Heading ‘Backe’ to Akron

Ciera Backe knows what it is like to qualify for the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio. But after going four-years without winning a title at the Soap Box Derby of Culpeper, Backe is glad to get a memory refresher.

The rising junior at Eastern View High School won the Super Stock Division as a racing rookie in 2005. This year she competed in the Masters Division and sealed her title in the day’s 692nd and final run down Blue Ridge Avenue.

“It’s crazy because I’ve been here all day,” Backe said. “It’s finally coming to the end and it’s just crazy. I thought I had a chance, but you know it’s up to chance whether you win or not. I’m like in shock right now and I just don’t know what to say.”

Backe began racing when the Soap Box Derby was still fairly new to Culpeper and no local rally racers had ever qualified for Akron, leaving just the three local division winners to represent Culpeper. Last year seven Culpeper-area drivers went to the world championships and this year at least five will attend.

“I’ve been waiting a long time, but it’s good to finally get to go back,” Backe said. “It will be fun to get back there and have a good time with everybody.”

To claim the local title and move on, Backe had to beat Spencer Holloway, an eighth-grader at Culpeper Middle School. But Holloway faced a challenger he knows quite well just to get into the championship round — his twin sister Nicole.

“I’m happy I beat my sister,” Spencer Holloway said. “She was beating me. She’s beat me every other time we’ve raced, but I beat her this time. She didn’t ever say anything about that before, but I’m glad I beat her.”

Backe and the Holloways finished at the top of perhaps the most competitive division.

Nicole Holloway took home the third-place trophy, finishing just ahead of Jason Smith, who qualified to go to Akron via rally points last year, in fourth.

Logan Sharp finished fifth and Austin Hickman, who qualified for Akron in Super Stock last year, was sixth. Amanda Halsey was seventh with Patricia Robare coming in eighth.