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Cruising down Paul Lankford Drive sporting goggles and helmet, Parker Hill, 9, smiles from ear to ear. His car is quiet, his yells of delight loud and clear. His friends can't wait until it's their turn.

Hill and other boys who live on this street in Maryville's Worthington Subdivision will be going back to school next week. When their teachers asked the proverbial "What did you do this summer?" they will have their own unique tale to tell. They built a car.

They built the Soap Box Derby car from extra stacks of lumber, leftover Plexiglas and some rope and carpeting. The idea belonged to Brady Hill, 10, brother of Parker. He ran the idea past their other friends, Trenton Reed, 12, Noah Smith, 9, and Jared Smith, 14. Jared said at first the group doubted it had the know-how and determination to see it through. But some research and promised help from Jared and Noah's dad, Jeff Smith, gave them the confidence they needed.

Jared and his friends went on the Internet to choose a car plan and set to work. They got the lumber from a construction site in the neighborhood. Billy Clemmer, owner of BRC Construction, is building houses in the area and told them they could pick items from a leftover pile of materials. They obtained other necessary items from their own garages and then took a trip to Home Depot to purchase things like a horn, paint, wheels and axles.

The result is a self-powered car that weighs about 50 pounds and can fly down the hill with a driver at the wheel. It is steered by two ropes and has a pulley braking system. The friends, who all attend Maryville City schools, settled on Maryville High Schools's red and black for the paint job and a couple of pompoms strapped on back.

Danyelle Smith, Jared and Noah's mom, said the neighbors come out at night, take their places at the side of the road and watch the kids race down hill. The kids take turns wearing the recycled goggles and helmet from an army surplus store and pushing the car up the hill for another ride down.

Jared was the one to take it on its first test drive. He built up so much speed he ran into his family's brick mailbox, but came away mostly unscathed.

"It has been like this neighborhood thing," Danyelle said. "They have all worked together and found the parts to build it. This has really pulled the neighbors together."

Clemmer said he was more than happy to give lumber for the project. He came by and saw the finished product and was able to spot his former materials now as parts on a derby car.

"I never thought it would turn out so well," Danyelle said. "It's really cool."

The friends rolled the car out of the Smith garage and took turns walking it up the hill and flying back down Monday. They said they may build another one, this time a little larger. A neighborhood derby race may be in the works.

"We can put family against family," Danyelle said.