Down the home stretch

Emily Alfiri, in her pink Enviro/Con and Tonkkasponsored car, is all smiles in the spotlight of first place for the stock category. (Right) Paige Gear, in her green and silver Pacific Coast Auto Center racer, tucks in tight as she zips across the finish line to claim first place in super stock. At Saturday’s third annual Stanwood- Camano Soap Box Derby, 61 gravity powered racers rolled, rattled and whisked down Lincoln Hill in a quest for adrenalin, glory, local bragging rights and two tickets to Akron, Ohio.

They made it.

Two girls made it all the way: Paige Gear and Emily Alfiri accepted first-place trophies and round trips to the All American Soap Box Derby in Akron, July 24.

Emily Alfiri took it home in the stock category, which had 32 entries. Sponsored by Enviro/Con and Tonkka, Alfiri and her sleek pink racer rolled undefeated all day long.

Rounding out the stock category were:

PHOTOS BY JEREMIAH O’HAGAN | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS 2nd — Megan Schakel (Washington Energy Services)

3rd — Isaac Placzek (Koster for Congress)

4th — Luke Placzek (Stanwood-Camano Community Resource Center)

5th — Taylor Steen (Gifts Ahoy) 6th — Thomas Gorrell (Starbuck’s) 7th — Ella Conway (Little League)

8th — Mac Freitas (Denise McDonald, Windermere)

Paige Gear’s iridescent green and silver Pacific Coast Auto Center car left a sparkling trail to the finish line of the super stock category.

Emily Gibbons’ Wave Broadband car gave stiff competition and sped to a much-deserved second place. Other racers were:

3rd — Daniel Imus (River of Life Community Church)

4th — Jett Whitcher (U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds)

5th — Jenna Withers (Stanwood-Camano Lions Club)

6th — Hudson Coleman (Haggen “Monster”)

7th — Madison Hughes (Leslie Tripp, State Farm)

8th — Alex Lemke (The Lake Connection, Roy Robinson Chevrolet, McIlraith and ECK Retirement)

In addition to the first- through eighth-place trophies, commemorative trophies were awarded to each participant.

Madison Hughes also accepted the sportsmanship award in recognition of her model participation.

The Monster energy drink car, sponsored by Mark and Stef Mueller, Chuck Hatchell, Ken VanderHoek and KAOS Rods was voted best in show for super stock. Alfiri’s pink Eniro/Con and Tonkka car took best in show for the stock category.

All trophies were provided by Skagit Speedway, in Alger.

Finally, to cap off the day, a very proud and supremely happy Mac Freitas won a mini bike donated by Camano Plaza IGA and raffled off by Davis Place.

All told, 61 cars raced in 156 heats. The derby’s outrageous success has led the Stanwood-Camano Soap Box Derby to sponsor its first Rally Race, August 21-22, where local drivers can meet and compete against drivers from all over the Pacific Northwest. Not bad for a tradition that began a mere three years ago.

For information about the Rally Race or the Stanwood Camano Soap Box Derby, contact the Stanwood Camano Community Resource Center 629-5257.