My son is an avid Donald Duck Magazine reader. It is one of the most popular magazines in The Netherlands, and still going strong after 65 years. My dad read the Donald Duck, I read it and now my son is reading it. They had a competition to celebrate their 65th birthday. You could win a trip to Disneyland Paris for 65 persons. You had to come up with a ride for Disneryland Paris. My son Job came with the idea of a soapbox race. We discussed if he should draw something himself or if I should make something nice. He wanted me to design the plan…in the hope for raising our chances. But we did not win, and we did not even get a consolation prize….Maybe he should have made it himself. I had great fun making this design, which turned out great, with a very nostalgic feel about it.
Translation of letter
‘The soapbox race
It’s time. The soapbox race of Huey, Dewey, and Louie starts again in Duckburg. Will you be able to get the first to cross the finish line with you and your team? The soapbox race of Huey, Dewey, and Louie is an exciting attraction where you as a team have to steer very well to come out in front of your opponents. The race takes you through the main places of Duckburg. The soapbox race starts at the Junior Woodchucks headquarters (1), where you step into the soapbox with four of you. Slowly you are hoisted up to the start of the race (2). Then you tear through the garden of Bolderbast and Uncle Donald (3), look around in the money warehouse of Uncle Scrooge (4), you have to watch out for the inventions of Gyro Gearloose (5) and avoid the hay bales at Grandma Duck (6). Did your team steer the soapboxes as best, then you are the first to cross the finish line (7) and you have won!
The soapbox
The soap box is suitable for four people. All of them have a handlebar that makes it possible to speed up the soapbox. During the race you go through curves that are indicated by big arrows. If you steer into the corner on time, your soapbox will go extra fast.
About the contributors.
The maincontributor is Job van den Berg who came up with the whole idea of the soapbox race. His father Dimitry has been kind enough to make it look like as Job intended. Job and his father are a real Donald Duck family. Donald Ducks from 1975 until now under the bed of Job and his father.’