The Daily Alaska Empire

WINNER OF SOAP BOX DERBY BEAMS PRIDE, HAPPINESS

Beaming with pride and happiness, Sitka's 13-year-old Justin Ripley captured the 1948 Juneau Soap Box Derby championship with his sleek little No. 13 racer at yesterday's annual Empire-Rotary sponsored event.

He is the first Sitka boy to win, although the island city has sponsored candidates for the past three years.

The youngster, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Loyd Ripley, was practically speechless with joy as Judge Charles W. Carter presented him with the coveted Soap Box Derby plaque which means he will represent Juneau at the national meet at Akron, Ohio, next month.

"I'm afraid I haven't anything to say, except thanks for a wonderful day," the youth managed to say through his smiles. Justin, who will be a high school freshman next fall, wasn't any more surprised and pleased with his title than his parents, who witnessed the winning heat when he took the lead to victory from Juneau's Sandy Blanton.

"We are very proud of our son. We think he has done very well, and I'm certainly surprised about his winning . . . I had no idea," Mrs. Ripley said as the cameras clicked on the Derby star.

Mr. Ripley is head of the vocational and educational department of the Mt. Edgecumbe school.

The white racer, "Arts and Crafts," was sponsored by Claire Swenson of Sitka. It has red wheels, blue trim—and Justin can testify that No. 13 is definitely not an unlucky number. Justin and his car topped the scale at 259 pounds, which caused considerable worry since the qualification call for only 250 pounds.

Undaunted, the champ skipped dinner Saturday night and had a light lunch yesterday, and his winning car's floorboard is riddled with holes to bring the pair within the race specifications on weight.

When Justin received his award, he was doubly pleased because he thought his parents had returned to Sitka on the 4 o'clock plane. They hadn't and came rushing to the Judges' stand to be with him.

His younger brother, Gregory, class "C" entry, also was on hand to congratulate him.

"I know you will treasure this plaque and remember this day all your life," Carter told the boy in presentation ceremonies.

"There is no jealousy felt by Juneau boys, they are all good sports and wish you the best of luck," the judge assured the champ as the applauding crowd closed tightly the circle around the boy and the judges' stand.

The annual event got under way shortly after 1 o'clock with the parade of entries from Cowling Motor Co.

Headed by a Juneau Fire Department truck, the color guard of Boy Scouts and last year's champion, Frank Maier, the cars paraded along Willoughby to the 12th Street Hill.

Clowns Hank Harmon, his son Joey, Jack Burford, Jerry Godkin, Jimmie Long, Buddy Hunter and Jeff Pegues brought up the rear amusingly.

Joey rode in a wheelbarrow titled "Bossman" and Burford took life easy in his Bed-on-Wheels." His old-fashioned night dress and alarm clock created plenty of laughs.

Apparently everyone in town who owns a camera took the opportunity to get a picture of the red-helmeted paraders along their line of march.

The handsome cars were the envy of every kid from 2 to 75 as they approached the flag-bedecked track on 12th.

Immediately after the race, the young champ's auto was returned for display and safe-keeping to Cowling Motor Co. W. J. Beach of Sitka was responsible for advising the Sitka entries on the car building.

Victor To Make Parka

Martin Victor announces today that he will make the parka, to order, for Ripley, Soap Box Derby winner, to wear on his trip to Akron. Parkas have been a novelty at the National Championship Derby, and Victor says his product will be one of the most striking ever worn east by an Alaska winner.
Justin Ripley, 13, of Sitka,

Winner of Soap Box Derby

Classic Sunday Afternoon