Pinewood Derby

One of Cole's favorite things about being a cub scout is participating in the annual Pinewood Derby race. Judd also has fond memories of his day with the little wooden cars. He remembers Mama Charlie making the cars for each of the Wilson boys. Last year was Cole's first year as a scout and Judd wasn't sure where to begin. We had help from a master craftsman- Causey's and Bounds' dad, Dr. Ryan! He built the car, sanded and painted it, and attached the wheels. This was a great learning experience for Judd. Not wanting to monopolize another of Ryan's weekends, Judd decided to buy a premade wooden car from Hobby Lobby. Instead of painting it this year, they decided to attach a covering known as the "skin." They applied decals, added weights, and attached the wheels. On several occasions, they took the car to the post office to weigh it, making sure it was within the 5 oz. weight limit.

When we arrived at the race on Saturday morning, Cole and his dad were both a little anxious. They used graphite to lube the wheels and make it run faster. You would have thought that this car should have been under lock in key. Cole signed in and they checked the weight of his car- 4.7 oz. They also placed it in a box to make sure it didn't exceed the required dimensions. Once the car was found to be within regulation, it goes to a holding area until the race. The scouts are quite serious about this! The tiger cubs were the first to race their cars. Everything was done on computer. It is designed much like a sports bracket where the cars compete and then the winners compete. There is a winning and losing heat, which means you have to lose twice to be eliminated from the race. When it came time for the wolf cubs to race, I could see the excitement on Cole's face. He just knew that his car was going to be the fastest one there! To win each heat, you must win 2 out of 3 runs. To be eliminated, you must have lost 2 different races. Cole's car was successful in each race and was guaranteed a spot in the finals, racing in the winner's heat. However, when he raced for the 1st and 2nd position, he was a half a car length behind the other car. He won 2nd place in the Wolf Cub division. However, a trophy and medal were all that mattered to my boys. I can't wait until next year!

Signing in, weighing in, and measuring up!
 

The car on the left is ours!
 

2nd place winner
 

The racing crew