World Championship finals are held late July or early August at Derby Downs, which is a dedicated facility in Akron, Ohio.  The idea of the Soap Box Derby grew out of a photographic assignment of Dayton, Ohio newsman Myron Scott.  He covered a race of boy-built cars in his home community and was so impressed with this event that he acquired a copyright for the idea and began development of a similar program on a national scale.

The first All-American race was held in Dayton in 1934.  The following year, the race was moved to Akron because of its central location and hilly terrain.  In 1936, Akron civic leaders recognized the need for a premanent track site for the youth racing classic and, through the efforts of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Derby Downs became a reality.

Every year since, with the exception of the duration of World War II, youngsters from throughout the United States and several foreign countries have come to Akron with the gravity racers they have built and driven to victory in their home communities.