There was a need for speed Saturday morning, as soap box racers streaked down Oak Harbor’s Barrington Drive during the Whidbey Island Challenge Series, sponsored by the Sunrise Rotary Club of North Whidbey. More than 50 sponsors came forward to give to the fund-rasing effort by the Rotarians — which is focused on “gravity racing for kids with special needs” — full-speed-ahead fun.

The day was given a musical start, as the An-O-Chords sang the National Anthem, following a mini-opening parade lead by the Oak Harbor High School cheerleaders and color guard of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts.

Soon the track was cleared for two-plus hours of gravity racing, as the announcer said,” OK folks we’ve got to clear the track because it’s time to race!”

Soon after at the starting line, little Anna Harlacher was instructing her driver to “ride all the way down — fast, fast, fast!”

At the finish line, shouts of “brake, brake, brake!” were heard as moms and dads reminded their little speed demons they’d reached the end of the track and it was time to bring the ride to a halt. The soap box cars, manned by a driver and a special needs child co-driver, were given the starting flag in front of Island Thrift, speeding down Barrington to the post office. All the while, the only thing fueling them was gravity and, of course, sugar-charged enthusiasm.

For an automobile, that’s a moderately short distance to pick up any speed, and if obeying traffic laws, speeding isn’t allowed in the area. But for the soap box drivers Saturday, the Oak Harbor Police actually encouraged speeding, bringing out their mobile speed readerboards telling the racers, “Your speed is….”

Why the need for speed? “You can’t slow down or you’ll stop all the fun,” 12-year-old Jordan Cox explained.

Parents, including Andrew Warren, father of three-year-old Nevin Warren, were all smiles as they cheered on their little racers.

“We really appreciate the Rotary Club for doing this, it’s great that it gets kids with special needs out with other kids,” Warren said.

The cars were manned by a volunteer drivers, including Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, cheerleaders, Rotary Club children and others, and a special needs child co-driver. Volunteer drivers like Chris Atwood, 9, planned out their strategies for heading down the hill.

“I’ll just go straight and only turn when I have to,” Atwood said.

Dotted along the streets were area residents who after hearing the announcer and crowds cheer on the racers, wanted to see what all the commotion was about.

“The PA system woke me up, so I decided to come down, it’s pretty darn cute,” said Barrington Drive resident Shari Anderson.

Lisa Cox brought a carload down to watch the racing. With children clamoring about the blanket spread out on a grassy spot along Barrington, the Oak Harbor resident kept track of her daughter’s pet rabbit Butter and 11-week-old yellow Lab Sassy. Her sons, 12-year-old Jace and 10-year-old Jordan, are members of Boy Scout Troop 92, one of the scout groups that volunteered for the day’s event.

“At first I didn’t fully understand what they were doing, but now I really see that they’re actually doing a service here,” Cox said.

The only other traffic on the hay bale-lined section of Barrington were members of Whidbey Island Blade Benders Lawn Dragging, who also participated in some gravity racing of their own. The larger, bulkier mowers took some extra push power, but they allowed adults to partake in some racing fun. From firefighters, police officers, Blade Benders and others, the kids weren’t the only ones who screamed with glee down Barrington Drive.

There was some particularly effective clowing around at the races by a man wearing a button proclaiming “Just Wally.” This was the fourth year the colorful Rotary member has competed in the racing. Ask anyone around the track and they’ll tell you of the clown/police rivalry that goes on during Challenge Series.

“There’s no rivalry, it’s clear that I’m superior,” the yellow hair, big red-noised guy said.

This year, “Wally” beat out Oak Harbor DARE officer Steve Nordstrand for the first time in four years.

“His nose got more aerodynamic this year,” Nordstrand claimed.

Every young wanna-be Mario Andretti walked away a winner Saturday, receiving a medal and award for their driving. “Everyone doing their part” is what makes the Challenge Series possible, according to Sunrise Rotary President Scott Dudley. From Rotary, Oak Harbor Public Works, Venture Club, MARS, Cub Scout and Boy Scout Troops, Oak Harbor Cheerleaders, to the over 50 sponsors that includes individuals and businesses, the Challenge Series has become a community effort for kids with special needs.

“It’s one of the few times that challenged children become the focus, and the true description of what this is all about is written on their faces today,” said Rotary member Wayne Locke.