~ This year's Soap Box Derby champions avoided the losers brackets.

Kayla Thurman of Jackson and Daniel Mora of Cape Girardeau were all smiles on Saturday after winning their respective classes at the ninth annual Cape Girardeau Rotary Club Soap Box Derby.

Mora, 13, a first-time racer, won the super stock division championship by topping a field of 13 participants.

Thurman, 9, won the stock division, which also had 13 competitors.

Mora and Thurman both qualified for the 69th All-American Soap Box Derby, which takes place annually in Akron, Ohio. This year's event is scheduled for July 22.

Both Thurman and Mora were able to finish the day undefeated in the double-elimination format. Last year's winners came back from early losses to win their divisions.

Participants race head-to-head in two heats each round, with the difference in time determining the winner. The stock division, designed for ages 8 to 13, features slightly smaller cars than the super stock, geared toward ages 10 to 17. Southeast Missouri Hospital co-sponsored the event with the Rotary Club.

Mora, driving the sharp-looking Kidd Oil car "Silent but Deadly" in the gravity-powered race, defeated Suzi Bridges of Cape Girardeau in the super stock final. Oak Ridge's Andrew Reed finished third with Cody Aufdenburg in fourth.

Thurman, in winning the stock division, captured a title that had previously eluded her older brother, Justin, who advanced to the finals in each of the last two years.

"Justin finished second in the same car the last two years," said Kayla and Justin's father, Jeff Thurman, "It's nice to finally win."

While Kayla celebrated, Justin had his eyes on the future. "She's going to have to race against me next year in super stock," he said, "and I'm going to beat her."

Finishing second in the Stock division was Josh Menkus. Daniel Rennier of Sikeston finished third and Elizabeth Kiefner of Cape Girardeau was fourth.