Virginia Woman Gets Fourth Fastest Time in the World in the All-American Soap Box Derby

Harrisonburg, VA (WHSV) – Race against the world.

A Roanoke woman who competed in the Soap Box Derby Trials in Harrisonburg in May has won big.

Diana Richardson holds the title for the fourth fastest time in the world since the All-American Soap Box Derby event held earlier in July.

“I’m going to be honest because I thought I was lost because the way you sit in the cars you have tunnel vision on all sides so I see them both on your side so I’m like oh man I lost,” Richardson said.

Richardson said that she is new to the game but is slowly falling in love with it.

“It was like a shock to me because I didn’t know, they were just like you can get in a truck so I’m fine… I was just playing it by ear so I couldn’t really tell when Till they told me,” Richardson said.

Richardson races in the local master’s division and plans to compete again next year.

“I loved the whole experience, it was my first time at Akron,” Richardson said. “I loved the whole vibe I got to know about its history.”

Richardson said she used to watch the races with her brother, but a soapbox family got her started in it, and it’s now a family affair.