The Long Road: Spring-Ford Student Doubles as Racer and Philanthropist

Add a Spring-Ford High School senior to the list of willing local people to aid in the Alex's Lemonade Stand charity, which benefits pediatric cancer research. Derek Sell, 17, is a Royersford resident, but has a more interesting side to his life: sprint car racing.

Sell's journey to senior year has not been a short or boring one. He has lived in seven different states and developed his racing at the ripe age of 10 in his then home in Tucson, Ariz.

"My dad grew up in Indiana, which is probably the biggest racing state there is around," Sell said. "At a young age of 10, he took me to a local go cart track in Tucson, Ari. and after the race he asked me if I liked it.  I said 'Sure!' and later that day he got me a little cart."

Sell's father, Rob, has played an integral role in his racing life, but was also the reason for the multiple relocations. Still taking his son's best interests into consideration, Rob Sell took a job opportunity in Pennsylvania three years ago because the racing is good. The decision proved a good one in his son's career.

"It really all got very serious probably at the beginning of last year when I started racing 410 sprint cars," said Sell. "Pennsylvania, believe it or not, is one of the biggest wing 410 sprint car area in the United States, as of now. The only other state that might be bigger is Indiana, but not by much."

Sell and his father spend a lot of father-son time all week long as they work on the car and work together to race for glory, but keeping in mind the good cause Alex's provides. Sell said his parents are proud of him, but his mom no longer attends races.

"Mom is very worried," said Sell. "She used to go to my races a lot, but after she saw me wreck one time in Tucson, she stopped going. I wasn’t hurt, but I was rattled at the age of 14."

The relationship with Alex's started last year in Central Pennsylvania, where Sell races frequently in the Mechanicsburg and Hanover areas. Sell held autograph sessions at Lincoln Speedway and Williams Grove Speedway, raising approximately $2800.

"It’s actually very neat," Sell said. "Through racing, I get to meet a lot of different, colorful people, which you really won’t get to meet through just living life, going to school, doing homework and going out to hang out with friends. Racing has changed my life for the better. Alex’s Lemonade Stand is something I really enjoy doing."

With so much on his plate between racing, Alex's and school, Sell said he hasn't had time to commit to other volunteer opportunities, but it has been discussed at home. Also in discussions at home is his college education. Sell has already made visits to Penn State, Drexel and Temple. He said he's anxious to get the college process underway, but does not know what that means for racing.

"It’s somewhat in the air," Sell said about staying in Royersford, which is a town he's grown to love. "I don’t know what’s going to happen when I move off to college. I don’t know if I’ll commute back and race on the weekends. If I stopped racing for college, I would love to pick it back up after college. I’d still be at a young age where I’d be able to get noticed because the majority of people I race with are in their 40s and some their 30s. It’s not a sport for little boys. Essentially you’re racing with men. You don’t go out there to make friends, you go out there to win."

Sell sent out a major thanks to MaxOut Strength Studio ("Without them, I wouldn't be able to do what I love to do"), Bob Hilbert Sportswear (made the t-shirts and apparel) and John from TheDirtShop.com (for the website).