National Derby Rallies, a franchise of All-American, operates in spring, summer and fall. It uses a point system and has its own championship race. But before kids can race, they must practice. Some test out the hill for a few weeks before they race, while some practice less often. Although the cars have brakes, tracks have other ways of slowing racers down in case the brake fails.
Some tracks slow cars by placing rows of traffic cones at the end of the track.
At the end of the hill, if you lose your brakes, you can run into a little gravel pit. Most of the kids were a little nervous the first time they went down a hill, but they all felt that thrill. It feels really weird being that close to the ground. You can feel every bump because there's no suspension on the cars. It feels like you're on a sled that has wheels.