The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
A dream realized
Grace Gryga wins Stock Division in Soap Box Derby
LOWER PROVIDENCE » When 12-year-old Grace Gryga walked away with the 67th Annual Soap Box Derby Stock Division championship in Conshohocken on July 4 she was fulfilling a longtime dream of her dad’s, a former Derby hopeful himself in the mid ’70s.
“They were building the cars from scratch back then,” Mike Gryga recalled. “I came from a big family with six kids and my dad worked seven days a week, working at Hale Fire Pump and the Nicolet asbestos plant. He was a good, hardworking man, which meant he didn’t have a lot of down time to share with us. That’s why when I raced I never practiced ... we just built a car and drove it for the first time at the big race in Conshohocken on the Fourth of July. I raced two years in a row but never won a race,” he added. “I promised myself as a child that someday I would build a car for my kid and win the Conshohocken Soap Box Derby. With
some help from friends not only did my dream come true, Grace surpassed it by placing fifth out of 87 kids in the World Finals.”
Gryga, who grew up in Norristown and now lives in Lower Providence, remembered how Grace, who will enter seventh grade at Arcola Middle School in the fall, narrowly missed winning the FirstEnergy AASBD’s World Championships at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio last month.
“Grace was one win away in the World finals to race for first second and third place. Unfortunately, she got in the center lane which is the slowest of the three lanes, came off the ramp crooked and corrected her steering to straighten her car up,” Gryga said. “This is not good, as it causes loss of speed off the ramp. She still almost won but lost by thousandths of a second. Up until that point, Grace had the second fastest time of the day. Incredibly, she still placed fifth ... she was the fifth fastest Soap Box Derby Stock Racer in the world.”
Grace showed her dedication leading up to the Derby this year by racing in 40 Rally races and earning five wins around the country, her dad said.
“The Rally Race Program allows participants to earn points by racing in various Rally Races throughout the United States and Canada. A participant in this program races year-round to win a ‘Rally Regional Title,’ ”Gryga explained. “This is Grace’s 5th year racing in the Soap Box Derby but only her first year Rally Racing. I thought this was the year Grace should rally race, as it is a second chance to go to Akron for a chance at winning the World Championship. Rally racing paid off,” Gryga said, adding that Grace is more motivated in all areas beyond racing than most kids her age.
“My daughter can do anything. If I go buy something from Ikea she’ll just open the box and start putting it together,” Gryga said, laughing. “At the beginning of the summer she said, ‘Dad I don’t want to go to camp this year, I want to get a job.’ I said, I don’t think so, ‘you’re too young.’ She’s not like most kids today, she likes to be active.”
Grace had worked hard to hone her skills before competing in this year’s Derby, Gryga noted.
“What a fabulous year of fun, making great friends and spending good quality time together creating great memories. The hard work paid off.”
Grace agreed with her dad.
“It’s definitely a lot of work, going to the Rally races around the country, to Florida, Virginia,” Grace said. “And going out to Ohio was a lot of fun. I love racing. It’s such a good sport for kids, to make friends and all that. I practiced hard and I just thought it would be my year.”
Now she’s hoping that 2019 will be her year as well.
“We’re looking forward to building a bigger car, a new Super Stock,” Grace said, “and moving up to the next division in the Derby next year.”