News

AKRON, Ohio (June 21, 2023) – Over recent weeks at Derby Downs here, students from Northeast Ohio schools and have competed in the Gravity Racing Challenge, an education program that teaches physics, gravity, wind resistance and other principles of STEM (Science,...

AKRON, Ohio —International Soap Box Derby, Inc., is seeking nominations for the organization’s Class of 2023 inductees into the Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame and for the President’s Youth Volunteer Service Award. The Hall of Fame honors men and women who have made...

COLUMBUS, March 30, 2023 – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine hosted a ceremony at the Statehouse in Columbus on March 29 to mark the designation of the Soap Box Derby as the state’s “official gravity racing program.” Following review and approval by the House State and Local...

Michael Rushing, a long-time volunteer in the Cape Girardeau (Missouri) Soap Box Derby program and at the First Energy All-American Soap Box Derby, died on March 5. He was 79. Mike was inducted into the Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame in July 2022. He had been...

AKRON, Ohio – International Soap Box Derby, Inc. (ISBD) and Myers Industries entered a partnership that allows the Soap Box Derby to discount the price of Super Stock car kits and Super Stock car shells for the next 3-years. Myers Industries will be a major sponsor...

AKRON, Ohio (Jan. 24, 2023) – The International Soap Box Derby is announcing that registrations are now available for all the organization’s community events at www.soapboxderby.org. Classic events like STEM Summer Camp, Inclusion Day, Senior Day, and more will be...

AKRON, Ohio (Jan. 16, 2023) – International Soap Box Derby, Inc. (“Soap Box Derby”) announced that Mark Gerberich has resigned as president and chief executive officer, effective Feb. 24, 2023.  “The board of directors of the Soap Box Derby is grateful for Mark’s...

AKRON, Ohio (Jan. 10, 2023) – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed a bill that designates the Soap Box Derby as the state’s “official gravity racing program.” House Bill 423 was sponsored by Akron area House of Representatives members Bill Roemer and Bob Young and was...

George Rodenbaugh, who served as a regional director for the FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby for nearly three decades, died on October 18.  He was 85. George was a Philadelphia Police Department police officer for 20 years. After retiring from the police...

Jack Engelke, who had a long history of volunteer efforts for local, regional and national Soap Box Derby activities, died on Monday, November 28, at his home in Naperville, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. He was 80. Jack grew up in Wisconsin, where his first involvement...

Retired Soap Box Derby leader Anthony C. (Tony) DeLuca died in Akron on October 11, 2022 at age 85. Following a 28-year career as a Summit County sheriff’s deputy, Tony joined the All-American Soap Box Derby as executive director in 1989. He served in that role...