Fraternity starts Little Point Five derby race

The inaugural running of the Little Point Five, a soapbox derby race sponsored by Delta Upsilon fraternity, will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday on the south end of Fee Lane.

Proceeds from the $50 team entry fee will go to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the fraternity’s national philanthropy organization.

Event organizer and sophomore Andy Gordon said organizations from across campus will race in head-to-head heats in soapbox cars, which hold one person and are non-motorized.

The winner of each heat will advance to the next round in a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament.

The ultimate champions and the drivers of the best-decorated car will receive prize packs from the IU Student Foundation, including Little 500 T-shirts and all-event passes.

“The experience of doing it is something people are going to remember,” Gordon said.
In addition to the races, Straight No Chaser and the Clayton Anderson Band will perform, and representatives from Red Bull will be handing out free drinks, Gordon said.

Little Point Five is the result of a year of planning and organization by Gordon and other brothers.

“Last year, somebody brought it up in passing,” Gordon said. “When we got the event approved by the University, it was like, this is definitely going to happen.”
Sophomore Ryan Duerring, the fraternity’s  president,  said this event replaced a previous “big, upscale” philanthropy event.

“It dwindled off in the past few years,” Duerring said. “So we wanted to pick up something we could have attached to our name that would actually be beneficial.”

The fraternity wanted to tie their new event to the Little 500, Duerring said.
“Hopefully, it’s something that sticks in the IU culture,” he said.

Delta Upsilon also has high hopes for the event because it will be so public.

“It’s a good opportunity to do something visible to the whole campus, since most philanthropy events are inter-greek,” Duerring said. “There’s not usually a lot of entire campus involvement.”

Gordon said he hopes for a big crowd for the event that he’s been waiting to see come together for a year.

“Even if people aren’t signed up, they should still come down to watch,” Gordon said. “It’s meant to be entertainment.”