Michael Rushing and Soap Box Derby: A generation spent building kids

"It's about building kids," explained Mike Rushing, a Jackson man soon to be inducted into the International Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame. "A kid builds the car, the car builds the kids."

"The car builds the kids" is a motto directly from the All-American Soap Box Derby, a youth organization behind American racing events since 1934. Although he didn't come up with the slogan, Rushing framed his commitment to Soap Box Derby primarily around the task of developing youngsters.

Rushing, 79, will be inducted into the hall July 23 in Akron, Ohio. His induction comes after more than two decades of dedication to the races going back to 2000, when the sport was adopted by the Rotary Club of Cape Girardeau. A news release commended Rushing for promoting, recruiting, educating and training youths for the betterment of the sport.

Roots of a pastime

Although Rushing described the Rotary Club as "the franchise owner that introduced Soap Box Derby to the area," it was Rushing himself in the proverbial trenches, helping youngsters assemble and drive the gravity-powered race cars.

Rushing said there are a number of races scattered throughout the country. The local race in Cape Girardeau occurs the first Saturday of May. At the end of that race, two local winners from separate divisions go on to compete at the national level in Akron.

The final moments of a Soap Box Derby race.Courtesy Michael Rushing

Fruits of dedication

Rushing said a generational commitment to Rotary propelled him to get involved in the Derby.

"When Rotary decided to become a sponsor of Soap Box Derby in 2000, we got our first car within a year. Over the years, that's progressed to where I've got about 19 (cars)," he noted.

Rushing said building the vehicles is a learning opportunity for the children.

"I've been involved in (assembly) for a real long time. But my preference is for the kid to build the car. I help them learn it as much as it is I can, and not do any more for them than I have to. ... When they give me the 'deer in headlights' look, I tell them to go back and read the book again," he said, referring to the official construction manual provided by the Derby.

Even without considering the formidable challenges of racing, Rushing said assembly tends to require an eight- to 12-hour time investment, a commitment usually shared by the child's parents.

"It's hard, sometimes, to find parents willing to put time into it and let their kid do this," Rushing admitted. "But it really takes parent involvement when the kid has to come work on the car for eight hours or more. ... In some cases, I don't require that, but I make sure there's a parent there for the new kids to understand what's going on, and try to reinforce what we're trying to teach."

Soap Box Derby, Rushing contended, isn't just about racing and winning.

"It's also about STEM: science and technology, engineering, mathematics. Those are the things we are teaching with it," Rushing explained. "The first year is just trying to get [the kids] acclimated to what's going on, helping them have a safe trip down the hill and just have a successful day. The second year, they come back, and we just reinforce the core design — the core setup — to make the car where it can be competitive. It's amazing to see them grow over three or four years and see how much they retain from one year to the next. ... You have to learn to use tools and turn wrenches and ratchets, all kinds of different tools. You learn a bit about applied geometry and a good deal about physics: energy, gravity, and power going down the hill."

Michael Rushing's team looks down the famous All-American Soap Box Derby track in Akron, Ohio.Courtesy Michael Rushing

Mentor

Rushing said his role of mentor has given him an assurance of leaving the world in a better state than the one he found it in.

"You've also got kids here who may not ever be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. But the skills they get out of Soap Box Derby will help them in life, regardless of what they do for a living or how much education they get. This is a really good start for them."

Unusually for a sport, girls and boys compete together on equal footing.

"I see that very much," Rushing said. "It's probably at least equal and maybe even weighted towards having more girls than boys. Those little gals do really well," Rushing remarked.

He continually brought his ethos back to a single focus.

"If we go back to the reason we're doing it; it's to build kids, not racecars. That's really quality time with a child and an adult, working together. The child is gaining manual dexterity and familiarity with tools. Learning about how ratchets turn, little things that don't seem like much, but down the road, they add up. It's amazing what [the kids] retain ... and they learn fast," Rushing said.

He recalled the many people who have helped him over the years.

"I didn't cause this to happen," he said. "I'm a little uncomfortable that there are other people that deserve [the hall of fame] more than I do. But, I guess I'll take it."

The "Blue Barn" at Akron, Ohio, where about half of local cars are stored during race week.Courtesy Michael Rushing