COLUMBIA, MO. -- The downtown streets of 7th and Broadway in Columbia were closed Sunday for a special derby.

Sunday was the 2011 Mid-Missouri Soap Box Derby.

Racers from all over mid Missouri competed with their cars

They competed in different divisions in hopes of getting to the next round in Akron, Ohio, for the all-American soap box derby nationals.

"The big part of the fun of this starts in building the car, constructing the car, getting the car ready for race day and just having the garage experience,” volunteer Mark Duncan said.  “Then once you do that, you can look around, there's excitement of race day, excitement of competing and having fun and just being out here and enjoying it as a family."

While the race was about the kids, some notable “big kids” raced against their counterparts for some big bragging rights.

MU's chancellor Brady Deaton raced school board president Tom Rose, Mayor Bob McDavid raced against Boone County Presiding Commissioner Ed Robb and Police Chief Ken Burton faced off against Captain Greg Kindle from Missouri Highway Patrol.