Pinewood Derby ignites innovation, sportsmanship in local Cub Scouts

By Correne Martin

The annual Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby will take place Saturday, March 23, at Bluff View School, in Prairie du Chien. The event may be a fast race featuring some pretty cool cars, at first glance, but to the Scouts and their families, it’s much more than that. It’s a chance to build something with their hands alongside a loved one, learn how to graciously win and lose, and delve into STEM principles. 

Each year, Prairie du Chien Pack 320, which boasts 51 kids this year, hosts its local derby. This is the first year that boys, as well as girls, will participate, since five girls joined the unit in September when Boy Scouts of America made the switch to Family Scouting. The Pinewood Derby experience encourages a unique bond between the Scouts and his or her parents or guardians. Through this shared opportunity, the two work together to build a race car, focusing on fun, behavior, growth and development of the Scout. Regardless of the race outcome, everyone does their best and understands it’s about more than only winning. 

“I enjoy building the cars and competing,” said fourth grader Asher Thomas, from the Webelos 1 den, “but it also teaches me good sportsmanship whether I win or lose. It helps teach me things I will need to know as an adult.”

Carson Gruber, a third grader from the bear den, feels the same way. “I love watching  all the cool cars race down the track  but it’s about having fun, even if you don’t win, and congratulating the winner.”

Pinewood Derby preparations usually begin in late January for the Cub Scouts in kindergarten through fifth grade. Each Scout receives a car kit from the pack, according to leader and mom Brenda Anderson. 

“The pinewood block has grooves in it. It comes with the wheels and the axles, which are just nails,” she explained. These parts must be used in construction of the car with no substitutions, according to the rules.

Car modifications are allowed, including stable materials such as plastic or metal. Yet car specifications must not exceed 2.75 inches in width or be longer than 7 inches, including fender flairs, bumpers, etc. The car cannot weigh more than 5 ounces, according to the pack’s scale, or be taller than 3 inches. 

Anderson said these rules guide the construction process but also ensure the cars don’t interfere with other Scouts’ ability to race down the 49-foot, gravity-fed  metal track. 

“Other than all that, they can use their imagination to create what design they want,” she said. “We do discourage going online and getting any pre-made materials, because part of the Pinewood Derby experience is actually building something. There are also additional rules about craftsmanship, but I think we see a lot of creativity with this event. The cars some people make look like professional miniature cars, and some look like a kid made them.” 

She shared a sampling of what she’s seen over the years. “Kids love adding little Lego figures, some cars look like tanks, have sports themes, or look like cheese wedges or doughnuts. It’s pretty neat to see what they come up with,” Anderson said. 

This Friday, March 22, will be weigh-in day. Scouts head to Bluff View to ensure their car is race-worthy. Once a Scout’s car is determined to have met all race guidelines by a committee, the car is given a number and stored safely until race time. 

“At the weigh-in, we have tools, drills and glue if they need to make modifications to qualify,” she noted. 

On race day, March 23, heats begin at 10 a.m. Scouts participate in races per their Scout rank, meaning Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Webelos 1 and Webelos 2. Each car gets to race four times in each of the four lanes of the track. Then, there’s a grand finale race-off among the top three winners of each Scout rank, who also receive trophies no matter how well they do in the championship race. However, Anderson said there can only be one winner for the fastest car and that Scout will get a larger grand champion trophy. 

There will also be open class racing in both junior (12 and younger) and varsity (13 and older) divisions. The junior race is for non-Scouts or for those Scouts who may have had a disqualifying car due to mechanical issues. The varsity race is held for kids, moms and dads, siblings and other older individuals who aren’t Scouts either but who wish to get competitive. 

All Scouts, parents and others in attendance Saturday can vote for their favorite cars in the special categories of 1) best interpretation of an animal, 2) most futuristic, and 3) best use of recycled materials. Special trophies will be presented to those winners as well. 

The Pinewood Derby is ultimately a family event. There are concessions, sometimes sound effects and a camera at the end of the track to slow down the 4-5 second race for better viewing.  The Boy Scouts also get involved. They drop the starting pegs and help some of the cars cross the finish line if needed. 

“It’s our biggest event of the year. It’s something our kids and parents look forward to most,” Anderson commented. 

Brothers Bradley and Eric Anderson, third and fourth graders respectively, love the Pinewood Derby because they have a passion for racing, seeing how fast their cars can go and admiring the designs of all the cars. 

“Scouts challenges you to learn new things,” Bradley said. 

The first-place winners from each Scout rank Saturday will have the option to advance to the district Pinewood Derby in La Crosse.