Let the race begin!
Pinewood Derby racers vie for Cub Scout glory
Two pinewood cars race down the track during the Pinewood Derby 2008, held at the First Baptist Church in Gallup. This year's race is Saturday at First Baptist Church in Gallup. — © 2009 Gallup Independent / Staff Photo

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Gaye Brown de Alvarez
Staff writer

GALLUP — Pack 40 Cub Scouts Den 2 met Monday evening to work out the final design on their Pinewood Derby cars for the race on Saturday.

The Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and Webelos met Monday night at the first United Methodist Church to weigh their cars, wrap up final race details, and work on other achievement projects.

Gavinn Schultz, 8, placed his primed Star Wars-looking galactic Death Star Formula One derby car on the scale and looked happy as the car, which was formerly just a block of wood, weighed less than 5 ounces.

Chander Patten, 8, placed his car on the scale and it weighed exactly 5 ounces. “I want to paint a yellow Steelers logo on it,” he said, but knew it would have to be done carefully as even a little paint could put the car’s weight over 5 ounces, which is the maximum weight allowed.

Lewis Rice, 9, talked about getting his car ready for the big day. He took his block of wood and used a belt sander, sandpaper, a file to fashion the car body and a drill to make the windows. His car weighed in at 3.55 ounces.

“I want to paint it black with red stripes,” he said and added that his dad helped him with some of the tools.

The “car” is initially given to each Cub Scout as a block of wood in a box, with four nails to use as axles and four plastic wheels. On the outside of the box it says “Race To The Future.” The block, axles and wheels weigh 3.10 ounces. It is the Cub Scout’s responsibility to fashion the block of wood into a race car, add the axles and wheels, paint it, and weigh it to make sure it isn’t over 5 ounces.

But the heavier the car is, the faster it will go on the Pinewood Derby racetrack, so the car designers want it to be heavy, but not too heavy.

Sheldon Wilson, 7, had painted flames from the front to the rear of his car. He said he weighed his car in at 4.85 ounces and it still needed just a little bit of work.

Nathan Williams, 7, showed his ultra-shiny blue car which had a hemi sticking out of the hood. When asked if the hemi was actually a weight he nodded and said that his car weighed in at 4.9 ounces.

The Pinewood Derby starts at the First Baptist Church on 2112 College Drive at 9:30 a.m. when the cars are checked in. Races start at 10 a.m. There is a 15-minute race, a break and then the other half of the races finish.

Race officials will be Chief of Police Robert Cron and Deputy Chief of Police John Allen.

The Pinewood Derby started in 1953 in Manhattan Beach, Calif., when founder Don Murphy wanted to do something with his son.

Fifty-six years later, in Gallup, New Mexico, kids are still excited to race their cars. It is a classic family event. The public is invited to the race.

Information: Ray Cope (505)-722-6253, David Hacker (505)-863-3670.