SOUTH BEND, Ind. (July 21, 2011) — Internet and mail-order tire marketer Tire Rack has partnered with the upcoming film “25 Hill” to help revive interest in Akron's All-American Soap Box Derby.
In the film, which was written, produced and directed by actor Corbin Bernsen, Tire Rack sponsored the soap box racer driven by character Kate Slater, the nemesis of main character Trey Caldwell. Tire Rack also will promote the movie and support its cause on a local and national level through connections with automotive enthusiasts, the company said.
“The Soap Box Derby has been called the 'Greatest Amateur Racing Event in the World' and the 'Gravity Grand Prix,'” said Matt Edmonds, vice president of South Bend-based Tire Rack. “However they are known, soap box derbies have been popular among all generations of Americans since 1933.
“We love the concept and message of the movie and believe it is important to help support and save a beloved tradition of one of the best demonstrations of American ingenuity.”
More information about Tire Rack's role in the movie can be found on the company's website.
Mr. Bernsen has commented in news reports that he decided to make the movie, filmed in part on location in Akron, as a way to help save the annual event, which has struggled to find sponsors over the last several years. In the past, sponsors have included Detroit car companies and Akron-based Goodyear.
The film takes its title from a derby racing hill in California.