In August, 1973 — at the very height of the Watergate scandal — Walter Cronkite, Time magazine and hundreds of other broadcasts and publications were focused on one thing: the 36th All-American Soap Box Derby, and a cheating scandal that aroused the attention of District Attorneys from Ohio to Colorado.
In August 1973, the Akron Derby Downs held its 36th running of the youth gravity race. A 14-year-old from Denver, Colorado named Jimmy Gronen was competing in the race, with a car he claimed to have built himself. In the early heats, Gronen’s car would take off to a commanding early lead, but officials noted that the lead got a little smaller with every successive heat.
According to the Boulder, Colorado Daily Camera, “Upon inspection of the car by the Derby National Control Board, a magnet was discovered in the nose of the fiberglass with a system of wires connecting to a battery pack. A concealed switch behind the headrest activated the electromagnetic system. By leaning back, the driver’s helmet made contact with the switch.”
When the electromagnet was activated, the car would be attracted to the steel plate that dropped and sent the cars down the hill at the same time, giving Gronen a very slight, yet effective lead in the race.
Several onlookers and competitors complained, to the point that race officials X-rayed Gronen’s car, and eventually cut it open “to dramatic effect,” revealing the elaborate scam inside. When the race started, Gronen would put his head against the car’s headrest, which contained the wiring and switch that activated the magnet. It gave him a momentary surge forward, putting him out in front of his competitor with enough space to win heat after heat.
As the heats wore on, Gronen’s lead became less and less commanding, as the battery energizing the magnet began to run down. However, his lead was enough that he won the championship that year.
It was a short-lived victory, though. In three days, Gronen was stripped of his title, and Bret Yarborough was declared the winner, scoring a $7,500 scholarship — enough to pay for years of college in those days. Gronen was also asked to surrender the trophy and the satin jacket that declared him the victor, but he refused, destroying the trophy instead, and eventually giving the jacket away.
Gronen was never charged, but his uncle was. Years before, Gronen’s father had passed away, and early in 1973, his mother was receiving long-term care at the Mayo Clinic. During that time, he was living in Colorado with his uncle, Robert Lange. In 1962, Lange invented the plastic ski boot, which had become almost ubiquitous by the early 1970s. Lange had convinced his nephew to enter the derby after Lange’s son, using a similar — if not identical — car to win local derbies in Colorado.
Lange was prosecuted by Boulder County District Attorney Alex Hunter and settled and agreed to pay a $2,000 settlement to a boys club. Interestingly, it was DA Hunter that would go on to investigate the scandalous death of child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey.
Today, the All-American Soap Box Derby is a lot more sophisticated in uncovering cheaters. The plate used to send racers down the hill was revised to be constructed of aluminum after the scandal.
During Lance Armstrong’s doping scandal over the last few years, Gronen was interviewed in the Akron Beacon-Journal. “I wonder if Soap Box Derby racing, car racing, bicycle racing really develops the soul,” he said. “When there’s money and prestige involved, you can almost bet that the ethics are questionable.”
Staff writer for the Akron Beacon-Journal Carol Biliczky wrote a story on the 40th anniversary of the scandal, including an extensive interview with the elusive Gronen, who has since changed his name and lives in Dubuque, Iowa.
I’m going to give all the credit for the idea for this story to the Adam Carolla Podcast, which spent a few minutes talking about it on last night’s edition.
Dang, that was a brilliant idea. Not very ethical, but definitely brilliant!
Back when there was at least the appearance .. if not semblance of morality and ethics . Sure they cheated back then left and right . But at least back in the day when they were caught .. the media wasn’t afraid to call a Spade a Spade [ no racial inference inferred ] rather than ignoring – excusing or justifying the cheating like they do today
Smokey Yunick would have been proud.
My thoughts exactly. Shoulda painted it black and gold and numbered it 13
They didn’t say you couldn’t Its only bad if you get caught
The original starting line enhancer?
I listen to the Aceman daily…Great podcast!
Interesting story too….
This reminds of the kinds of stuff that goes on in pine wood derby car races. I work in the IT field so I work w/ a lot of people who are highly technical and some even have engineering degrees. A few years back I was working w/ a guy who was bragging at work that his son was going to win his pine wood derby “or else!” “We don’t have any losers in my house hold so I told him if he was gonna do this thing WE were gonna do it right! I’ll design the car and he’ll build it w/ my supervision!”
I’ve heard of parents getting into fights at these things and of course it’s not much fun for the kids once that level of external pressure and intensity is heaped all over. Just another example of “little league” parents sapping all the fun out of what should be an enjoyable child hood experience.
I’m a parent (probably lots of us are on here) and while I want my kids to succeed I cannot for the life of me understand this kind of attitude by parents…its great to say `my kid did something great’ but if you and the kid both know the kid didn’t really achieve anything why would you bother? You’d have to be pretty bloody insecure…
I hear ‘Alan Jackson’s’ song: “Who’s cheatin’ who?” playing in the background
I was a state Pinewood Derby champion. Remember those ? It was a Cub Scout Deal. My dad ( an engineer ) and his engineer buddys built all my cars. They built them at Boeing where they worked using the latest high tech including wind tunnels and test tracks. I was not allowed to even touch the car…..except to place it on the track. When the official asked me if I had built the car myself…..my answer was a resounding yes ! Good times….good times….
My dad was an engineer too but we built my car in the garage. I drew up the shape I wanted on paper – what seemed aerodynamic to me actually worked a lot better going backward. It easily trumped all challengers but in the final round I placed second thanks to the winning car’s axles being unscrewed slightly, sticking out and acting as bumpers. My car pushed the “winning” car all the way to the finish line.
good times?? knowing you cheated?? and you’re proud of it? I don’t understand you at all, buddy…
See this is what rich kids did. And that was the reason a lot of us “South Side” boys never could compete. Money is king in racing. The more money you have the faster you go. If you were poor and building a pine wood derby car you’d build it with hand tools and no engineering degree. Funny part is when you win against them there rich kids and their daddy built cars……now that was good times…..
What’s next valve cover racing? Nothing is sacred any more.
I’m glad you gave Carolla credit on this. I was trying to figure out why I hadn’t heard about this in 40 years, then ran across it twice in one day.
It’s all about the 60ft!
My cousin’s kid won the world champ in I think ’66…believe he was legit but there was a huge amount of parental involvement there. No regular kid on his own motivation could ever have a hope.
A certain acquaintance nearby here had his kid make the area moto-x champion and what do you think that did for his character? Complete spoiled brat busted for burglary, heroin and drug sales (twice), and then an unmarried baby-daddy, all by age 18…never a paying job, and w/ mommy and poppa lovin’ their baby boy every step of the way. Trash.
Like Drag racing its all going to be won or lost at the START.
The All American Soap Box Derby still has this car at their headquarters in akron
as the parent of the 2010 National Derby Rallies points champion
I have seen my fair share of cheaters in the game and I think what kind of parent thinks the only way I can send my kid out there to win is to (cheat)
yes kids you can still race in the All American check out http://www.aasbd.org