Brownwood Cub Scout Pack 14 held their annual Pinewood Derby on Saturday, January 26th at First United Methodist Church in Brownwood where scouts showed their car building skills as their creations raced to the finish line.
First place in the event went to Blake Miller with his car Blue Man, second place was earned by Zachary Ellis with Blue Thing, and third place went to Klayton Tervooren.
As a long held tradition in the Cub Scouts, the Pinewood Derby teams an adult coach and a Cub Scout as they design, carve, paint, weigh, refine, and race the car. This year’s races were head-to-head, double elimination crowning the top three cars. Several categories of awards were given for the design of the cars as well.
This year’s race also featured the debut of a brand new track made possible by a grant from the E.P. Woodruf Trust.
“The trustees of the Woodruf Trust gave the money for the pack to be able to purchase this track which is going to be used not only for us but for others; it will be used in the district event in March,” said Cubmaster Steve Ellis.
While the exhilaration of the actual race lasts only moments, the Pinewood Derby experience lasts a lifetime. The benefits for Cub Scout and adult are discovered through the derby process itself: strengthening bonds, sharing responsibility, developing teamwork, learning new skills, exercising creativity, building sportsmanship, and making new friends.
Racing in the Pinewood Derby creates a bond between a Cub Scout and all those who have raced before, as well as those who will follow to participate in this same tradition. Walk up to any Boy Scout—youth or adult; if he participated in a derby, his memories will resemble those of all other participants in the history of the event.
The first Pinewood Derby was held in 1953 by Cub Scout Pack 280C of Manhattan Beach, California, operated by the North American Aviation Management Club. It was the brainchild of Cubmaster Donald Murphy. The derby, publicized in Boys’ Life in October 1954, was an instant and enduring hit. The magazine offered plans for the track and car, which featured “four wheels, four nails, and three blocks of wood.”
Pictured at top from left to right are winners Blake Miller, Zachary Ellis, and Klayton Tervooren with race car driver Tyler Fain.
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