John Esque

John Esque, 77, who raced in the Akron local Soap Box Derby in 1953 and 1954, became an inspector at the Akron local in the mid-1970s. He later was chief inspector and served on the local board of directors until 1981, when he became a member of the All-American Soap Box Derby’s National Control Board. He continues to serve on that board (now called Racing Commission). Over the years, he has served as an All-American racecar inspector and has worked on a variety of improvement projects around the track. In 1999, he designed and built the prototype of the Masters Division race car which continues in production today. Esque is a retired Akron fireman. His late wife Millie Esque, who was a member of the All-American headquarters staff, was inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame in 2012.