Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407180155
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
But as far as one could tell, there were no tire wars - no grown men feuding over round pieces of rubber.
Just a little four-wheel racing with Fiberglas wheels and without motors.
Adults can't fit in the cockpit of the truncated-kayak-on-wheels called a soap box derby race car, so you'll have to take it from 10-year-old Roanoker Paige Hodges:
``It feels cool.''
Hodges, who has cerebral palsy, raced in the ``dual control'' division during Saturday's Commonwealth Games event at Walrond Park. Dual-control cars allow for an extra driver with an extra brake and steering wheel.
Hodges says she has a bunch of medals at home from track and field competitions for handicapped children in Richmond, but Saturday was her first run in a soap box derby. She won a silver medal in the dual-control division.
``It's fun. It's awesome,'' she said, acknowledging her partner, Jill Hamilton, steers and brakes. ``She does all that. I'm just along for the ride.''
Thirty other drivers turned out Saturday, most with cars sponsored by fast-food chains, grocery stores, television stations and others, including the portentously-named ``Orthopedic surgery,'' which carried driver Daniel Duram full-speed into the hay-and-tire barrier at the end of the track. His sponsor was not needed.
One sponsor had nothing over-the-counter to sell. Twelve-year-old Bryan Carriker's car was sponsored by the Roanoke City Police's C.O.P.E. (community-oriented policing) unit.
Eight members of the unit turned out in uniform to be seen and lend moral support, not minding their driver's nickname - ``Punk'' - lettered on the side of the car. His full name was too long.
``That's all we had in lettering,'' said Sgt. N.F. Steahly.
Meet director Doug Trout got the unit involved when he realized Carriker's car didn't have a sponsor. The unit's goal is to establish presence and personal contact with citizens, mostly in Roanoke's housing developments. Those may not be a cauldron of soap box derby competition, but a little public relations never hurt.
``This is the kind of stuff we'd like to get involved in,'' said Steahly, a Roanoke policeman for nearly 21 years. ``It was an opportunity for us to assist in some way. ... Every once in awhile, if some kind of special function is going on, we may arrange our schedule to work it.
``This is our job today.''
Carriker, however, did not win a medal.
Saturday was the Commonwealth Games' fullest day of competition. The fifth edition of the event continues today, when all events will finish except youth golf (Monday and Tuesday) and mixed-doubles tennis (July 23-24).
In other notable goings-on Saturday at the Games:
ROAD RACE: Six age-group records fell in the five-mile run.
Former Virginia Tech runner Travis Walter, who lists his residence as Cary, N.C., set the 20-24 record with a time of 25 minutes, 11 seconds. Chris Gibson of Roanoke finished in 27:34 in the 20-24 age group - faster than the previous Games record - but his time is superseded by Walter's.
Other marks set: David Angell of Boones Mill, 27:49 in the boys'15-19 group; Bob Hartless of Forest, 31:44 in the men's 50-54 group; John Hosner of Blacksburg, 32:47 in the men's 65-69 group; Jill Johnson of Christiansburg, 35:14 in the girls' 15-19 group; and Karen Miller of Roanoke, 35:52 in the women's 40-44 group.
Hosner, who is 69 years old, finished 22nd overall among 84 runners. He was the third-oldest runner who finished.
BASEBALL: The North's Barry Gauch of Woodbridge had a home run, two doubles and five RBI in an 11-5 victory over the Central team. Central's Tanner Lindsay of Petersburg homered in each of his team's two games and had three hits in an 8-1 victory over the West squad. West's Robert Kaczmarek of Cave Spring High School and Michael McGuire of William Byrd each homered against the East, but the West committed four errors that led to five unearned runs.
TENNIS: Seventeen-year-old Christian Brower of Fairfax Station repeated as a tennis champion, although in a new bracket. Last year's 16-and-under Games gold medalist won this year's 18-and-under gold by beating Kevin Dalal 6-3, 6-3. Dalal is a graduate of Salem High School (his alma mater was reported incorrectly in Saturday's editions).
``This year's the big year,'' said Brower, a rising senior at Paul VI High School in Fairfax who has just begun to concentrate on tennis after giving up basketball.
He's playing six tournaments this month, trying to improve his Middle Atlantic Tennis Association ranking of No.43.
``I wasn't playing great [Saturday], but I played good,'' Brower said. ``Usually, I have a serve-and-volley game. I kind of tried to [play from the] baseline, and it worked pretty well.''
Dalal, headed to Duke University to major in chemistry, could not solve Brower's equation.
``The big points kind of let me down,'' he said. ``He has a fantastic serve. When I stayed in the points, I usually won them. He won all the quick points.''
by CNB