Cheers, laughter, and the rhythmic clatter of handcars marked the end of a beloved Folsom tradition Sunday as the final Handcar Derby rolled through Historic Folsom for its 32nd and final year. The event, hosted by the Friends of the Folsom Railroad Museum, brought together longtime participants, first-time racers, and a dedicated crowd for a day filled with nostalgia, fierce competition, and heartfelt farewells.

Held on the rails adjacent to the historic Folsom depot, the derby has long celebrated railroad heritage and community spirit. But after more than three decades, organizers announced earlier this year that this would be the last ride. The decision marked the close of what has been one of Folsom’s most unique and enduring events.

This year’s final edition featured a total of 81 entries across all competitive divisions, showcasing both athleticism and creativity in a series of signature events. The Handcar Derby included 21 handcar teams and 12 quadripede teams, with 24 individuals competing in the crowd-favorite pusher competition and 14 more in the Gandy Dancer event. Additional entries came from youth categories and open divisions that spanned coed, men’s, women’s, and elite classifications.

The fastest handcar time of the day went to “Pump It Like You Stole It,” a powerhouse squad consisting of Will Scott, Ryan Fox, Eric Slupianek, Brad Schieckoff, and Brett Jennings, who clocked in at an impressive 25.979 seconds—earning not only bragging rights but the final title of Derby’s fastest. Here are the final results from the day for all divisions:

In the Seniors Division, “Over the Hill & Still Pumpin” finished first with a solid 38.631-second run. Team members Gary Putman, Don Patterson, Cook McDonald, Brad Donaldson, and Michael Varin held strong to take the top spot over the “Gracious Grannies,” made up of Sara Shadrick, Shirley Isola, Ellen Putnam, Gail Henry, and Colleen Saenz, who finished with a time of 44.870 seconds.

The Coed Division brought exciting energy, with four teams competing. “Firefly” took first place at 26.629 seconds with David Harrison, Brittany Brazil, Blake Dedas, Katharyn Daun, and Art Finch. “Folsom Powerhouse,” made up of Horacio Porath, Jorge Zamudie, Leenna Keo, and Sabrina Borched, came in second at 30.511.

Among three teams in the Coed Elite category, “Night Rider” claimed victory at 28.244 seconds. Their lineup included Art Finch, Suzanne Oyoung, Jerome Jeffries, Rochelle Brace, and Jacob Glaspy. Close behind was “Loco(motion) & Stitch” with Art Finch, Tiffany Erickson, Jon Holmberg, Mark Bartlett, and Sherry Toutges, finishing in 30.105 seconds.

In the Women’s Division, which featured three teams, “Fancy Ladies” took top honors at 31.628 seconds, led by Tiffany Shope, Katharyn Daun, Lindsey Hall, Colleen Saenz, and Brittany Brazil. “Sturdy Bishes” (Lindsey Hall, Katharyn Daun, Erin Shaw, Jensie Wight, and Amy Zuber) followed with a time of 32.812.

Two squads competed in the Women’s Elite class. “Hot Wheels” claimed first place in 34.274 seconds with Kirra Putman, Makayla Putman, Christine Putman, Ellen Putnam, and Suzanne Oyoung. “VSP Blurred Vision” was just behind at 34.470 seconds, with Carmaine Cotham, Vishnu Subburaj, Lisa Jaeger, Sherry Toutges, and Colleen Saenz.

The Open Division saw four teams enter, with “Push It Real Good” taking the win at 26.821 seconds. The team included Casey Burns, Chris White, Matt Occhicone, Nic Crew, and James Gregory. The “VSP Blurred Vision Men” team of Dan Bocinski, Victor Goodwin, Chris Cotham, Jess Vincent, and Art Finch placed second with 27.038.

In the Open Elite bracket, featuring two competitive squads, “Just Us Five” edged out the win in 28.640 seconds. Team members were Jerome Jeffries, Dan Bocinski, Stan Wilkins, Mike Kelly, and Art Finch. “PSVRR” (Andrew Mayes, Nicholas Toutges, Milo Slack, Jake Boston, and Paul Baker) followed close behind at 28.700 seconds.

Twelve teams participated in the Quadripede event across three divisions. In the Coed category, “Flex Appeal” (Ken Benedict and Amy Davis) finished in 33.668 seconds, ahead of “Bartlett Pairs” (Joyce and Mark Bartlett) at 37.369 and “Celestial Seasoning” (Michael Ford and Erin Shaw) at 44.888. The Women’s Division saw “Brawlers” (Lindsey Hall and Brittany Brazil) take first at 36.817 seconds. “Hot Wheels” (Kirra and Makayla Putman) came in at 40.567, followed by “Sister Sister” at 48.075. In the Men’s category, “Double Trouble” (Chris Cotham and Ken Benedict) won at 30.567 seconds, followed by “Locomotives & Stitch” (Tiffany Erickson and Jon Holmberg) at 32.007 and “Let’s Go!” (Nic Crew and Matt Occhicone) at 33.469.

The Gandy Dancer competition included eight women and six men. Among the women, Katharyn Daun achieved a remarkable distance of 458 feet, followed by Brittany Brazil at 391 feet, 10 inches, and Kirra Putman at 302 feet, 2 inches. On the men’s side, David Harrison topped the field at 326 feet, 6 inches, with Chris Cotham (277 feet, 2 inches) and Jacob Glaspy (251 feet) rounding out the top three. Colleen Saenz received special recognition for her performance in the men’s weight category with a push of 103 feet, 9 inches.

The Pusher contest, which drew 24 participants across multiple weight classes, saw Blake Dedas post the longest push of the day with a commanding 178 feet, 3 inches in the heavyweight class. Andrew Mayes of PSVRR followed in the super heavyweight class with 172 feet, 6 inches. Other strong performances came from Jon Holmberg (126’1” middleweight), Eric Slupianek (131’0” light-heavyweight), and Matthew Occhicone (105’5” lightweight).

As the final handcar crossed the finish line, participants and attendees gathered for one last group photo and celebration, honoring the legacy of an event that has defined a unique slice of Folsom history. The memories forged over three decades will endure long after the last pump of the lever fades from the tracks.

For is final annual run, Folsom Times joined in the efforts this year for the event. Adam Frick, co-founder of the local online news resource stepped in to emcee the event this year, adding even more excitement to this longtime tradition for what looks to be its last organized run.

“As most know by now, Folsom Times doesn’t just share the news about the Folsom community, we work hard to be part of this community we love and work in” said Frick. “It was an absolute joy to emcee this event and be part of it. The rails are a huge part of Folsom’s history and to be part of something like this that sheds light on that is an absolute pleasure.”

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