Looking Back: Lynde 500

2007 in pictures. 

1st Place - Dutch Mothers

2nd Place - Big Steel Box

3rd Place - Money Pit

Looking Back: Lynde 500

2006.
In it's fourth year the Lynde 500 seemed to settle into itself as an event. Lively, full of action, competition and, most importantly, FUN!

After 2005's flying wheels debacle the Lynde 500 bought all the lawn mower tires in the city of Lynden to keep 2006's race running along!

To quote event organizer and museum director, Troy Luginbill:

"It was a wild and woolly day. Steering went out. Cars slid through the finish line backward."

...and they're ready to race!

"It had it all. Tears. Laughter. Drama."

this is a common sight at the Lynde: confused stares, cars upside down in the pits...

Sponsors: ME Photography, Hats Off, Flora, People's Bank, Kimbler & Thomas Financial Group, Rock'en Creations, Eastside Market & Deli, Ace Hardware, McDonalds, Papa Murphy Pizza, Zylstra Tire, City of Lynden, Food Pavilion, Safeway, Haggen, True Value, Pacific Plumbing, Frito Lay, Les Schwab, Ferndale Farm & Garden, Edaleen Dairy, Bogaard Hay, Rich Kayser, Ferndale Portal Way Drug, and the Lynden Tribune.

Looking Back: Lynde 500

2005...Also known as the year of "the wheels they went a'flyin'"


The Lynde moved back to Labor Day which has been its permanent home since.

The "Tunnel of Doom" was added and the race track was lengthened considerably. The track, which had previously been contained to the parking lot, was extended into 4th Street.

The kart wheels seemed to have a mind of their own this year and started flying off. Racers went through an estimated 40 extra wheels (front and back)! It was intense and kept the race interesting!

Just a little crash...it happens. They jump up and are back at it!

2005 Sponsors: Eastside Market & Deli (thank you Dave Dodson), Hats Off, Flora, People's Bank, Ace Hardware, Walton Beverage, Bogaard Hay, the Northwest Washington Fair, Zylstra Tire, Rich Kayser, and Swins Signs.

Looking Back: Lynde 500

2004.
Year two of the Lynde 500.
2004 was a year of change for the Lynde 500. The date was changed from Labor Day to the month of June (it was changed back to Labor Day in 2005 and has remained the same ever since).

Event Staff.

The amount of teams increased from five to eight competing for the $500 purse in the second year.

There were some really cool karts designed.

People's Bank has been a sponsor since the beginning.

2004's First Place winner was the People's Bank Kart!

The history of the Lynde 500

Answering "why?"  "who?"  and most importantly 

"where did that cool name come from!"

2001

The Brainstorm -- The event was started with the idea that Lynden needed a fun event, not for tourists, but for the community that harkened back to the old days when the community would get together downtown for picnics, sports, racing, fairs, whatever brought the community together.

Tom Entrikin and Troy Luginbill got together to brainstorm such an event and really liked the idea of a soap box kart event.  But Lynden did not have any good hills so it was changed over to a push kart event (reminiscent of the Australian push kart league.)  The relay was added to encourage more people to team up and be a part of the event (along the lines of Ski to Sea).

In October, the first unofficial meeting was held with Troy and Tom and two other community members to discuss the soapbox derby, to determine a mission statement, to look at the financial considerations, and how to establish a Lynde 500 committee made up solely of volunteers.

2002

The mission statement is formed: 

 “ to enhance the community with a special event that promotes family & fun, builds community bonds and establishes an event to return to each year.”

“Imagine teams of families, friends, fellow employees, high school sport teams, and folks from all over the Northwest spending their weekends diligently building, creating, and training for the Lynde’ 500 where the top prize purse is $500.00”

The name is decided to be the "Lynde 500", because it takes place in Lynden and has the first place prize of 500.  There was no intention for it to resemble that other spectacular race that takes place in Indiana where race cars drive 500 miles (not at all, nope, no resemblance what-so-ever!)

2003 -- The Lynde 500 is born

“We are the Pioneers of a potential legacy that will ultimately become one of the finest displays of community gathering and excitement the Pacific Northwest has ever seen. A push kart derby race through the streets of downtown Lynden – The Lynde 500”

“In an effort to celebrate the fun days of reckless youth, the Museum is hosting a classic race, good old fashioned food, and a really kick’en blue grass band”

The 1^st Annual Lynde 500 Push Kart Derby is held in Lynden on Labor Day and 500 spectators enjoy the race. East Side Deli provides complimentary hot dogs (and did so for the first 6 years and must have donated in that time over 4000 hot dogs. They fed a third of Lynden)!

Entertainment was provided by the band Quickdraw M’Graw .  

Flora was the primary sponsor of the race

followed by Dutch Mothers who would end up being the most successful Lynde team to date!

In the End Lynden Tennis team took the grand prize of 500 smackers!!!

NEXT-THE LYNDE GROWS AND COMPETITION GETS SERIOUS AND WE SEE A NEW TEAM TRY TO BE THE BEST LYNDE TEAM EVER!

so stay tuned for Lynde 2004