2025 Columbus Soap Box Derby Championships on June 14 on New and Improved Derby Hill in Big Run Park
“STEM on Wheels” is the theme for the 80th Columbus Derby Championships. Racing Begins at 10:00am
June 11, 2025 – Columbus, Ohio –
Columbus Soap Box Derby, Inc. announced today details of its championship race scheduled for June 14th on Derby Hill in Big Run Park. 35 entries will compete in three divisions – Stock, Superstock, and Masters. Each division champion will represent the Columbus area in the All-American Championships on July 19th in Akron
“Thank you to Columbus Parks and Recreation for their support of Soap Box Derby,” said Dan Kirk, Director of the Columbus Derby and 1988 champion. “With the track repaving, return service road, and parking improvements completed over the winter, we have the finest racing facility in the country.”
“The Big Run Park facility is wonderful and was a great experience for our COSI SciFest learners to experience derby racing, which indeed is STEM on Wheels”, said Te’Lario Watkins, Director Youth STEM Programs at COSI. “We are thrilled that four scholars from COSI’s Platform STEAM program are participating in this year’s race.”
“We have amazing community support here in Columbus” said Steve Conkel, Board Member and Treasurer, Columbus Soap Box Derby, Inc. “Thank you to our title sponsor Masheter Ford and special race days sponsors Roehrenbeck Electric, Loeb Electric, COSI, Tim Landers Photography, and the Unity Community Center.
This year’s field features one World Champion, five All-Americans, 20 rookies, and competitors from Columbus, Delaware, Dublin, Grandview, Hilliard, Lebanon, London, Mt. Vernon, New Albany, Powell, Reynoldsburg, Troy, Upper Arlington, Westerville, and Worthington.
In addition to our race day sponsors, car sponsors this year include At Your Service Cleaners, Be A Fence Foundation, Brothers Masonry, Capital City Greens, Capital Industrial Group, Clintonville Womens Club, COSI, DIRTT, EICK Global STEM Academy, Evening Kiwanis of Delaware, Grace Tire, Galactic, Germain, Haus Foundation, Heartland Bank, Integrated Schoolhouse, J Madison Homes, Kit Walter, KM Medical Aesthetics, Mauser Packing Solutions, Ohio Eastern Express, Sabo Race Cars, TechCon Solutions, Tim Landers Photography, Unity Community Center of Delaware, Zach Miller Photography and Zoom Zoom Boom Race Engines.
Racing begins around 10:00am after inspections and weigh-ins. Champions will be announced on Facebook and Instagram. Admission is free and the public is invited to cheer on the competitors. Racing occurs on Derby Hill in Big Run Park, 4201 Clime Road.
About Columbus Soap Box Derby, Inc.
Columbus Soap Box Derby, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization that operates the Columbus Soap Box Derby. Find us on the web at https://columbus.soapboxderby.org. Follow us on Facebook at “Columbus Soap Box Derby” and on Instagram as @columbussoapbox_derby.
Want to give derby racing a try? Contact columbus@soapboxderby.org to get started
Columbus Soap Box Derby History
History and pictures of Columbus past champions are at https://columbus.soapboxderby.org/history/.
About COSI STEAM Platform Program
An immersive STEAM learning program for Central Ohio middle- and high-school students designed to strengthen STEAM skills and to create a more robust pipeline toward STEAM careers. Contact Te’Lario Wakins at twatkins@cosi.org
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