Racing this year?  Did you register?  Deadline is May 24, 2025.

Final installment of the Rob Leiser 2025 build....

The budget build is finished.

The colors of the Gulf Oil livery are the most recognizable colors in auto racing since the 1960s. Eastwood Company Pottstown Store found the Gulf Blue paint formula. Allis Chamers Orange from Tractor Supply because Tractor paint is cheaper than auto paint.

A project like this can be completed in a weekend. The frame was cut from a piece of 3/4" plywood. The body is wall paneling from Home Depot. The Wheelchair wheels were $50.00 each on eBay. The front axle and steering are from a go-cart supply, and the brakes are used bicycle parts from eBay.

The number 99 designates the 9th Nazareth Adult Soapbox Racing Association car I built. The reason for this car is to demonstrate an inexpensive top 5 build for the speed class. The build can be found on the Nazareth Adult Soapbox Racing Association page.

The Race is on Saturday, June 7th. Still plenty of time to enter the race and build a car. If you have any questions, send me a note. 

Do you have a 4-wheeler? Side-by-side? Tram-car?

We are looking for a few more volunteers to tow the cars up the hill.

E-mail us at mrinker88@gmail.com

LCC interviews senior builder/driver Tom Marchak

6th installment of the Rob Leiser 2025 build....

Time to build a body for the Budget Racer. I will go back to the construction of my $75.00 2008 racer. The U-17 finished second in 2008 and 2009. The design was Cheap, Simple, and Fast. Off to the paneling department at Home Depot for some lovely Oak colored den paneling. Because I didn’t use a steel frame, the body is needed to stiffen the plywood floor. The fiberboard paneling is easy to cut and shape around corners. I use wood scrap to fasten the top to the sides and deck screws to attach the sides to the floor. I want to avoid sharp corners because this build is for the speed division. I start with cardboard for a rough shape. Once I am satisfied with the shape and fit, I cut the paneling for the sides and top. At this point, I have a usable car. Before I paint the car, I will sand off all the sharp corners and tape the seams with fiberglass cloth. My wife calls it ugly. However, it will be fast.

Rob Leiser

Car registration for the Jun. 7, 2025 race is now open!!!  Don't wait!!!

Limited to the first 54 cars.

Sign up here.

4th installment of Rob Leiser build…

Push bar 

Nazareth is unique in all the races I have participated in because of the push-start. I haven't always had the best pusher, but it's an easier car to push. That said, even the strongest pushers' advantage is lost if they can't get the power into the car. 

I raised my push bars when the rules changed to a standing pusher. I still see older cars with low push bars and new builds with no push bars. 

I use damaged tent poles from the rental business. Whatever material you use, make sure it doesn't flex. Any flex will cost you speed. I believe stored energy from a spring effect design will be wasted after the pusher lets go.

I built the Farm Team Dog Sled for 2023 to incorporate the high push bar into the body.  I believed this would reduce drag and transmit the most power.

3rd installment of Rob Leiser build…

Soapbox 25 build steering and front axle. 

My first car and the #2 Andretti Car were originally built with a Tiller, which is best described as sailboat steering. The tiller worked well on the straight Nazareth track but not on the turns of the New England tracks. For the third-year car, I fashioned a front axle using a rack and pinion, and spindles from kids' go-carts. 

I use a welder to build my front axles. However, they can be constructed using simple hand tools. Visit a go-cart shop or search "go-cart Spindle and go-cart rack & pinion" online. 

Think about Caster. Caster causes the steering wheel on your car to return to the center after a turn. A few degrees of caster will keep the wheels steady on your Gravity racer. Search Caster alignment online. 

To get to the 30+-mph club, you need to be smooth and straight. Any steering input during the run will cost you seconds. 30mph with rope steering sounds scary. My system rack and spindle steering will set you back about $100.00. However, it simplifies alignment. Having the ability to adjust the tow to a 1/16" will add speed. With the tiller, I use a vice to adjust the front-end alignment. With the Rack and pinion, I can make precise adjustments at the track. 

My rear axles come from my scrap pile. A 3/8" steel pipe will accept a ½" bolt as an axle. On my new cars, I drill and tap a piece of one-inch bolt and stick it in a steel tube from Tractor Supply. 

It takes patience to reach the 30+ club. Make sure both front and rear wheels run straight, and both axles are square to each other.

Follow along in a multi-part series as repeat winner Rob Leiser builds his 9th car. Get inspired or get some ideas.  Either way, get a car built to race on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Registration opens in January 2025.

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The exciting part of the 2008 race was that no one knew what the other cars would look like. During those early years, some builders learned in the first hundred feet that they made bad engineering decisions. The chassis design on my 2008 build is primarily unchanged from the chassis of the "Dean Van Lines” (my eighth car). The total cost of my first car was about $75.00.

I believe that a competitive car can be built for about $400.00 with simple hand tools. Most of my knowledge of race car engineering came from that 5th-grade science class on friction.

Cleaning out my garage a few weeks ago, I found enough parts to build a 9th car. My 9th build (Leftover Parts number 999) demonstrates a quick, inexpensive build. My passion is building fast cars, not winning races. Hopefully, a few posts about my builds will help new builders get started. The 999 chassis could be a top 5 car that may never compete.

This car will be built to reduce friction. The bottom will be sanded and painted with a high-gloss paint. The body will be a wedge as narrow as I can make it. The nose is open to allow air to move through the car. All corners are rounded. As speed increases, so does drag. My cars continue to accelerate even as the hill flattens.

Stay tuned for post 2 in the series!

The official 2025 race poster is here!! Featuring last year's winners and a historic Nazareth landmark. Print, share and distribute!!! You can also purchase them here

Two Sizes available (24" x 36") and (12" x 18")