Quincy Derby to crown champions in four classes during June 16-17 event

QUINCY — The 19th annual Quincy Derby is set for June 16-17 on the 18th Street hill bordering Bob Mays Park. Champions will be crowned in Super Stock, Stock, Masters Elite and and Super Kids divisions.

Aiden McConnell, race director for the event once known as the Soap Box Derby, says the response has been “great … as usual.”

This year’s derby will attract around 200 kids ranging in ages from 8 to 17. Inspection day for the participants is Saturday. The last four derbies have averaged 209 participants. That figure does not include the pandemic-impacted event in 2020 when 115 took part.

“This is my favorite time of the year,” said longtime derby coordinator Ray Wilson, who has been in charge of the Grand Prix of Gravity since 2012.

The Quincy Optimist Club has sponsored the derby since its inception.

“This is a great family event, and every year it’s a success,” McDonnell said.

The derby has attracted 2,022 entrants since its 2005 inception, when 34 racers took part.

The Super Stock and Stock classes have been a part of the event since the beginning. The Super Kids started in 2015, and the Masters Elite in 2020.

“Everyone sees what we do and they like it, and they want to help,” Wilson said. “The Optimist Club is one of only a few service clubs that offers a kids’ event like this, and it’s all due to the support of the community.”

Entry fee for the derby is $65 per car. Scholarships are available.

“No kid has ever been turned away,” Wilson said.

Riley Delgado of Fowler was the 2022 Super Stock winner, with Tanner Wiseley of Coatsburg the stock champion and Corin Robson of Carthage the Masters Elite champ. Super Kids winners were Zach Hastings-Hull of Quincy, Luke Land of Springfield and Tobias Myers of Quincy.

The derby has produced champions from 15 towns across the region. Boys have won 20 championships and the girls have won 19.

The record number for entrants was 226 in 2019. Class records are 64 for Super Stocks (2021), 55 for Stock (2017), 109 Super Kids (2019) and 8 for Masters Elite (2022). Masters Elite is by invitation only.

Jadyn Vogel, who saw her streak of six consecutive stock championships end in 2022, will be back to add to her 66-20 career record over three classes. No other participant has won more than 47 races or has more than two titles to their credit during the derby’s first 18 years.

More information about this year’s derby, including registration details, is at thequincyderby.com. Go to the derby’s Facebook page for additional details.