Soapbox Derby Proposed for School Lane

There could be a day at the races in Lower Southampton next month, if organizers from the Bucks County Soapbox Derby can smooth out all the details with the township.

The board of supervisors granted approval last week to rally director John Marion to hold the race on School Lane on either April 27 or 28. The greenlight was contingent on Marion and his team coordinating all the preparations with township manager John McMenamin, including the set-up of an escrow account to guarantee post-race clean up.

Marion told the board he expects anywhere between 60-80 people to attend the event, with at least 30 racers and their families. The sides of the street will be lined with bales of hay for the drivers' safety, but all activity can be halted and moved to make way for residents that want to leave or enter the neighborhood, Marion said.

Racers aged between 7 and 18 years old can register to enter the rally, a race that serves as a warm up to the annual Bucks County Soapbox Derby scheduled for June 22 in Levittown.