RA Racer Derby

January, 1997

We planned our RA Racer Derby in January this year, and we got together for a trial race early in January to get the boys ready for the race.

We put the track together in the Fellowship Hall. We have a good working crew with Ben Brady and son Benjamin, Weaver, and Luke Balint on the far side of the track. James Darden, Jr on this side and I can't identify the other boy.

Continuing assembly with Johnny Huffman, James, ?, Benjamin and Ben Brady on far side. Danny Balint and Adam Massey on this side with Luke Balint looking under the track.

Ben, Benjamin, and Weaver put in the bolts to hold two sections of the track together. All the hardware is kept in a can from year to year.

The track is assembled to the point of testing, so Weaver and Ben Brady put a car on the track. Danny Balint and Balint watch the process.

Johnny, Ben, and Danny align the top of the track with a crowd of boys around.

The track assembly is complete and it''s time for trial runs. Doyle Wilhite is doing the starts, and has just released a pair of cars, and is swamped by a bunch of boys wanting to put their car on.

Johnny Huffman starts a trial race for the Balint brothers to race against each other..

Benjamin Brady watches intently as Johnny starts another trial race.

Part of the trial race is to make sure your car is within the weight limit. Luke Balint and Mom and Adam Massey check out their cars on the balance scale that Rod provided.

Rod took Matthew Bryant and Adam Massey over to his shop and added molten lead to adjust their weights to near the maximum.

Buddy Stephens also brought his car over to the shop for adjustments.

The 1997 RA Racer Derby

The trial race is history, and the track is set up in the foyer of the church for tonight's big race. Rod and Johnny examine the ladder poster to keep track of the race winners. Doyle Wilhite is in position as the official race starter, observed by . The kids crowd around the track, and off to the left are Ray Collier, Sr and Milton Bryant.

There is a style competition as well, and our style judges examine the cars between races. Mike and Connie Rampey are our style judges.

Luke Balint and a couple of other boys watch closely as a pair of cars zip by.

Doyle Wilhite starts one of the final races. Standing by are Milton Bryant, ?, and Chip Ayres. Brian York stands beside the track - probably one of those cars is his.

Brenda looks on as Benjamin Brady and Alex Ayres place their cars for one of the final races. The race ladder on the poster behind shows that a lot of races have been run.

The group of winners of the RA Racer Derby. The prizes are flashlights, as is our tradition to make the point of seeking to be part of the light of the world as Christians.

Bruce Cooler stands with the winners, as well he might since two of the winners are his sons Robert and Jon. The back row winners are ?, Robert Cooler, Allen Balint. Front row Luke Balint and Jon Cooler.