Soap Box Derby

The very first All-American Soap Box Derby race was held on August 19, 1934 at the same location as the Dayton city-wide race in 1933, on a track that measured out at 1,980 feet. Watched by a crowd estimated at 45,000,[19] boys from 34 cities compete in the all day affair, with Robert Turner of Muncie, Indiana, piloting a car riding on bare metal wheels with no bearings, becoming the first All-American Champion. Charles Baer of Akron won the All-Ohio Championship, and in a separate race category called Blue Flame for boys aged 16 to 18, Eugene Franke of Dayton, piloting a scaled-down version of a professional motorized racer, took the crown.[19]

In 1935 Akron civic leaders convinced program organizers to move the event to Akron, OH due to its central location and hilly terrain. A long, eastbound grade on Tallmadge Ave. located at the east end of the city,[lower-alpha 5] and the site of 1934 Akron local race, was used for this year's national event, and a date was set for August 11, 1935. Scott decided to discontinue the Blue Flame race category as turnout last year was low. Fifty-two champs from across the nation made the trip to Akron, greeted by a throng of 50,000 on race day, with Maurice Bale of Anderson, IN in a sleek, metal-clad racer taking the top prize. One mishap was an accident that captured the public's interest, even boosting the event's profile worldwide, when a car piloted by Oklahoma City's Paul Brown went off the track and struck NBC's Graham McNamee and Tom Manning while they were broadcasting, an incident that continued being described live on the air as it happened.[20]

The Soap Box Derby swept across America quickly during the Depression when dreams of winning the All-American became quite popular with boys. Within a year of its inauguration, tens of thousands of them were constructing racers[21] for a chance to travel to Akron for fame and glory.[22] The added inducement of winning a college scholarship was also a chance at a more promising future,[23] something any parent would want for their child during a time when life was a challenge.[24] Print media made celebrities of winners in Derby events at the local and national level, with world champs having their faces show up on the front page of every newspaper covering the event.[25]

Chevrolet's campaign in promoting the Derby promulgated these ideas, something America needed at the time. However Chevrolet's sponsoring of the Derby was ostensibly a money-making enterprise,[22] and with the Depression well underway by 1934 and programs like the WPA being implemented to bolster the economy,[26] the idea of a kids' recreational program like the Derby—boys in cars—seemed an excellent marketing opportunity to sell its main product—cars—to their parents. During the Depression kids had little access to organized activities like team sports or television,[27] so getting them get behind a singular national event like Derby was an easy sell with an undeniable appeal. Chevrolet dealerships acted as agents for the Derby, where kids would sign up and purchase wheels and axles to get started on their cars, and since a child was usually accompanied by a parent, what better way to get mom or dad—who waited patiently while their child filled out an application—to check out the latest models in the showroom.[28]

Awards at the All-American started with the first-place silver trophy and a four-year college or university scholarship of their choice. Second and third place were awarded a brand new Chevrolet[2] and a smaller silver trophy similar in design to the first place award. Technical awards went to the best constructed (C.F. Kettering Trophy)[29] and best upholstered entries, as well as the car with the best brake. At the local level, boys that won and qualified to attend the All-American were awarded the M. E. Coyle (silver) Trophy, named after Chevrolet General Manager (1933-1946) M. E. Coyle (1888-1961),[30] and a cash prize. Beginning in 1950, they received the T. H. Keating Award plaque, named after Chevrolet Sales Manager T. H. Keating.[31] Technical honors for cars with best construction, best upholstery and best brake were awarded as well.

1953 Casselton, ND class B racer John Yunker with family

This period witnessed the growth of the Derby family[40] (pictured), with fathers who were once racers themselves now putting their own sons into cars to compete. Often with mom's help or support, even sister, an uncle or cousin throwing in, Derby became a family enterprise where two or more brothers would possibly compete against one another in their local race, or a boy would build a car for each year he competed,[lower-alpha 7] passing it down to a younger sibling as he outgrew it. Soap Box Derby's "boy built" rule was understood—albeit frivolously—to mean that dad could help to some degree with his son's construction of the car, which was most often the case,[43] but the outcome meant that father and son worked together, forging a healthy and long lasting relationship that became the backbone of the Soap Box Derby.[44] As with any sport involving family participation, there were parents wanting nothing more than to win at all cost, particularly since the stakes were so high, with a kid acting simply as jockey, piloting a car that was built by an adult or hired professional.[43][45] This became a growing concern and constant complaint heard around various races,[lower-alpha 8] with officials eventually taking measures to guard against such occurrences.[45]

With each year, Derby regulations were amended and standardized to ensure the safety of drivers. After the war the use of windscreens on cars were still allowed, but by 1948 they were banned outright. Wheels were also standardized with the introduction of the Official Soap Box Derby Tire and axle set that a boy could purchase at his neighborhood Chevy dealership. Weight and dimension restrictions of the car remained generally the same during this time, but as more subtle rules changes were being introduced by the late Sixties, car designs became more creative[46] and even outlandish in response.[47]

Evolution of Design: Side profiles of racers (to scale) from 1933 to 1994, showing competitors from Canada, Germany and the US

Derby regulations regarding the construction of racers played an integral role in their design. Since the early days, cars had to comply with size and weight restrictions that remained largely unchanged until the mid 1970s. They included a maximum weight of 250 lb (110 kg) for both car and driver (verified during a weigh-in prior to the race),[48] an overall length of no more than 80 inches (200 centimetres), a wheelbase of no less than 40 inches (100 centimetres), height not to exceed 30 inches (76 centimetres) and a wheel tread of between 30 inches (76 centimetres) and 36 inches (91 centimetres). The front axle was to be mounted on a single kingpin, and directional control governed by steel cables, a single steering column and wheel. No ropes were allowed.[49] The brake was to be a friction or drag type, usually an armature through the floor that was activated by a foot pedal. Wheels were to be the solid rubber type, not pneumatic, and measure no more than 12 inches (30 centimetres) in diameter, a limit that began in 1937.[49] Finally the driver was to be seated upright, though the practice was to crouch forward to minimize wind resistance. Pre-race inspections verified that the car was well constructed according to strict observance of the rules, and safe to drive.

The majority of boys built simple-to-construct "soap box" designs—plywood or metal skin over bulkheads affixed to a floorboard, and they fared quite well competitively in them, even in the All-American. Examples of such cars that won in Akron were World Champions Derwin Cooper[lower-alpha 9] of Williamsport, PA in 1951 and Harold "Bo" Conrad[lower-alpha 10] from Duluth, MN in 1963. More skillful entries that became top-tier contenders were made from laminated timber that had to be hand-carved or planed away and then sanded smooth to achieve the desired aerodynamic shape. With floorboards as thick as three inches of solid oak, these cars became quite heavy, which was a useful advantage when drivers were small and slight-weight. World Champion Thomas Fisher[lower-alpha 11] of Detroit, MI won the 1940 All-American in such a car. Peculiar innovations appearing from the late fifties to the late-Sixties were cars fitted with clefts or slots running axially along the fore-deck, called 'sight-grooves',[lower-alpha 12] through which drivers could see ahead while slumped low in the cockpit. By the late-Sixties car design saw the front axles being placed further aft in an attempt to place as much weight of the car rearward, meaning as high up the hill from the finish line, to gain even a hundredth of a second advantage. 1967 World Champion Ken Cline's low-profile racer, called the "Grasshopper",[lower-alpha 13] was the first World Champion with a car configured in this way. Cockpit tonneau covers were also being added to enclose the boy's shoulders, which usually protruded slightly outside the car body, in an attempt to improve aerodynamics. With boys that raced for more than one year and began to outgrow their cars, side blisters would sometimes be fitted to accommodate shoulders or elbows that were becoming cramped. An unusual innovation came in 1968 with "shotgun steering," a design solution in response to a regulation stipulating that the steering column be situated 12 inches (300 mm) above the floor of the car. Many cars by then were being built lower than that, so the column had to be placed above and outside the car body, which ended up looking like a machine gun on a WWI fighter, and thus its name.[46] 1970 World Champion Sam Gupton's car[lower-alpha 14] had this design. It was discontinued after 1971.[50]

Laydowns and "stick cars"

In 1964 the first lay-back or lay-down designs were appearing on the track,[50] this to improve aerodynamics, and by the early Seventies became the status-quo[46] for the most competitive cars, with 1969 being the first year that a lay-down design won the World Championship, piloted by Steve Souter[lower-alpha 15] of Midland, Texas.[51] Introduced also were composite materials being incorporated into the car bodies, quite similar to wooden strip canoes laminated with fiberglass, called "stick car" construction. Beginning in the Seventies,[46] it was used exclusively to build the Senior and later Masters Division racers.

21st All-American Champion wheel

Standardized Derby wheels were first introduced in 1936 with the introduction of the Goodrich Silvertown steel wheel that featuring a pneumatic tire measuring 15 inches (38 centimetres) x 1.75 inches (4.4 centimetres) and dust caps that protected the bearings.[52] Though they were not required on the car to compete—as many boys still used wagon or baby-carriage wheels of various dimensions and styles,[53] they were used successfully by Herbert Muench[lower-alpha 16] of St. Louis, MO, who won the 1936 World Championship. The following year the official rule book stipulated a limit on wheel size of no more than 12 inches (30 centimetres), a standard still used to this day, and a requirement that the tire be solid, not pneumatic. In compliance Goodrich Silvertown introduced Derby's first official-issue wheel,[50] made available for sale to within the $4-$6.00 budget set by Derby officials.[49] Like the previous year they comprised two steel halves riveted together—soon to be replaced by welds—and came in a kit that included axles measuring 9⁄16 inch (14 millimetres). Wheel-sets were often in short supply in the early years,[32] and many suppliers took advantage of this by advertising after-market "Derby-type" wheels for sale in newspapers at a cheaper price, or to fill the gap when official issue were unavailable. In 1946 a new wheel, the Firestone Champion, was introduced that measured the same 12" diameter and was painted yellow with green dust cap. The following year they were painted gold, with the dust caps being dropped. In 1951 the same wheel was re-branded the "Official Soap Box Derby Tire" and painted red, becoming the official issue[2] at all Derby events until 1981. In 1982 a new official issue was introduced, the white Z-Glas wheel,[lower-alpha 17] designed by Derby's national sponsor Novar Electronic Corporation,[46] and was used for forty-one years. This was replaced in 2023 by the UniGrip, a black plastic, all-in-one-piece molded wheel and tire measuring the standard 12 inches (30 centimetres), and was used as official issue at the 83rd All-American.[54]

It was quickly understood that the way to victory relied largely on the wheels, and several clever means, some legal, some not, were used to exploit this. Wheel and axle sets came new out of the box when purchased, and competitors quickly learned ways to break in the bearings to make them roll smoothly, or drill small holes in the metal fascia to balance a wheel out. Various lubricants were also experimented with, and other more interesting ways of improving performance involved the rubbing of dry ice on the rubber tire to harden it and thus lower its rolling resistance. Derby Downs quickly identified these techniques, accepting some but banning others.

Suspension

Cars had axles assemblies running through the car body, bolted inside of the car to the topside of the floorboard rather than underneath. This meant that the the weight of the car and its occupant were suspended from the axles by kingpins, with the axles relied upon for their flexibility to act like springs, mitigating the effects from imperfections of the track's surface like cracks and undulations of the pavement. To this day various tightness settings of the kingpins, such as allowing no vertical play whatsoever (called solid), a little play (tight) or free movement (loose),[55] continue to be experimented with to achieve maximum performance of the car in dealing with such imperfections.

Wheel swapping

1966 Hingham, MA Champion Stephen Brown' racer with standard red wheels swapped for gold Champion wheels

In 1958 Derby Downs began issuing the commemorative All-American Champion wheel, painted gold, at its World Championship race (pictured), meaning every car had their original wheels swapped with a brand new set, ostensibly to make races more evenly matched at the finish line. This practice continued from 1959 to 1972, with each year's wheel being painted a unique color—silver (1959), robin-egg (1960), blue (1961), silver (1962-25th anniversary) and gold (1962-1972)—with matching water-slide decals on the obverse and reverse side, each year bearing a unique commemorative design. When Chevrolet dropped its sponsorship in 1972, the wheel continued to be painted gold but no longer had the decal. In 1982 the decals began appearing again at the All-American, this time on the obverse side only of the new Z-glas wheel, and again with a design unique to a particular year, but ended in 2001. Further commemorative wheels were issued at the 70th (2007) and 75th (2012) All-American.

To make things as fair as possible for racers,[56] i.e. putting "the fate of the race in the driver's hands,"[57] the practice of wheel swapping continues to this day in concert with lane swapping in double-elimination races.[58][59] Wheel swaps involve two competitors each selecting two wheels from their opponents car and having them put on their own, called a two-wheel "swap-off,"[48] eliminating the advantage of any one car having the better wheels. The initiative has received criticism for making races take too long.[60]

1975 All-American Soap Box Derby World Champion Karren Stead's lay-down car, at the AASBD Hall of Fame Museum at Derby Downs in Akron, OH.

In 1933 Alice Johnson (1921-1985) was one of two girls[2] to race at the very first city-wide soap box race in Dayton, having constructed her car with the help of her father, Dayton aviator Edward "Al" Johnson. Taking second, she was awarded a bouquet of flowers from winner Randall Custer, and a boy's bike. The following year she raced again in the Dayton local race, taking third.[61]

No Derby Rule Book ever stated that girls were unable to compete officially, but it was suggested in the language of promotional material and newspaper advertisements, with Chevrolet dealerships even refusing to accept girl applicants or sell them wheels and axles.[62] There was also resistance from many, including its founder Myron Scott, who stated that he devised the sport to be exclusively 'boys only' from the start.[11] Counter to this, popular opinion was positing a more liberal stance, with Chevrolet receiving legal pressure from local Derby organizations wishing to enter girls. This coupled with that fact that former racers that were now dads wanted to participate in Derby once more by putting their child into a car, but only had daughters. Mason Bell, general manager of the Soap Box Derby from 1964 to 1972, knew that it was only a matter of time before girls be let in.[63]

Unlike most organized sports, the Soap Box Derby chose not to split competition along gender lines by creating a separate category for each, meaning that girls would go up against boys on an equal footing. At the 34th All-American, Rebecca Carol Phillips was the very first girl to take a run down the track at Derby Downs, racing the first heat in lane 1, and winning it.[64] The following year two girls cracked the top ten in a field of 236 entries: Priscilla Freeman of Chapel Hill, NC, who took 5th, and Karen Johnson of Suburban Detroit, MI, who came 7th.[65] In no time the girls equaled the boys,[66] and in 1975 the first female World Champion honor fell to Karren Stead, 11, (her car pictured) of Lower Bucks County, PA., who not only won but did so in an arm cast[lower-alpha 18] she acquired a few days earlier after an injury at Derby Camp.[67]

By the Sixties there were concerns among Derby officials about Chevrolet's continued sponsorship of the Soap Box Derby, filling Derby Downs with a sense of uncertainty leading up to the Seventies. Till now Chevrolet was the Derby's sole national sponsor, and a generous one at that, but questions within the General Motors management was whether it was still benefiting from its investment. Derby general manager Mason Bell was aware of these concerns and worked tirelessly to keep Chevrolet on board as long as possible. GM general manager John DeLorean stated on record that he felt the Derby was outdated and too expensive to hold,[68] so the hard decision fell to him, and on September 28, 1972 it was announced that Chevrolet would end its sponsorship.[69] The Akron Chamber of Commerce stepped up to ensure that the World Championship race the following year would take place,[70] but the budget could not come close to match Chevrolet's nearly $1 million[2] annual budget, though Chevrolet did pledge a final $30,000 for the 1973 race. They also transferred all rights and chattels over to the new sponsor for a single settlement of $1, including the Soap Box Derby name and logo, and capital used in staging the All-American like structures, finish-line bridge, bleachers and equipment.[71] The All-American was held successfully in 1973, but enrollment had dropped by almost half.[11]

Gronen's disqualified car

Electromagnet electrical wiring discovered hidden within headrest

Following Chevrolet's stepping down as national sponsor, Derby Downs was beset by a cheating scandal that threatened to damage its credibility as a trusted American institution. In 1973, World Champion Jimmy Gronen, 14, of Boulder, Colorado was stripped of his title just two days after being crowned the winner after he was caught cheating.[2] Unusual discrepancies surrounding Gronen's margins of victory and heat times tipped off Derby officials, and an investigation of his car (pictured left) was conducted using X-ray examination, which revealed an electromagnet in the nose of the car, along with electrical wires connected it to a battery. By Gronen leaning his helmet against a switch hidden in the helmet faring (pictured right) of the car's body, the electromagnet became charged, effectively making the nose of the car grab the steel plate of the starting gate. When the gate swung forward, freeing the cars so they could start their run, Gronen's car was pulled forward as well, giving it a boost. Videotape of the race showed a suspiciously sudden lead for Gronen just a few feet after each heat began. Other suspicions were Gronen's heat times progressively slowing down as the race wore on—heat times usually get faster each time a racer completes a heat—as the battery drained power each time the circuit was closed, reducing the effectiveness of the magnet. The margin of victory for a race heat is normally no more than 1 to 3 feet (0.30 to 0.91 m). Gronen's early heat victories were in the 20 to 30 feet (6.1 to 9.1 m) range.[72]

Midway through the race, Derby officials also replaced Gronen's wheels after chemicals were found to be applied to the wheels' rubber. The chemicals caused the tire rubber to swell, which reduced the rolling resistance of the tire. In the final heat, Gronen finished narrowly ahead of Brent Yarborough, who was declared the 1973 champion two days later.

Gronen's uncle and legal guardian at the time, wealthy engineer Robert Lange, was indicted for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and paid a $2,000 settlement.[73]

By the end of the year the Akron Chamber of Commerce severed ties with the Derby Downs, which now needed a new sponsor. The next month the Akron Jaycees Junior Chamber of Commerce instituted the "Save the All-American Committee", which became the All-American Soap Box Derby, Inc. led by Ron D. Baker, general manager at Derby Downs from 1974 till 1977.[74] In preparation for the 1974 season, new rules were instituted to govern against the possibility of a repeat of previous year's cheating scandal. The gates at the starting line were rendered magnet-proof, and pre-race inspections now involved questioning the boys to verify whether they did in fact construct their racers. The cars themselves had to be constructed in a way that judges could now inspect their interiors from front to back to uncover anything suspect, meaning access doors had to be designed into the car bodies, usually over the front and rear axles. Local sponsors sending a champion to the Akron had to sign an affidavit attesting to the legal compliance of the car being shipped.[75]

The 1974 All-American race was a success, though again the attendance had dropped, and three cars were disqualified, receiving protests from parents, yet praise from others wanting to protect the integrity of the Derby.[76] Curt Yarborough,[lower-alpha 19] 11, of Elk Grove, CA was crowned World Champion[77] in a field of 99 entries, and claiming the first back-to-back win of siblings at the All-American, following his younger brother Brent Yarborough,[lower-alpha 20] who won the year prior. [78]

New sponsor

As the 1975 season was winding down, the Soap Box Derby still had no sponsor. In late November Barberton, OH firm Novar Electronics pledged $165,000 for the All-American the following year, almost double what was spent on the previous two years combined. Novar president James H. Ott felt that loosing a popular institution like the Soap Box the Derby in Akron would be a tragedy, especially during America's bi-centennial,[79] admitting that most of the management personal, including himself, were born in Akron. The agreement with Derby Downs was to continue with the annual contribution, stipulating that it would give a three-year lead time if Novar intended to end its sponsorship, avoiding the shock of Chevrolet's stepping down a few years prior.[80] Novar's annual contributions continued until 1988[2] when a fiscal downturn forced them to withdraw.

A Junior Division racer from 1976 piloted by Suzanne Miller. Note the ubiquitous windscreen—they were banned the following year—and rear axle braces, called radius rods.

Following the girl's entry into the sport that culminated in Karren Stead's World Championship win in 1975, Derby Downs implemented another big change to the All-American with the introduction in 1976 of a new race category, the Junior Division.[50] Open to kids ages ten through twelve, it became an entry-level tier with an entirely new, "patterned"[81] car design (pictured) sold as a kit, with easy-to-follow instructions, and included everything except the wood and tools to build a complete racer. This gave kids an easier way to construct a car, a "back-to-basics"[81] initiative that held firm to Derby Down's "kid-built" rule whilst supplementing its coffers from sales of the kits, priced at $36.95.[82][83] Measurement restrictions remained the same, with an overall length of 80 inches (200 centimetres). Unlike previous racers, the axles were kept exposed—without aerodynamic airfoils, and came with stabilizer braces or radius rods for the rear axle. The kit instructions offered several body designs from which to choose, but the general configuration was a flat-top car with a teardrop-shaped floor board, to which were affixed squared wooden bulkheads enclosed in a plywood skin. A standardized steering wheel was included in the kit. In 1981 kids had the option of purchasing from Derby Downs a pre-fabricated fiber glass body shell, making car construction again much easier for kids, or they could continue to make one from wood.[84] Kids ages twelve[lower-alpha 21] through fifteen, now identified as the Senior Division, would continue to construct cars from scratch. This now meant that the All-American would crown two champions, a Junior and Senior, making Karren Stead the last sole Champion at the All-American. Champions for 1976 were Joan Ferdinand[lower-alpha 22] of Canton, OH in the Senior Division and Phil Raber[lower-alpha 23] of New Philadelphia, OH in the Junior. 1976 also had the distinction of allowing the return of windscreens, permitted on Junior cars only—Raber's champ car had one—but this was discontinued the following year and has remained so ever since.

Late 70s

In 1979 the rules stipulated that axles remain exposed on the Senior Division cars like they were on the Juniors. In response, builders installed taught wires between the nose of the car and the front wheels, called "Kite steering" to improve aerodynamics that were lost when airfoils over the axles were disallowed. 1979 Senior World Champion Craig Kitchen with his car[lower-alpha 24] was fitted in this way.

To expand enrollment further, Derby introduced a third category in 1992, called the Stock Division,[11] which now became the entry-level tier for drivers, with the Kit Car Division elevated to a new middle-category. This meant that there would be three champions at the All-American instead of two, each representing their division.[87] The Masters racer remained the only non-kit car that racers had to fabricate from scratch until 1999, when a prefabricated Masters kit, called the "Scottie" was made available for sale.

Since 1976, the top-tier Senior/Master Division cars were fully-reclined lay-down designs, while the Junior and Kit cars remained sit-ups. In the mid-90s however, many Masters cars returned to the sit-up configuration, with James Marsh winning the 1998 Masters Division World Championship in a sit-up design. By the time the "Scottie" Masters Division kit, named after Derby creator Myron Scott, was introduced in 2001, the top-tier cars have remained full lay-downs ever since. Today the three Official Divisions of the Soap Box Derby are Stock (formerly Junior), Super Stock, (formerly Kit) and Masters.

In 1986 the Rally Division was introduced,[50] created as a "grand-prix style" race to give competitors greater experience and the ability to race in more competitions outside their own local community. Racers would compete in a district, of which there were ten in all, amassing points while competing at several races in that district. The highest-scoring car from each district would compete at the Rally World Championship, inaugurated in 1993.[2]

Ultimate Speed Challenge racers at Derby Downs

The top three finishers in 2010 Ultimate Speed Challenge race

The Ultimate Speed Challenge is an All American Soap Box Derby sanctioned racing format that was developed in 2004 to preserve the tradition of innovation, creativity, and craftsmanship in the design of a gravity powered racing vehicle while generating intrigue, excitement, and engaging the audience at the annual All-American Soap Box Derby competition.[97] The goal of the event is to attract creative entries designed to reach speeds never before attainable on the historic Akron hill. The competition consists of three timed runs (one run in each lane), down Akron's 989-foot (301 m) hill. The car and team that achieve the fastest single run is declared the winner. The timed runs are completed during the All American Soap Box Derby race week.

The open rules of the Ultimate speed Challenge have led to a variety of interesting car designs.[98][99] Winning times have improved as wheel technology has advanced and the integration between the cars and wheels has improved via the use of wheel fairings. Wheels play a key role in a car's success in the race. Wheel optimization has included a trend towards a smaller diameter (to reduce inertial effects and aerodynamic drag), the use of custom rubber or urethane tires (to reduce rolling resistance), and the use of solvents to swell the tires (also reducing rolling resistance). There is some overlap in technology between this race and other gravity racing events, including the buggy races race at Carnegie Mellon University.[100]

winners and record holders

In 2004, during the inaugural run of the Ultimate Speed Challenge, the fastest time was achieved by a car designed and built by the Pearson family, driven by Alicia Kimball, and utilizing high performance pneumatic tires. The winning time achieved on the 989-foot (301 m) track was 27.190 seconds.

Jerry Pearson returned to defend the title with driver Nicki Henry in the 2005 Ultimate Speed Challenge beating the 2004 record time and breaking the 27.00 second barrier with an elapsed time of 26.953 seconds. Second place went to the DC Derbaticians with a time of 27.085 while third went to Talon Racing of Florida with a time of 27.320.[101]

John Wargo, from California, put together the 2006 Ultimate Speed Challenge winning team with driver Jenny Rodway. Jenny set a new track record of 26.934 seconds. Jenny's record stood for 3 years as revisions to the track and ramps after the 2006 race caused winning times to rise in subsequent races. Team Pearson finished 2nd with a time of 26.999 seconds and team Thomas finished 3rd with a time of 27.065.[102]

Team Eliminator, composed of crew chief and designer Jack Barr and driver Lynnel McClellan, achieved victory with a time of 27.160 in the 70th (2007) All-American Soap Box Derby Ultimate Speed Challenge. Jenn Rodway finished 2nd with a time of 27.334 while Hilary Pearson finished 3rd with a time of 27.367.[103]

Jack Barr returned in 2008 with driver Krista Osborne for a repeat team win with a 27.009 second run. Crew chief Tom Schurr and driver Cory Schurr place second with a time of 27.023 while crew chief Mike Albertoni and driver Danielle Hughes were 3rd after posting a time of 27.072.[104]

In the 72nd (2009) AASBD Ultimate Speed Challenge, Derek Fitzgerald's Zero-Error Racing team, with driver Jamie Berndt, took advantage of a freshly paved track, and set a new record time of 26.924 seconds. Cory Schurr placed second with a time of 26.987. Laura Overmyer of clean sheet racing finished third with a time of 27.003.

In 2010, Mark Overmyer's Clean Sheet/Sigma Nu team (CSSN) and driver Jim Overmyer set the track record at 26.861 seconds in the first heat of the opening round. Several minutes later, driver Sheri Lazowski, also of CSSN, lowered the record to 26.844 seconds, resulting in victory by 0.005 seconds over 2nd-place finisher Jamie Berndt of Zero Error. Competition was tight in 2010, with the top 3 cars finishing within a span of 0.017 seconds.[97]

2011 AAUSC Champion Sheri Lazowski, who won in 2010 also[105]

In 2011, advancements in wheel technology and car design, coupled with ideal track conditions, lead to significantly lower times in the Ultimate Speed Challenge. Driver Kayla Albertoni and crew chief Mike Albertoni broke the record in heat 2 or the opening round with a 26.765, taking 0.079 seconds off the 2010 record. One heat later, driver Jim Overmyer and crew chief Mark Estes of team CSSN racing lowered the record a further 0.133 with a 26.632 run. Jim improved to 26.613 in round 2 to secure 2nd place. In heat 5, of the opening round, driver Kristi Murphy and crew chief Pat Murphy secured 3rd place with a run of 26.677. In the next heat, driver Sheri Lazowski (pictured) and crew chief Mark Overmyer (of CSSN racing) took the victory with a blistering run of 26.585 seconds. Sheri's record time was 0.259 seconds under her 2010 record and 0.339 seconds below the 2009 record. Her improvement in 2011 is the largest year-to-year change in the record in the history of the AAUSC race.[106] By winning in both 2010 and 2011, Sheri became the first repeat USC winner.

In 2012, revised starting ramps and a re-sealed track with a softer road surface, led to significant increases in finishing times. The 2012 winner, Laura Overmyer of CSSN racing, with crew chief Mark Estes, posted a winning time of 26.655 seconds, 0.070 seconds slower than the track record set by her team the prior year. Kristi Murphy, of Zero Error racing, finished in 2nd with a time of 26.769, 0.114 seconds back. Jamie Berndt, also of Zero Error racing, finished in 3rd place with a time of 26.827. Competition was not as close as in recent years, with the top 3 cars covering a span of 0.172 seconds. This is roughly double the span in 2009 and 2011 and 10 times the span in 2010. The 2012 results mark the 3rd consecutive win by CSSN racing and the 4th consecutive win by wheel expert Duane Delaney.[107][108]

The 2013 race was run under wet conditions which necessitated a format change. Each car was given a single run from lane 2 to determine the winner. The running order was randomly determined. CSSN Racing's Anne Taylor with crew chief Jerry Pearson won with a time of 26.929. Jillian Brinberg and crew chief Mark Estes, also of CSSN Racing, finished 2nd with a time of 26.978. Catherine Carney with crew chief Lee Carney finished 3rd with a time of 27.162.[109]

In 2014, CSSN's Anne Taylor with crew chief Jerry Pearson won with a time of 26.613. Anne's time improves on the prior best time for the new gate configuration but falls short of the 2011 record. This marks Anne's 2nd consecutive win and the 5th consecutive win for CSSN racing in this event. CSSN's Tucker McClaran with crew chief Mark Estes finished second with a time of 26.667. Catherine Carney with crew chief Lee Carney finished 3rd with a time of 26.750.

Derby cars on exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Transportation. Shown are Tom Royer's orange Super Stock car from 2001 to 2003,[111] Roanoke, VA Champion Michael Jay Dobie's blue car from 1966 and Roanoke, VA Champion Charles Lineberry III's yellow car from 1969. The red car, a fifties model, is unidentified.

Museums and historical societies have or are currently exhibiting Derby cars or adding them to their permanent collections, usually acquired via donation by the cars' original owners.[lower-alpha 25] Examples of such collections are the All-American Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame Museum in Akron, OH;[115] the Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, NE;[116] the Vortaunus Museum in Oberursel (Taunus), Germany;[117] the Virginia Museum of Transportation (pictured to the right) in Roanoke, VA; Memory Lane Museum in Mooresville NC;[118] and the Lancaster Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame Museum (pictured below), though many more have as few as a single car. Presently the St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre in St. Catharines, ON, Canada is hosting an exhibit on the Soap Box Derby through 2023.[119] The gallery below features examples of cars that have been exhibited or are in permanent collections.

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  1939 North Platte, NE Champion Mason Colbert's racer on exhibit at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI[120][121]
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  1957 Kassel, Germany Soap Box Derby Champion Ernst Krönert's car exhibited at the Kassel Museum from 2020 till 2021[122][121]
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  1960 Magnolia, AR Champion Wallace F. Waits' racer at the Old State House Museum in Little Rock, AR[123][121]
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  1966 Sioux City, IA Champion Roger Lee Van Waart's car is on exhibit at Okoboji Classic Cars in Okoboji, IA[124][121]
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  1969 Beaver Falls, PA Champion Robert Javens' racer exhibited in 2017 at the Beaver Falls Historical Society Museum[125][121]
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  1971 Lima, OH Champion James Ethan Jackson's racer at the Allen County Museum and Historical Society in Lima, OH[121]
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  1972 Chapel Hill, NC Champion Priscilla Freeman's racer at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, NC[126][121]

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  1936 Peekskill, NY Champion William Barthelmes' car in the Marion Boyle Children's Room at the Peekskill Museum[127]
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  1950 Bangor, ME Champion James Roy on display at the Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor, ME[128]
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  1961 Warren, OH class A racer James Chadwick's car on exhibit at the End of the Commons General Store in Mesopotamia, OH
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  Lancaster's Champions on display at their Hall of Fame Museum located a few mile south of Lancaster, OH
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  A 2010 exhibit at the America on Wheels Auto Museum in Allentown, PA[129]
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  1961 Mission City, BC, Canada Champion Raymond Mack's racer exhibited in 2020 at the Mission Museum in Mission, BC
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  1953 High Point, NC racer Henry Clyde Williams, Jr.'s car at the High Point Museum in High Point, NC in February and March, 2023[130]

2nd Annual Vintage Derby Car Show poster

In 2022 the Inaugural Vintage Derby Car Show[131] was held in Akron, OH, the first of its kind to showcase extant vintage racers.[132] This was an open invitation to any and all Derby alumni that wished to attend with their old car or cars and keepsakes like trophies, pins and jerseys. Headed by 1967 All-American World Champion and 2017 AASBD Hall of Fame inductee Ken Cline,[133][134] the one day event comprised twenty seven cars during Soap Box Derby Race Week, one day prior to the All-American World Championship. The following year the 2nd Annual Vintage Car Show displayed thirty one cars in a larger venue, with ten trophies hand crafted by Mr. Cline awarded to the best presentations that day.[135]

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  Inaugural Vintage Derby Car Show commemorative belt buckle design
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  An array of classic designs at the 2022 Inaugural Vintage Derby Car Show in Akron, OH on July 22, 2022
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  Oldest car at the 2023 2nd Annual Vintage Derby Car Show, piloted by Indianapolis, IN Champion David M. Knight in 1953[136]
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  Trophy table at the 2023 Derby Show, featuring ten trophies hand-crafted by event organizer Ken Cline