NEAH BAY — Joshua Monette qualified for the All American Soap Box Derby World Championships for the second year in a row earlier this month.
And this time, he’ll actually get to compete in the event.
The 13-year-old Neah Bay Middle School student took third in the Super Stock rally points standings for Region I (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana) to qualify for the event in Akron, Ohio, on July 23.
Rather than forgo the races like he did last year — opting instead to attend the 2010 Tribal Canoe Journey in Neah Bay — Monette will have his cart shipped out east so he can race against dozens of racers.
Monette submitted two first-place finishes and a pair of runner-up marks while competing in races in Stanwood, Mount Vernon, Poulsbo, Olympia and Salem, Ore., this season.
In a sport where the difference between first and second is often milliseconds, that is no small feat, according to Joshua’s mother, Rebekah Monette.
“They have to be almost perfect,” she said. “First-place finishes are almost impossible to come by. When you’re that good, they don’t make many mistakes.”
Racers compete in soap box cars with exacting specifications.
In Joshua’s class, for example, the weight of the car and driver must always measure out to 230 pounds to ensure that races come down to driving ability.
Joshua won and lost races by one thousandth of a second this season, his second overall on the circuit.
“It’s actually quite competitive, and it’s difficult to race in those top areas,” Rebekah said.
In between races, Joshua also competed in football, basketball and track while earning straight A’s at the middle school.
He is sponsored by TMS Metalizing Systems Ltd., out of Silverdale.