CANFIELD — Thirteen-year-old Parker Lame of Canfield won the world title in the Super Stock division at the 85th FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron on Saturday.

Parker said when it was announced he was the winner in his division, he couldn’t believe it. This is his first season of competition and it was only his fourth race.

“It’s surreal. I couldn’t even process it that I had won,” he said.

He competed against 70 other racers from around the world in his division.

After winning the world championship, Parker’s car now stays in Akron and goes into the Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame Museum.

Parker qualified to compete at the derby in Akron by winning first place at the derby race in Mantua representing Portage County. He said because there is no race in Mahoning County, he represented Portage County.

Parker said he credits the time and effort he puts in with preparing the car and the support he receives from family and coaches for his success.

He is the son of Don and Rebecca Lame of Canfield.

“We are both so proud of him,” Rebecca said. “He really puts himself into this and is very dedicated.”

Parker said a lot of work goes into preparing the car for the race, including checking the brakes, the wheels and other parts.

“There is more preparation for the cars than the racers,” he said.

He said the key to being a driver is to “get as low as possible in the car” but still be able to see ahead of you.

Don Lame said his son’s coach, Terry Terrigno, who is a past Soap Box Derby winner, has been very helpful to Parker’s preparation by providing him guidance on controlling the car.

“Terry volunteers his time and has been there for Parker guiding and advising him,” Don said.

More than 320 boys and girls from across the United States, Canada and Japan participated in the competition at the world-famous Derby Downs track in Akron.

Parker said the Super Stock division had 70 competitors until it was down to the top three.

Bob Troyer, FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby public relations chairman, said racers between the ages of 7 and 20 spent months building their gravity-powered race cars and competing in local Soap Box Derby races to earn their spot in the World Championship.

Parker won his competition by .007 seconds to the second-place racer.

“This takes dedication and all the hours you put into this. This teaches you a lot of lessons. To be something big, it is one step at a time. I kept telling myself ‘one race at a time.’ That’s how I won,” he said of his win.

Parker, who will be an eighth-grader at Austintown Middle School this fall, said he became interested in soap box derby racing after being part of a STEM program at the middle school and taking part in the Gravity Racing Challenge, where he won first place.

Troyer said the Soap Box Derby season runs year-round in cities across the United States and overseas, culminating with the FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby. There are local and rally winners in each division. Local winners automatically qualify for the championship race by winning the race in their hometown, while rally racers accumulate points in rallies held around the United States to earn the chance to compete for a world title.

Troyer said the divisions are:

• Stock Division — Racers age 7 to 13 compete in cars built from kits, which assist the Derby novice by providing a step-by-step assembly of a basic style car;

• Super Stock Division — Racers age 9 to 18 have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and build a larger, heavier model car, also from a kit.

• Masters Division — Racers age 10 to 20 compete in sleeker, more sophisticated cars also built from kits