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Neshannock teen grabs a second place at Derby By NANCY LOWRY, [email protected] WINNER: Neshannock youth places second in rally division of rain-soaked All-American Soap Box Derby on July 31. He hopes to do better next year. Kyle Bair said this has been the best summer of his life. The 13-year-old Neshannock Township boy was recognized July 31 as the second-best rally-racing Soap Box Derby driver in the world. �It was a photo finish,� his mother, Diana, said. �In the final race, his time was .05 of a second off from the winner. We�re still excited. I never thought he could pull off something like this.� �It was unbelievable,� Kyle said Aug. 1 from his home as the family reviewed film of his races, shot by his mom. �My dad was the pit crew ... at the top of the hill,� Kyle said. �He didn�t see how any of the race ended.� Still smiling, Kyle said, �I can�t begin to describe the excitement. Standing at the top of the track I had butterflies. I was excited. But I knew it wasn�t like running a rally. I thought to myself I have one race. I can�t make up the difference later if I don�t have a good run.� Kyle was glad to draw lanes one and three each time. �Lane two seemed to be a slower lane,� he said. On his final run of the day, Kyle was almost put into the dreaded middle lane, but a last-minute check got him back to his favorite � lane three. Kyle�s second-place finish got him a seat on the stage at July 31�s award banquet and a three-foot-high trophy, which Kyle estimated weighs 20 pounds. He also was awarded a set of �Champion wheels,� shirts, a jacket, a champion watch, a new Game Boy and $2,000 in scholarship money. Kyle finished in sixth place in the New Castle Soap Box Derby qualifier on June 19. He earned his opportunity to compete at the All-American in Akron by rally racing. This involves traveling through the area to compete with other rally racers. Because Kyle raced in Akron in his yellow-and-red-flame custom super stock racer, sponsored by The Bump Shoppe, he will have to move on to master car class as a rally racer next year. He plans to do that. He also plans to compete again next year in the New Castle qualifier in his super stock. �We plan to build a master division car as a fall-winter project and to begin competing in the spring,� said Kyle�s dad, Scott Bair. Father and son lived like champions as part of Derby Week festivities in Akron. Staying in the dorms at Akron University for a week, they attended special functions and clinics on constructing a master class car. Diana and sister, Katelyn, 16, visited and attended the race on July 31. �All week they called everyone �Champ,�� Kyle said. �It made you feel pretty special.� Although �thrilled and thankful beyond belief,� at his son�s good fortune on July 31, and noting that the prizes �made this worthwhile,� Scott said he was feeling a letdown Aug. 1. �This was such a wonderful experience,� he said. �But now you think, gee, what�s next?� As �the crew,� Scott said his goals changed through the week and race day. �When we got there, I thought I�d be satisfied if we got a VIP status, indicating that no problems were found in the car following the official inspection. I thought as the car builder you can�t ask for more than that. Then, I thought I�d be satisfied if he won his first heat. Then it was just one more, just one more. Your goals change through the day. But his driving was wonderful.� Of the four New Castle-area cars attending, three � Bair, super stock champion T.J. Takacs and stock champion Melissa Mroczynski � attained VIP status. Only Lorelei Gallaher�s master class car required a little work. Reader Comments KLB (8/7/2026) I am so glad to be your biggest fan. I wouldn't have missed that day for anything! You were so exciting to watch. Way to go, Bud! Steve, Becky & Katelyn Raiff (8/6/2026) Way to go Kyle! You are the man! We are very proud of you. Good luck next year! Janet, Kristin & Kipp Macaulay (8/5/2026) We are so excited and proud of you! Lou Shanklin (8/5/2026) Kyle, Way to go! I'm behind you all the way!! Can't wait until next year! Love you, Grandma Mom & Dad (8/5/2026) We are so proud of you! You are a great competitor even when you lose. You have grown so much in the direction we had hoped. Love always!!! Belle Everett (8/4/2026) We are so proud to know Kyle. He is a fine young man and definitely deserved to win. We will rooting him on next year. Add a comment  |
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