1940s · outdoor
Soap Box Derby Car
A homemade gravity-powered car built from scrap wood, lawnmower wheels, and a crate. Kids raced them down hills hoping the steering worked and the brakes (your feet) held.
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Image: Kevin Boyd · CC BY 2.0 · License
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👍 I had this💔 I wanted this- Era
- 40s
- Released
- 1934
- Category
- outdoor
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- For an original edition, compare the model name, packaging, and release details with the seller’s photos.
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From the archive
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The pitch
Build it, race it, win it! The All-American Soap Box Derby — where every kid is a race car driver.
Why people remember it
- Building the car with your dad in the garage over a whole summer.
- The terrifying speed and the realization that foot brakes were not great.
- The All-American Soap Box Derby championship in Akron, Ohio.
Did you know?
- The Soap Box Derby was started by a Dayton newspaper photographer in 1933.
- Chevrolet was the primary sponsor from 1935 until 1972.
- Winners received college scholarships and were sometimes featured on Wheaties boxes.
How people search for it
“homemade go kart”, “gravity race car”, “wooden box car race”
Questions people ask
- Is the Soap Box Derby still held?
- Yes. The All-American Soap Box Derby still runs annually in Akron, Ohio, with regional rallies feeding into the national championship.
- How fast do soap box derby cars go?
- Stock division cars reach about 30 mph. Super Stock and Masters divisions can exceed 35 mph on the Akron track.
