Pinewood Derby Draws Scouts, Folks to Westfield Brandon Mall Face-Off

Gravity took over at as about 30 cub scouts and their parents watched ninja-driving speedsters and aircraft carrier roadsters race down a 39-foot wooden track.

The cubs competed in the annual pinewood derby races – a competition synonymous with being a Boy Scout – on Jan. 14, in the mall's west wing, across from .

Cub Master Tony Veno, who heads Cub Scout Pack 39, said the race is usually held at Mintz Elementary School, but he wanted to bring the competition to the mall to broaden its audience.

"We just wanted to try something different," Veno said. "It’s kind of neat for the kids."

All cubs start with the same derby kit, which contains a wooden block, wheels and nails for the axles. From there, the wood is sliced, carved, shaved, drilled and painted to meet basic race specifications. Designs are limitless.

There were Lego-man driving race cars. One creative scout turned the wood into a pool table, complete with cue stick and balls. Another car looked like an aircraft carrier with clay planes on its deck and an American flag waving high.

Cub Scout Justin Jacobs, 8, whose aircraft carrier was a crowd favorite, said he wanted to continue his military-themed derby cars of past years, while his brother, Tyler, designed the pool table.

“I did Army and U.S.A. for a lot of years, so I just decided to do one of these again,” Jacobs said.

Computer problems forced organizers to ditch the track’s photo-optic sensors and timing system and go old-school. Cars were assigned points based on where they placed in the four heats. Each car raced once in each lane. Rankings were totaled based on the point system.

Competitor Joshua Vick, 11, said the best part of building the wooden roadsters is watching the cars whiz down the track on race day. His car came in second among his group.

“We were going to do a chocolate car, but I decided to do an actual race car, because this year I was going for speed and not for best design,” Vick said.

Parent volunteer Tom Scruggs worked the weigh-in table, making sure the cars passed inspection and met the official Pinewood Derby rules. Scruggs placed each car into a wood frame – cars cannot be longer than 7 inches and wider than 2-3/4 inches. He also used a measuring tool to ensure the underside of the cars would clear the track.

Organizers brought large metal files, weights and other carving tools so scouts could make last-minute changes. Cars cannot exceed 5 ounces. That meant gluing washers to under-weight vehicles or in one case, filing off a quarter because the car was on the heavy side.

Scruggs said competing in the pinewood derby is something the whole family looks forward to.

“It’s the thrill of the race,” he said. “You know, because every kid wants to be first with their car. It’s competition. It’s just getting together with your friends and your family with something that you put your hands on.”

Scruggs’ son Adam was inspired by his favorite animated television show, Phineas and Ferb, and made his car look like the character Perry the Platypus.

“It was a team effort,” Scruggs said. “We all did our part putting it together. He [Adam] designed it and painted it.”

James Ohrmund, 7, of Symmes Elementary School, said he found his car’s design by searching through websites. He helped add ounces to the car by hammering in a fishing weight.

Mom Yadira Ohrmund said James’ first derby race was a family-affair.

“It was fun. It was a good family experience. All three of us had a little job,” she said. “We all had a hand in it. Daddy did the power tools and he [James] did the paint and it kind of went from there.”