Local Boy Heading to the World Championship for Pinewood Derby

On March 24, 2018, Dylan Long of Woburn Ma became the first member of Woburn's Pack/Troop 502 Cub Scouting's extensive sixty year history to ever qualify for the World Championship Pinewood Derby Race to be held in iconic Time Square in New York City on June 30th, 2018. Dylan Long, racing his car named "NEON CAT" will represent himself, his family, his friends, fellow cub scouts and the City of Woburn on his quest for a World Championship.

The Pinewood Derby Race is "THE" staple cub scouting event which requires all of the scouts to build a race car out of a block of wood and race them down a track. This event is held every year with every Pack/Troop from around the country. The Pinewood Derby celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2013.

The Pinewood Derby started with Don Murphy who was the Cubmaster for Pack 280c in Manhattan Beach, California. Mr. Murphy’s son wanted to participate in the Soap Box Derby, but he was too young. So Mr. Murphy took his life-long hobby of building models and combined that with the Soap Box Derby’s concept of gravity-powered vehicles. And the Pinewood Derby was created.

Word of the Pinewood Derby soon reached the BSA national office. The national director of Cub Scouting Service, O. W. (Bud) Bennett, wrote Mr. Murphy saying, “We believe you have an excellent idea, and we are most anxious to make your material available to the Cub Scouts of America.” Mr. Murphy agreed, and so the tradition we still love today was born. 50 million boys over the 66 year history of the pinewood derby have participated in the this event.

In order to get to this level of racing, Dylan first had to win his Den 3 race held in Woburn at the Moose Club on February 3, 2018. That win qualified Dylan for the District Council race, held in Wakefield on March 24, 2018. Dylan raced against 15 other racers from 15 cities around the area. Dylan Long posted the best racing times out of all 15 racers with an average time of 3.1794 seconds and a average speed of 155.48 mph, qualifying him to advance to World Championships. At the World Championship, Dylan Long will be racing against the fastest pinewood derby cars from across the country.

On behalf of Pack/Troop 502 and the City of Woburn, we all would like to wish Dylan Long and "NEON CAT" the best of luck in his pursuit of a Pinewood Derby World Championship.

www.bsa-gnyc.org/championshippinewood