The Pinewood Derby: a photo documentary

(you can click on all the pictures to enlarge them and enjoy them even more)

It starts with an anxious Cub Scout, a block of wood, and a really awesome Grandpa with really awesome tools.  The boy creates his own design.  Dad is only concerned with some small, but important engineering details to insure top performance.

With hands on hands, Grandpa guides him on how to push the wood through the saw.  Hopefully they'll both keep a few fingers for nose pickin' later.

With a little more confidence and Grandpa's watchful eye, the Cub Scout can do a lot on his own.

Cutting...

...sanding and shaping...

...and painting....with a little help from Mom's cool tools to cut out the fancy vinyl decals...and a little help from Dad to put on the wheels and weights.

Behold, the finished product!

As seen below, most dads never get the rush of the Pinewood Derby out of their blood.  The competitive spirit lives on and carries forth to future generations.

It's really all about the fun!

...the competition!

...the thrill of staring down the track!

... and the race track babes cheering on their brothers!

Here the Cub Scout carefully places his car on the track, as per Dad's instruction, to make sure it is lined-up properly and with all four wheels on the ground.

Excitement and tension feel the air as the cars are queued up at the starting block.

AND THEY'RE OFF!!!                                       ...in a blur...

A shy grin sneaks across this Cub Scout's face as he returns from a victory on his first heat.  He goes on to win five of his eight heats and earns 2nd place overall in the speed category.  He's also proud of his official certificate for having created the "Most Detailed" car.  His only losses came at the hands of the Bishop's kid, the youngest of all the Cub Scouts, who walked away with first place using a car of surprisingly traditional design.

Sometimes a Cub Scout just sits in awe of his own creation, how well it has performed at the track, and how cool his own name looks emblazoned on the side of his derby car.

When all is said and done, they all are champions on this day of the Pinewood Derby.  

They've all come away having learned a little somethin' about manly things, like tools and competition; the finer elements of life like art and sleek design; and about the fun scouting. 

Most of all, even though a Cub cannot articulate it well, they've certainly felt the love of parents, grandparents, and leaders.  This love will finally be reciprocated when these Cubs become those parents and leaders.

God bless the Pinewood Derby!