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If you pick someone at random and ask them to tell you about an iconic image of Cub Scouting, chances are they'll talk about some Norman Rockwell painting they have seen. But right behind Norman Rockwell on their list would have to be a Pinewood Derby car.
For nearly 60 years, Cub Scout families have been spending time together, designing and crafting extraordinary creations from simple rectangular blocks of pine, four plastic wheels, and four nails. And, in our age of computers, iPods, multiplayer online video games and 650+ channels of barely watchable television, the idea of a boy and his family taking time out from all of the beeping and buzzing electronic distractions to build something together from scratch takes on a whole new level of importance.
If you want, you can spend many late nights (and literally hundreds of dollars) buying the tools and crafting the perfect Pinewood Derby racer that burns down the track. Maybe you'll be the envy of the other parents. But if you focus only on the perfect car FOR your son, you might miss the bigger point -- the time spent WITH your son, working TOGETHER to build a car. Your son won't remember the slight paint blemish, the sanding mark, or the axle that wobbles a bit. But he will remember the time he spent with you, building HIS car from HIS design out of a simple block of wood. And your son will keep those memories forever.
Now, a few key rules:
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Complete race rules are attached at the bottom of this page - these rules are the same as the rules for the District Pinewood Derby championship. For more information on the District race, please click here.
If you have any questions on rules or the Pinewood Derby in general, please contact your Den Leader or Cubmaster. There are also multiple books and Internet sources for additional information on building your race car; a few links are listed below:
The Plattsburgh Press-Republican did a great feature article on our winter 2011 Pinewood Derby in Ausable Forks. You can click here to view the complete article.
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