INDIANAPOLIS – Soap Box Derby was back on the track Saturday for the first race of the season in Indianapolis, including a 12-year-old racer who is setting new standards in the sport.

Crossing the finish line first at the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio is something 12-year-old Shelton Taylor will never forget.

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“I made history because I was the first African-American to win the Local Challenge in my division, Super Stock,” Shelton said. “That’s a pretty big deal.”

Winning the Local Super Stock Challenge at this race is one of the great achievements for a young boy who only came into contact with the sport by chance a few years ago.

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Now people across the country know all about the Indy racer racing down Wilbur Shaw Memorial Hill.

“He will be known as one of the best racers to ever come out of the state of Indiana,” said his mentor James Gray, who also drives for the Indianapolis Soap Box Derby. “He finished top three in the 500-car class nationally and second in the 50-state class nationally.”

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“I’ve always been a competitive racer, so it’s super exciting to see younger racers continue that trend and legacy and actually accomplish more than we accomplish,” added the Community Engagement Director for the Indianapolis Soap Box Derby.

Shelton is paving the way for kids who look like him to compete in racing.

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“He’s showing other young people, especially young African Americans, that they can do something. It’s something extraordinary, something different,” his mother, LaTonya Brown, told WRTV.

“I like watching Shelton race because he is a good racer,” added seven-year-old Damyah Wilson, who won her first race on Saturday.

The Soap Box Derby began in the 1930s, but has long struggled with diversity.

VIEW PREVIOUS REPORTS | Soap Box Derby brings variety to the racetrack

Soap Box Derby brings variety to the track

However, Gray said he has seen a change in Indianapolis over the years.

“We have become one of the most competitive cities in the world and the majority of us are African American,” he said.

Now he has set higher goals for the national championships later this year.

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“This year I’m going for gold,” Shelton said.

But whether he wins or loses, the 12-year-old wants to be an example for others every time he leaves the track.

“If I lose, I get out of the car and shake their hands. If I win, I get out of the car, shake their hands and wish them good racing,” Shelton said.

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Shelton will compete in the national championships in Virginia on Labor Day weekend.

If you are interested in participating in the Indianapolis Soap Box Derby, click here for more information.