The All-American Soap Box Derby, the brainchild of Dayton newspaperman Myron Scott, began as a local race in that city in 1933. With some creative promotion, Scott turned it into a national competition the next year. By 1935 it had found a home in Akron. This move was solidified by the construction of Derby Downs. This unique facility, built in 1936, provided a much needed home. National sponsorship was provided by Chevrolet in cooperation with the Akron Beacon Journal and other newspapers across the nation. The All-American was flourishing due, in no small part, to the army of volunteers which enabled it to run smoothly.
