WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — The West Columbia community is preparing for the city's annual Kinetic Derby Day.
This past week has been one full of preparation for fourth-grade students, and West Columbia resident Reagan Huffman. She's gearing up for her second run down Meeting Street for West Columbia's kinetic derby.
"The day was a lot of fun, I just got in the car and Damion pushed me," she adds, "It's fun because then you get to get messy."
She, like many other racers, brought her car to Whetzel's Automotive along Augusta Highway. There, Robert Whetzel and his mechanics help build and fix the derby cars completely free.
"Some of them are made of wood, with inflatable wheels, that's one style where you can build them that way, with cable steering. And then you've got some of them with a completely welded frame, with official derby wheels, like the Corvette here," he says.
Whetzel says he enjoys watching the community come together, and provide learning opportunities for kids.
"When you get your kid involved in building the car, there's so many things that's involved in it; from weight distribution to steering," he says.
It's a point echoed by West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles. He adds the city expects to see hundreds come out for the derby.
"For those folks who right there along Meeting Street, certainly it's a great boom for that day because it brings in a lot of foot traffic and brings in a lot of folks to see those stores are there, and then later on they can come back. Even it's not that same day, it gives them exposure to what's there," he says.
The event kicks off at 10:30 A.M. at Meeting and State Streets. Miles says awards for the derby will be handed out around 2 pm at savage craft on Saturday.