Cute cars and cute kids made for a great Pinewood Derby last Saturday. Kids showed great creativity in designing their cars not only for speed, but to give them pizzazz and panache. Top: Winners at the Pinewood Derby starting in front L-R: Lute Jansen, Lilija Smith, Liam Smith, Cullen Hall. Back row L-R: Rylan Brown, Ryden DeRosier, Landon Resler, and Noah Smith.
No sounds of engines roaring, just cheering filled the basement of the St. John’s Parish Catholic Church in Grand Marais as the kids’ cars rapidly sped towards the finish line at the annual Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby held Saturday, April 1.
It was an exciting day as 22 boys and girls entered their gravity fed autos and went through 12 rounds of races to determine an overall champion. When it was all over Den Mother Tina Hegg announced that there was a three-way tie for first and a two-way tie for second, so more close races were held. When it was all over Noah Smith was determined to have the fastest car of the day, but just barely. He edged his brother Liam by a mouse whisker in the last race.
During the nearly three-hour event, a bunch of parents put out a buffet of home cooked food for the hungry racers and fans who were there in support of their Scouts.
Cub Scouts, with the help of their parents or mentor, build cars from a kit that includes a block of soft pine that is shaped, sanded, and cut into a broad range of shapes while the kids follow specific regulations on length, height, width, and weight of the vehicles.
Although all of the cars are different, some are unique. One car looked like a toboggan. Another had a watercolor paint kit as its top. Still another featured a screw—or bolt and another a large shark fin and of course, there was a variety of high gloss painted streamlined Indy cars. All in all, the kids used a lot of imagination, patience, and skill to design and fashion their cars.
When the event ended, and the awards ceremony was held, some kids were awarded medals and some kids who didn’t win or place cheered them on. That’s scouting at its best. After cleanup, it was time to head home, dreaming and planning for next year’s Pinewood Derby.
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