Local Cub Scouts debut new track at this year’s Pinewood Derby
The cars were running faster in Breckenridge this year at Cub Scout Pack 81’s seventh annual Pinewood Derby competition on Saturday. The reason for the speed? The Pack debuted its new 60-foot aluminum track at the event held at First United Methodist Church’s Christian Life Center.
Local Cub Scout Pack 81 unveiled their new aluminum Pinewood Derby track at at this year’s competition. It features a laser timer at the finish line which records each car’s time and what place it came in. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Pack 81 Cubmaster Matt Wunsch said the new track is faster than their old wooden track and much more high tech. The new track also sports an electric laser timer at the finish line which records each car’s time and what place it came in.
“The cars run faster on this track,” Wunsch said. “On the wooden track, it’s hard to get a good bend on it, so a lot of times they’ll get to the end of the track and just crash into it. It’s just a lot quicker than the wooden track.”
Each race during the competition was grouped by the scout’s rank, with scouts of the same rank competing against each other. There was also a sibling race and an adult race.
All of the cars in the competition are made from wood with plastic wheels and cannot weigh more than five ounces.
Wunsch said the Scouts are provided with a Pinewood Derby Car Kit, which includes a wooden block, four nail-type axles, four wheels and numbers for the racer. They then come up with a theme and design for their cars and their parents can help them cut it out. The Scouts then decorates and paints their cars.
This year’s winners were: Siler Morehart , first place, Wolf Den; Mikayla Martinez, first place, Bear Den; Matthew Wunsch, first Place, Webelo Den. The Grand Prix winner was Matthew Wunsch.
Pack 81 will hold its annual Blue and Gold Banquet at the end of the May. During that ceremony, the pack’s Webelo Scouts will crossover to the Boy Scouts and the other kids will be moved up in the ranks they’ve earned.
Click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery from the event.
Story by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Cub Scouts from Pack 81 who competed in this year’s local Pinewood Derby car competition pose with their cars and ribbons. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Members of local Cub Scout Pack 81 watch as Pinewood Derby cars speed by at Saturday’s local competition at First United Methodist Church. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
