World's Most Infamous Soap Box Derby Car

[FSogol]

"If 14-year-old James Gronen had built his car for the Soap Box Derby today, he might have been hailed by some as a Mark Zuckerberg of mobile innovation, a kid who refused to lose, who dared to rewrite the rules to win.

Unfortunately, he built his car in 1973, and all he got for it was decades of infamy.

James's car, designed to cheat, was innocently sponsored by the Jaycees of Boulder, Colorado. Hidden in its nose was an electromagnet that yanked the car forward when the metal starting gate fell, providing an unorthodox competitive edge and sending the car hurtling down the hillside track to a national championship victory."

""It was most creative; an ingenious way to win," he conceded; clearly wrong, yet it celebrated the Derby's encouragement of teamwork between adults and children (James had help from his uncle), and it highlighted the Derby's dream to spur development in science, technology, engineering, and math. "You could say it was the coolest car," said Joe, with the same kind of dark fascination we find in gangsters and lawbreakers."

Whole article here:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/38674?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+roadsideamerica+%28RoadsideAmerica.com%29

The car just went on display at the All-American Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame and Museum at Derby Downs in Ohio.

[Hoyt]

1. Back then, kids were supposed to design and build their own cars.

But, often dad's would get involved to the point of having cars sent to fiberglass shops, even to wind tunnels. People specialised in reworking wheel bearings, etc., for speed, which was against rules. Everyone were supposed to use the same wheels which were provided by Chevrolet dealers.

In early 60s, when I participated, I learned quickly how folks cheat when my linoleum and precursor to duct tape car was pitted against a rocket sculptured, fiberglass car. Somehow I won that race and enjoyed seeing the kid and his dad storm off enraged.

They probably were republicans.

[FSogol]

2. I would have loved building one of those. My Dad was a real stickler for rules and

would have watched me do it myself.

[Hoyt]

3. It really was one of most fun things I did before age 15. My dad supervised, made suggestions, etc.,

which was within rules. There was no way a lot of kids could have built their cars within cost limits, which were pretty low, with molded fiberglass, etc.

Damn near killed myself weeks after race, when a buddy riding on back and I flipped over at about 50 mph on a big hill.

Life was simple then.