Gravity Powered and S.T.E.M Driven!
A Soap Box Derby INSPIRES. It’s ENGAGING and CHALLENGING and creates PASSION. It provides EDUCATION in SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATH. It teaches LEADERSHIP, SPORTSMANSHIP and PERSEVERANCE. It provides MENTORSHIP, COMPETITION, FRIENDSHIP and TEAMWORK. It’s rooted in FAMILY and COMMUNITY and creates CHAMPIONS on and off the track. The Soap Box Derby is a youth gravity-racing program which has run nationally since 1934. World Championships finals are held each July at Derby Downs. Local champions from each of the Stock, Super Stock and Masters Divisions throughout the world meet in Akron, Ohio to compete for scholarships and merchandise.
Flushing Meadow NYC Soap Box Derby is a local chapter affiliated and sanctioned by the All-American Soap Box Derby to hold qualifying races for the New York City area. Once contestants have been determined qualified, they are sent onto the World Finals held in July at Derby Downs Racetrack.
The East Elmhurst Corona Civic Association Sponsored our first Soap Box Derby on July 14, 1984. It was the first derby to be held in New York City in more than twenty years. The cars were initially put together under the guidance of the first Director William Dabney. All of the cars were constructed in his garage. The race took place on 114th Street between Roosevelt Ave and 34th Ave – the service road of what is now known as Citi-Field. At the inaugural race twenty youngsters between the ages of 9 and 12 competed. The name of the organization at that time was the Queens County Soap Box Derby. The name was changed the following year to Flushing Meadow Soap Box Derby. Mr. Dabney, a high school math instructor, was the guiding force and inspiration for the organization.