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Smaller crowd, but lots of fun at Daffest Derby

Derby organizers concerned about lower numbers

Houston Shortell takes off down LaPan Highway hill in Saranac Lake during Saturday’s seventh-annual Daffest Derby soap-box car races. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

SARANAC LAKE — The field of racers was smaller and there were fewer spectators on the sidelines, but those who soaked up Saturday’s seventh-annual Daffest Derby walked away happy.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Emily Fogarty of Saranac Lake, as she watched the cars zoom across the finish line by the Harrietstown Town Hall. “I love the spirit here. It’s just so great for the kids. It’s nice to have an event for them to do.”

Organizer Cherrie Sayles said the soap-box derby races down LaPan Highway, the most popular event of the four-day daffodil-themed festival, drew fewer kids than in the past. Only 53 had registered as of Saturday morning, although about 15 more showed up at the last minute to participate, Sayles said.

“We’ll probably end up with about 70,” she said. “We usually have 80 to 100. There’s a big hockey tournament, so that’s why some of our racers weren’t here. People just got back Monday from vacation, too.”

Sayles also said she thinks interest in the event may have faded a bit.

Owen Arnold is all smiles as he races in Saturday’s Daffest Derby in Saranac Lake. Saturday was also his 8th birthday. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

“Maybe everybody’s over it,” she said. “If it’s run its course, it’s run its course. We’re happy. We’ve done a great job. Everybody loves it. If not, we’ll be here next year.”

One obstacle that didn’t face organizers this year was the weather. There was a light sprinkle of rain as the races kicked off at 11 a.m., but it didn’t last long. Otherwise it was partly cloudy and windy, with temperatures in the 60s. In other years, the event has battled rain and cold.

“We’ve been through lots of different weather patterns over the years,” said Laurie Murphy of Albany, whose husband is the general manager for NAPA Auto Parts, one of the event’s sponsors. “We’ve been coming here for seven years. Our daughter is now 16. We brought her here when she was nine to be one of the drivers. Now she’s here today handing out hats.”

Murphy said she loves the sense of “community spirit” behind the Daffest Derby, but she admitted things were different this year.

“I think it was better at the beginning when they used to have vendors (in Riverside Park),” she said. “Paul Smith’s College would come out and they would sell baked goods, and that made it a little more festive. From that perspective, I’m missing it. But the DJ is great. The music is good. It’s a smaller crowd this year. I’m not sure it’s gotten bigger.”

Lucas Rogers rides in the Daffest Paw Patrol police car, equipped with flashing lights, during Saturday’s Daffest Derby in Saranac Lake. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

There were no complaints among the kids, or their parents, about the smaller field of participants in the races this year.

“It’s been making every turn come faster which is kind of nice,” said Joy Cranker of Saranac Lake. Her daughter Summer raced in a car built by the Halasz family, also of Saranac Lake.

“We’re having a ball,” Cranker said. “My daughter has decided she never wants to ride a real car, so this is awesome. If this is the only driving experience she wants, I’m happy with that.”

The biggest change in the event this year is that organizers allowed larger 12-inch wheels for the first time on the soap-box derby cars, which made for some fast descents of the LaPan Highway hill.

“They’re coming in a little fast,” said Don “Moose” Jones, who was among a group of Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department members manning the finish line and helping get racers out of their cars. “You can tell people put a lot of work into these cars, which is awesome. The kids are having a good time. The parents are having a good time, and we’ve got a beautiful day.”

Even the big kids had fun at Saturday’s Daffest Derby. Cindy Goodman, left, and Jamie Laubach get ready to take a run down the LaPan Highway course. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

“It’s going great,” said co-organizer Bob Bevilacqua, Sayles’ brother. “It’s nice to have all the volunteers. We couldn’t do it without them. The first couple years we were a little scarce on help, but we’re doing a lot better this year.”

Asked about the smaller number of participants, Bevilacqua said he’s concerned.

“We’ll have to see what our totals are at the end of the day and see what we’re going to do,” he said. “But the kids who are here are smiling, and the crowd’s hanging around, too.”

“We really, really want to continue it,” Sayles said. “I said to Bobby that if we have 20 kids this thing is going.”

Sayles said the $20 registration cost of the race shouldn’t have been an obstacle to participation. The Kiwanis Club of Saranac Lake sponsored racers and Sayles said she told people manning the registration tent Saturday morning to let any kid who wants to compete into the race.

Competitors in Saturday’s Daffest Derby barrel down the start ramp on LaPan Highway, headed for the finish line by the Harrietstown Town Hall. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

Daffest has gone through several changes since it was launched seven years ago, with some events added or dropped from its schedule. It used to be spread out over several weeks, but it’s now been consolidated into one weekend. Sayles said it’s always tough to pick a date for the event.

“With the (vacation) schedule with the school, we never know where to put the race,” she said. “But if we get into May, there’s so much competition, and people are so busy with graduations and weddings and everything, that we want to keep it in April. It’s supposed to be shoulder-season event. That’s how it started, and that’s how we have to keep it.”

Other Daffest events this weekend included Saturday’s 5-kilometer walk/run, which drew about 60 people, and Sunday’s first-ever “Raging River” rubber duck race down the Saranac River, sponsored by the Adirondack Carousel.

Photo gallery of Daffest Derby on CU

A vision in pink, Addison Colby of Saranac Lake races down LaPan Highway during Saturday’s Daffest Derby. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

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