Saxonburg Cub Scout troop ride the Pinewood to glory
SAXONBURG — For 2.45 seconds the Scouts of Cub Pack 51 along with their family and friends held their collective breath as the “Car with No Name” and “Pizza Car” faced off against one another on the track inside the banquet hall of the Saxonburg VFW.
After nearly three hours of Cub vs. Cub faceoffs, it came down to two young Cubs and their makeshift vehicles to determine who was going to be crowned this year’s Pinewood Derby winner.
“I was nervous,” said Jamison Thomas, 8, owner and operator of the “Car with No Name.” “I learned that even if you fail the first time, you can still achieve.”
Time stood still for the less than three seconds on Saturday, March 9, as pack members and family members watched the climax of the afternoon’s event. Hours of work went into crafting the less-than-5-ounce vehicles, and all that hard work came down to a final race.
In a contest measured by milliseconds, Jamison’s “Car with No Name” emerged victorious, beating the “Pizza Car” by a fraction of a second. The room erupted in applause, not just for the winner, but for the time and effort each one of the pack members put in.
“It’s a fun competition,” said Cubmaster Kelly Hansen, of Saxonburg. “It’s a great way for the kids to learn important skills like physics, woodworking and friendly competition.”
The Pinewood Derby is a long-standing tradition among Cub Scouts that allows children in kindergarten through fifth grade to learn craft their own wooden vehicles and race them in a group competition.
Pack members, with the help of an adult, adhere to a list of regulations, including size and weight limits, to build a Pinewood Derby boxcar. While the ultimate goal is to have the fastest car, there are several categories that the pack members can compete in.
“We have special awards for best paint job,” Hansen said.
Hansen said the different categories allow pack members to learn a variety of skills while preparing the cars. It also allows the parents to have some fun.
“We have an award for ‘Most Scout Like’ which is for the car that we can tell the dad didn’t make,” Hansen said.
Other categories included “Best Named,” “Most Creative,” “Scout Favorite, and “Parent Favorite.”
Jamison’s father, Ryan Thomas, of Cabot, was a former Cub Scout. He said he enjoyed the experience because it allowed him to spend time with his son.
“It was nice,” Thomas said. “It was the first one we’ve made together. We learned a little bit about it and we watched some videos on it and he loved it.”
Jamison’s mother, Casey Thomas, said the derby taught her son about science and engineering and also allowed him to learn a valuable lesson in hard work.
“It was great that it let him see his hard work pay off,” she said. “He got to make something and then was able to see it actually function.”
Jack Gatson, 6, owner and operator of “Pizza Car,” was able to celebrate his birthday while participating in the race. Jack’s father, Noah Gatson, of Saxonburg, said the event was a great way to build sportsmanship.
“It’s team building,” Gatson said. “Scouts have to work as a team and that’s the way we train them to preform.”
Deakin Nock, 7, who won third in his age division for his Pinewood Derby vehicle, named “Indy Car,” said he learned the some valuable lessons during the process.
“I learned how to put (the car) together,” Deakin said. “And I learned to never give up.”
And while this event was meant for children, Gatson plans on opening the Pinewood Derby contest for everyone as part of a fundraiser for Pack 51.
“We always have siblings and Cub Scouts who graduated that always want to come back, so we thought there’s probably some adults who want to do that too,” Hansen said. “So we decided to throw a big party and let the adults race as well.”
The fundraiser, which is open to the public, will be held at the Saxonburg VFW on April 13. The event includes a spaghetti dinner and all funds raised will support Cub Scout Pack 51.
