Hunstanton’s very own whacky races will return this September!
Key information
- Venue: The Green, Hunstanton PE36 6BL
- Date: Sunday 20 September 2026
- Racing time: Approximately 11am to 5pm
- Entry fee: Senior £30, Junior £20
About the event
Hunstanton’s very own whacky races will return this September! The event is organised by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk. Construct your hand-built karts and come and join in the fun, racing down Hunstanton’s hilly streets, thrilling the large crowds in attendance. Teams are encouraged from everywhere and everyone - families, businesses, organisations; all of the community.
The course is fast and exciting with challenges to overcome (ramp, chicane and tight corners). Starting by the High Street on Greevegate, it zooms down past the Green and finishes in Beach Terrace Road by the Bandstand.& This year we have a new rattler ramp, which will be a further challenge for the participants and even more entertainment for the spectators!
The course and its start and finish is controlled on the day by King’s Lynn & District Motor Club.
For spectators there will be music and entertainment on the Green, all contributing to a great carnival atmosphere for all the family! There are plenty of outlets nearby the Green and the course to purchase food and refreshments.
Come and watch the thrills and spills of this extraordinary event!
List of competing teams
Choose the category from the list below to see all the teams competing in this year's race.
Team name
Category
CRC Racing
Under 13
Stormforce Junior
Under 13
Crystal Sounds
Under 13
Young & No Fear
Under 13
NECS (North Elmham Countrysiders)
Under 13
Smith Racing
Under 13
Junior F1
Under 13
Bertie
Under 13
Team name
Category
Kings Lynn Police Cadets
13 to 15
Birkin's Bobsleigh
13 to 15
NECS (North Elmham Countrysiders)
13 to 15
Iceni Academy Tech Club
13 to 15
J55C Racing Team
13 to 15
Airforce Fighter 1
13 to 15
FW14B
13 to 15
Team name
Category
The Young Ones
16 to 49
E G Grounds Care
16 to 49
Restoration Rangers
16 to 49
The Turtle Moves!
16 to 49
Screwfix Sprint (Hadleigh, Suffolk)
16 to 49
Oh Deere
16 to 49
KW's Garden Maintenance
16 to 49
Springwood Racers
16 to 49
Disney Heroes (formerly Ka-Chow)
16 to 49
Feldbinder UK
16 to 49
Big Wheels
16 to 49
Birkins Girls
16 to 49
Birkin's Bobsleigh
16 to 49
Round Table 54 - Fast as Fox
16 to 49
Round Table 54 - Dragon Deez
16 to 49
Team Extreme Grass Cutting
16 to 49
Hunstanton Fire Cadets
16 to 49
Fast & Flavourous
16 to 49
The Chorizo Charger
16 to 49
Doc’s Dodgy DeLorean
16 to 49
Apex Legend
16 to 49
3rdTimeLucky
16 to 49
Slow and Flat
16 to 49
Fast and Fizzy
16 to 49
Norfolk Hillbillies
16 to 49
Rusty Nutz
16 to 49
924 Do More
16 to 49
The Balloon
16 to 49
Royal Rebels
16 to 49
The Fit Out Flyer
16 to 49
Purfleet Trust - British Sugar
16 to 49
Coach Potatoes
16 to 49
Piston Broke
16 to 49
Moto-heck!
16 to 49
Team name
Category
Hilly Racer
50+
Stormforce Seniors
50+
Hunstanton Manshed
50+
Downhill Disaster
50+
Graviton Dragon Edition
50+
The Fat Controllers Mid Life Crisis
50+
Shoreline Bathrooms
50+
Crystal sounds
50+
LMD Locksmiths
50+
The Pink Panthers
50+
Gipsey Bridge Old Boys
50+
Long Sutton Mens Shed
50+
Wicked Women
50+
Birkins 1
50+
Kartasaki Ninja
50+
Brake Expectations
50+
Event information
Full details for the event can be found below.
Entry fee
- Senior £30
- Junior £20
Day timings
Please note that stalls will be on display on the lower Green all day.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 9am to 10:30am | Team Registrations on the upper Green |
| 9:15am to 10:45am | Scrutineering in the Pits on the upper Green |
| 11am to 1pm | Racing Round 1 |
| 1pm to 1:45pm | Lunch and Music in the Bandstand |
| 1:45pm to 4pm | Racing Round 2 |
| 4pm | Music in the Bandstand |
| 4:45pm | Event Trophy Presentations from the Bandstand |
Race categories
Choose which category to enter from the four below.
| Category | Age ranges |
|---|---|
| Junior | Under 13 (10-12 year olds) Under 16 (13-15 year olds) |
| Senior | Adult (16-49 year olds) Veterans (50+) |
All above ages are as on race day.
Event rules
All entrants must read and agree to the event rules and kart specifications. Entrants must construct their karts in line with event specifications covering size, brake systems etc.
Event rules and specifications are available& below.& Please note this document has been updated for 2026 and should be read thoroughly.
Course map
You can view the course route on our course map& below.
Prizes
There will be prizes for teams finishing first, second and third in each category and a trophy for the overall winner. There will also be a ‘Concours d’elegance’ award for the best-looking kart& as voted by the public.
Presentations
The day will conclude with a presentation ceremony once racing has ended and the results have been established.
Disability spectator area
Wheelchair users can spectate from a designated area at the end of St Edmunds Terrace.
Enter the competition
Registrations for this years competition have closed.
Highlights from previous years
2025 Soap Box Derby
Event history
The first ever Soap Box Derby in Hunstanton took place in 1953. The race was the brainchild of Frank Hartnell, onetime Chairman of the Town Council, who created the event primarily for the enjoyment of the boys of St Christopher's Home. Mr Hartnell not only organised the races but built the karts as well. He even tested his creations out for himself, once reporting 'the result - a grazed ankle and a torn pair of trousers'!
The races in those days were quite an attraction and were watched by several hundred people. Quite when the original Soap Box Derby run came to an end is unclear. It was re-introduced by the Borough Council in 2017. The history of the Soap Box Derby is told in this article in the Town and Around.
