Oberdier is runner-up in soap box derby race
By CHUCK RIDENOUR Daily Globe Sports Editor
MANSFIELD — The annual North Central Ohio Soap Box Derby was contested Saturday down the North Main Street hill with three youths from Shelby participating.
The top finisher among the local participants was Shelby High School student Nathan Oberdier, who was the runner-up in the super stock division.
After being knocked out of the championship bracket, Oberdier maneuvered his way through the challenger’s bracket to meet Columbus Grove’s Autumn Stechshulte for the championship.
An accident in the title round would end Oberdier’s day in his Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial racer.
The championship for Stechschulte was her second in two years. Last summer she won the stock division in the NCOSBD race. Finishing third was Tanner Winningham.
Also competing from Shelby were Colton Stevens and Emitt Little.
Little placed seventh in the stock division with the Barkdull Funeral Home racer.
Stevens battled it out in the super stock bracket but did not place. He raced in the Shelby Middle School car.
Juliana van Harlingen bested her sister, Layla, for top honors in the stock division. Casey Rachel was third.
A total of 36 racers competed in the annual race, which dates back to 1937. There were a few years in the late 1960’s when the race was held in Shelby.
Stechschulte and van Harlingen will now represent North Central Ohio in the All-american Soap Box Derby to be held next month in Akron.
The awards ceremony for the local race will take place this evening at the Mansfield Liederkranz.
This year’s race was sponsored by Skipper Bud’s and Meyer Bait in Marblehead.