Boy Scouts race off at Pinewood Derby

Excitement was in the air as the annual Boy Scout Pinewood Derby was underway on February 12. The wooden cars made by scouts in Pack 367 and 56 shot down the 29-foot-long track at lightning speed. The fun was not only for the scouts, but for the parents and scout alum who were also allowed to participate in their own races after paying an entry fee that will go towards offsetting the costs of the car kits next year.

“They look forward to this event every year” said Patrick Burke, the Cub Master in charge of the races for the day.

“I think it’s one of the most fun days that the pack has all year.”

The Scouts are given the car kit during a holiday party and have a few months to create their racer, putting time and thought into building and decking out their ride to make it race-ready.

This year, a laser timer was used to determine the winner at the finish line down to the thousandth of a second, relaying the information to a nearby laptop, so judges could declare a winner error-free, in case the fastest cars finish in a dead heat. Each scout received a patch for their efforts and those with the fastest racer were given trophies.

The event is not only for the kids, however, as many of the parents also got involved, putting time and effort into building their own racers to compete against other pack parents. “Everyone gets a shot,” Burke commented. The race event, which stretches as far back as the 1950’s, has been a national program and rite of passage for many Boy Scouts. This event was sponsored by the American Legion Post 854.