AKRON, Ohio — The rain didn't stop teams from seeing who will win in the Gravity Racing Challenge. Six high school teams from around the Columbus area and Summit County are behind the wheel, of cars they built from the ground up.
A matter of seconds determines a win or a loss.
“We talk a lot about, how to how to decrease drag and increase speed,” said Mike Farren, the Soap Box Derby Coach and Shop teacher for Barberton High School.
With all the cars weighing the same, it’s about skill.
“It comes down to driver ability,” Farren said. “So, we spend a lot of time training our drivers how to focus their eyes, how to stay down low and stay straight. That's those are the keys.”
There are two divisions to the GRC. The super stock, which is your traditional soapbox car. And the engineering challenge, where you can go for speed… or style. Entities like the “Breaking Bad” RV, the Batmobile and the Pizza Planet car from the movie Toy Story are going for the design award. This is the 14th year for this STEM-based race.
“Engaging the students and not only the science and math and the engineering piece of it, but also helping them to develop such skills as a team building, collaboration, communication, problem solving,” said Linda Hubbell, Soap Box Derby education director.
And while trophies and bragging rights are on the line, that’s not all these students receive.
“I hope the kids leave here with some camaraderie, make new friends, learn to work as a team, and just helping everybody out,” Farren said. “I mean, that's what this is all about. We're not all just about winning and losing.”
Some students can take this win even further in life.
“The kids really get a good understanding of a lot of things in aerodynamics,” remarked Farren. “I've had kids move on and be engineers from this. So, it all kind of gets started that way.”
Even more STEM learning is happening with the Soap Box Derby’s STEM Summer Camp Program June 3-7. Campers will build and race their own cars. The big All-American Race Soap Box Derby race is set for July 14th through June 20.
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