Instead of spending Saturday morning watching cartoons, a number of kids were busy racing down Barrington Drive in Oak Harbor. They weren’t doing anything illegal, they were taking part in a soapbox derby.

The derby, known as the Whidbey Island Challenge Series, provided several hours of fun for special-needs children and their siblings.

“I think that it’s fun. I always wanted to ride a go-cart,” said 10-year-old Arispa Davis, who took two trips down the hill Saturday.

She was one of more than 40 racers who came from around Whidbey Island to take part in the Challenge Series.

During the day, each racer donned a helmet and teamed up with a volunteer co-driver and soared down the hill where many reached speeds topping 25 miles per hour. Oak Harbor police documented speeds with a radar trailer placed next to the finish line at the base of the hill.

“The boys are having a ball,” said Greenbank resident Kristi Etzall. She brought her children Benjamin, Lucas and Nicholas to the Challenge Series for the first time this year because they were at the right age to enjoy the such an event.

It wasn’t just the special needs kids who raced down the hill. Their siblings also had a chance to ride down in the custom-made carts.

Kit Maret, Challenge Series organizer, said having all siblings participate keeps the event more of a family affair.

“It’s a lot of fun for the kids,” said Drew Warren, who brought his five children to the Challenge Series.

A clown was on hand and artists spent the morning decorating the faces of participants.

Barrington Drive was closed during race time. Along the 200-yard course, hay bales were placed along the road to protect the racers, though none crashed. Cheerleaders from Oak Harbor High School cheered the racers as they started and completed each heat.

Everybody who raced that day won. Each was awarded a medal, given a bag of gifts and a photograph of their race.

The racing was complete before the heavy Saturday afternoon downpour could dampen the event.

“The rain hit just after we were done,” Maret said.

The Whidbey Island Challenge Series was organized by the Sunrise Rotary who has been holding the event every year since 1998. The Challenge Series has been a fixture in Oak Harbor since 1991.

In addition to the Sunrise Rotary, members from the Oak Harbor Fire Department, Police Department and Public Works Department helped with the event.

Members of the Venture Club, the Navy and Puget Sound Energy volunteered for the race and the hay bales came from Engle Farm.

Similar races are held in Issaquah and Sammamish. The eight cars used in the Oak Harbor races came from Issaquah.

More than $4,000 was raised from the event. Maret said most of the money raised comes from sponsors. The money goes to pay for the costs of the event that includes the medals and prizes.

Any remaining money goes to community events.