Trying to think of old movie

[Sholos]

I don't know if I'm making this up or not and it's bugging me. I'm thinking of an older, animated movie that stars multiple kid characters, the main of which is a great inventor of various wacky gadgets. He has two friends. Opens with a car race (soap box derby style) that he just can't seem to win, ever. Kids then proceed to get dragged into some sort of epic adventure, can't remember what. Ends I think with him finally winning the race or something. Does any of this sound even vaguely familiar to anyone or is my brain just making stuff up?

[Kato]

I don't know if I'm making this up or not and it's bugging me. I'm thinking of an older, animated movie that stars multiple kid characters, the main of which is a great inventor of various wacky gadgets. He has two friends. Opens with a car race (soap box derby style) that he just can't seem to win, ever. Kids then proceed to get dragged into some sort of epic adventure, can't remember what. Ends I think with him finally winning the race or something. Does any of this sound even vaguely familiar to anyone or is my brain just making stuff up?

It does sound vaguely familiar but I feel like it was live action, not animated? Sadly, I can't put my finger on the exact thing, let alone what adventure happens.

[An Enemy Spy]

You're thinking of Little Rascals.

[Sholos]

That doesn't sound right since I've never seen Little Rascals.

[Honest Tiefling]

Well, this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pinchcliffe_Grand_Prix) probably isn't it, but maybe you should tell us the era and type of animation it was...

[Sholos]

I'm beginning to think my brain was inventing something semi-wholecloth. Era from the image in my head is 80s/90s, something similar to Bluth-style. I also have the kids down as orphans, I think, living in an orphanage together? And they gather more kids along the way? Also maybe one of the kids ends up dying in the end for some reason...