Island Excursion
It's a family affair at Pearl City race track

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

Dickson Dechoso, 31, and Charles Ramiscal, 12, know that age is not a factor when determining the winner at the box car race track in Pearl City. Dechoso is the track's head instructor and supervisor. Ramiscal is a volunteer junior instructor and girl-watcher. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser Box car racing With American Box Car Racing International 3-9 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, 1-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (public hours) Pearl City Box Car Track, Acacia Road behind Sam's Club $6 to watch or drive up to four hours ($4.50 for military; free for people under 4 and over 55) 947-3393 or boxcarracing.org Requirements: Parents must accompany children. Closed-toe shoes are required; kids must wear long pants.

Six bucks for an afternoon of spills and cheap thrills is hard to beat.

A kid in blue jeans dragged his box car to the top of the ramp, excitement in every step.

"C'mon!" he hollered to his dad, sporting a baseball cap and a beer belly. He grabbed the red box car with the word "sumo" painted on its side and pushed it up the ramp. Mom waited to the side of the winding tracks, digital camera in hand.

As soon as father and son were snug in their box cars, they took off, speeding down the ramp toward the white-lined race track spread in front of them. Keeping their heads down, they leaned into the turns, looking like pros at about 5 mph.

"Sayonara, sucker!" the boy yelled out with a wide-mouthed grin, throwing his head back toward his dad, who was a car length behind him. Mom caught every move on camera.

But just when the boy neared the finish line, his father stealthily edged passed him for the win.

"You cheated!" cried the boy, tugging on his black T-shirt. "You cheated!" Mom laughed.

"Wanna do it again?" Dad asked.

Without answering, the boy jumped out of his box car and grabbed his father's, hurriedly pushing it back up the starting ramp.

And the race began again.

For the past five years, American Box Car Racing International has organized family-style racing in various parking lots and race tracks. The nonprofit organization's goal has always been to provide a safe place for youths, help them stay out of trouble and to get families to have fun together.

"Basically we felt that this was an activity that allowed kids who didn't necessarily play football or baseball or soccer something to do," said Robert "BC" Cowling, ABCRI's executive director. "It's a great equalizer. Little kids can race big kids. And there's a family aspect to it. Parents can do this with their kids."

With community support and donations, ABCRI opened the temporary race track in Pearl City. They're now waiting to open a permanent site at the Central O'ahu Regional Park across from Waipio Gentry in a couple of years.

The track is staffed with nine part-timers and more than 60 volunteers a year. It stages birthday parties, family get-togethers, summer programs and educational field trips.

"The level of community support for the kids and for healthy activities for kids and families — that's the heart of this," Cowling said. "It's kind of a magical thing."

And what was once a novelty has turned into normalcy for many kids who have made the tracks their official hangout.

Charles Ramiscal spends all his free time at the race track.

"He's addicted," said 17-year-old Kelly Carrington, who volunteers at the tracks twice a week. "He doesn't have a life."

Ramiscal does have a life — it's just spent on the asphalt.

With a too-big shirt and too-long hair, the 12-year-old seventh-grader at Waipahu Intermediate moved around the track like he owned the place. During the summer, he spent about 10 hours a day working as a volunteer junior instructor, fixing cars and changing steering cables at least four days a week.

"And checking out girls at field trips, too," he added with a rascal smile.

Exposed to box car racing during a summer program at the track, Ramiscal found a second home — and a passion for racing. Even if it is just box cars.

"Duck down low," he said, explaining the techniques to mastering the box car. "Lean into corners. Be more aerodynamic. And don't look back. Keep going."

"Had party today?" interrupted another volunteer, in jeans and T-shirt.

"Yeah," Ramiscal answered.

"Which one?"

"Had one field trip this morning," he said, pausing to flash a devious smile with a gleam in his eyes. "All girls."

But it's not just kids who are hooked on racing box cars.

At 31, Dickson Dechoso finds himself sneaking rides during his shift as the head instructor and supervisor at the tracks.

Studying to be a mechanic at Leeward Community College, Dechoso enjoys working on the box cars. But better than that is seeing how much fun the kids are having.

"I really like what I do," he said, watching the volunteers race each other during the tracks' slow hours. "I like teaching the younger kids everything I know about box cars. And the smile on their faces at the finish line — that's the best."