 | | Jimmie Johnson and All-American Soap Box Derby president Jim Huntsman (left) look on as James Harper (center) admires his Soap Box Derby car. Credit: Nick Wass |
By Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
May 7, 2006
03:22 PM EDT (19:22 GMT)
WASHINGTON -- A young boy, maybe 10, 11 years old, gazes starry-eyed as a man four times his senior shaves a surfboard-shaped slab of wood to perfection. Shortly after, its edges are caressed to the desired swooping angle.  |  | | Jimmie Johnson helps Davonte Weakley assemble his Soap Box Derby car. Credit: Nick Wass |
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As the wood takes shape, other children gather. A wooden block is bolted to the left front of the piece. Alongside it goes a steel hinge piece, to which a larger wooden block is affixed. Then, a royal blue pyramid is bolted to the middle of the piece, to which a vertical, T-shaped rod is installed. A large spring is laced through the floorboard, and steel tethers are strung from piece to piece. Next a pair of steel rods is bolted to the front and back of the board, followed by several less intensive installations and adjustments. Then come the trademark wheels, and the project's purpose is made evident. Downhill speed. In all, there are 10 stations just like this one. Ten works of art, all equally intricate, the beauty of which lies in a captive audience of inner-city youth that hadn't previously been subjected to the All-American Soap Box Derby. "Look at him, he's loving it," said Nextel Cup points leader and AASBD national spokesperson Jimmie Johnson, pointing at the aforementioned young man. "I remember feeling that way about my first motorcycle. It's like, 'Wow, this is a world I didn't know existed, and I want to be a part of it.'" Like thousands of families across the nation every year, this father-son duo is building a Soap Box Derby stock car. But unlike most, they aren't in the shed out back or in the family garage. This, rather, is Washington, D.C., in a car lot on the grounds at Curtis Chevrolet/Kia, and they're on-hand for a car-building workshop hosted by Levi-Strauss Signature. The idea? Introduce Soap Box Derby competition to those that wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity. These particular cars run $600 apiece out of the box. And all said, after a snazzy paint job, they can cost up to $1,000. All 10 car kits were donated by Levi Strauss Signature and constructed with help from volunteers from the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby chapter -- the largest in the nation. Equipped with a car, these children now have an opportunity to compete in the 65th Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on June 17 on Constitution Avenue. "This is such a cool initiative," Johnson said. "Seeing how excited the kids are makes you feel good. Racing is very special to me, obviously, and I love seeing these kids get an opportunity to experience it through the Soap Box Derby. "This organization promotes some of the same values that are important to our race team: teamwork, dedication, competition, perseverance and sportsmanship. Spending time helping this group of children build their first Soap Box Derby cars and sharing my knowledge of racing has been a rewarding experience." Johnson meandered from station to station throughout the day, working with each of the children on various aspects of the build, which organizers said takes some five hours to complete. Midway through the event, Johnson put down the wrench and picked up the starter flag, serving as grand marshal in an exhibition race between workshop participants Aquil Carrington and Stevie White. Johnson's involvement, organizers said, lends considerable awareness to the sport and its premier event, the All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship in July in Akron, Ohio. The AASBD is the top youth and family racing-oriented program in the United States, involving boys and girls ages 8-17. Participants build their cars personally and compete in local races, held year-round in more than 450 cities across the country, with local champions earning berths in the championship event. World champions in three racing divisions earn college scholarships up to $5,000 courtesy of Levi Strauss Signature. "The Levi Strauss Signature brand is proud to partner with the All-American Soap Box Derby and is steadfast in its commitment to providing more opportunities for youth to participate in this activity in communities nationwide," said Sherri Phillips, LSS vice president of marketing and store development. "Through the Soap Box Derby, these children learn life skills they will benefit from as they grow into young adults." Johnson said racing helped prioritize his life as a young man. If he was racing, he wasn't out getting into trouble. "Yeah, whether it's racing, basketball or baseball, having a focus, a goal to work towards, helps kids in so many areas," Johnson said. "I had to have a B average in school to race, my parents insisted on it, so I made sure to work hard in school and take it seriously. "Soap Box Derby is that type of positive extracurricular activity, and the whole family can participate, too, which also keeps them close. Racing did that for my family, and that's something I've always been really thankful for." | 
