28th annual Folsom Handcar Derby

The 28th running of the Folsom Handcar Derby is set to take place May 18-19 on the tracks in front of Broadstone Marketplace on E. Bidwell Street. To participate in the event, groups for the handcar race must consist of five people – one pusher and four pumpers. Groups for the quadripede race must consist of two people. Saturday, May 18, is orientation day. Participants will have the opportunity to practice and go over all the safety policies and procedures. All groups must complete a full racing pass by the end of the day to be able to compete on Sunday, May 19, said Dan Bocinski, event organizer. On Sunday, the day starts at 9 a.m. with the pusher's contest where anyone wanting to push the 850-pound handcar for distance is welcome to compete. Competitors are separated by various weight classes in each of the men's and women's categories. Competition picks up immediately after with the handcar races as each team has one shot to be the best in their division and set the fastest time. For the handcar races, teams will be able to enter different divisions including men, women, co-ed and masters, Bocinski said. The final event is two contestants piloting the world's only racing quadripede down the 800-foot track course. Bocinski said this is the only place people will see this event on the west coast as far as the length of the track. This is the ninth year the quadripede will be making an appearance at this event, with the past seven years resulting in a huge success. Bocinski said all races are timed electronically down to the 1/100th of a second. He said this can make a huge difference between winning and losing in the respective categories. The day ends with an awards ceremony for all of the competing divisions. The first, second and third-place winners will receive medals. Bocinski is not just behind the scenes of this event, he also participates. "From a racer's perspective, this event has been very successful in the past," he said. "We have an average of around 20 handcar teams and 10-15 quadripede teams. This fun day gets quite a bit of spectators." The event is free for spectators, who can watch up on the hill or close by the tracks. For anyone interested in participating, admission for the handcar race is $125 per group, making the price $25 per person. Admission for the quadripede is $20, making the price $10 per person. For those participating, all equipment is provided. "We only have one car for everyone to race," he said. "This makes it so everyone is on a fair playing field." If you are unsure whether you want to participate or not, Bocinski said they will take teams up until Saturday with a check in hand. All proceeds from the event benefit the Folsom, El Dorado, Sacramento Historical Railroad Association. For more information, go to HandcarDerby.com or call 916-985-6001.