.

Except, of course, when the Sharon Volunteer Fire Department is hosting its annual Adult Soapbox Derby. This year’s derby will be held July 24.

For those who have yet to witness the fun of an Adult Soap Box Derby, it’s racing in its most raw form, it’s infectious fun, it requires very little money or experience, and it’s a competition unlike anything else on the East Coast.

On one summer day each year, the unassuming rural two-lane broken blacktop hill that runs from the New York state line to Sharon’s Veterans Field is  renamed Sharon Valley Speedway.

Walking through the “Pit Road†is exciting and wildly entertaining. Spectators watch as proud builders make last-minute adjustments, covertly study the competition and prepare to lay down their best as they wait to go through the “Pre-race Inspection.† 

It takes a special kind of person to take what would otherwise be a pile of parts and junk, put it together and race it down a hill at top speed.

Some entries show the love that their builders have put into them; the sharp bodylines and show-car paint are like something from the Indy 500.

Others look like they were built the night before. Some leave you wondering if the driver has a death wish — such as the guy unloading the leather recliner on wheels.

As the parade of cars gets towed up the hill to the starting line, there’s just enough time to gather the kids from the bounce houses, grab a hamburger and an order of fresh french fries or onion rings and head for a shady spot on  Turn 3.

The anticipation builds and suddenly  erupts in a chorus of cheers as the first two cars round Turn 2 and head into the long downhill, at speeds nearing 40 mph. Through Turn 3 and onto the finish line the cheers follow the cars like a wave.

Admission for spectators is free. Racing begins at 11 a.m.

For a complete set of rules or information regarding the Adult Soap Box Derby, go online to sharonfiredept.org or e-mail the organizers at  soapbox2009@hotmail.com.