(EDITOR'S NOTE: "Every One a Winner" from the September 1996 issue of Scouting magazine received a Distinguished Achievement in Educational Publishing Award in the How-To Feature/Adult Audience category in the 1997 Educational Press Association (EdPress) annual editorial awards competition.)

Every One a Winner

By Thomas J. Serb

A 25-year veteran of pinewood derby races tells how to organize an event at which all the participants come out on top.

• Accessories and Supplies
• The Two "Secrets" to Speed

The most incredible pinewood derby racer I ever saw was something special. "The Blue Beauty" was so shiny you could use it as a mirror to comb your hair. It had graceful curves and chrome exhaust pipes. The dashing driver, goggles in place, sat ready for action in a leather seat. There were dashboard instruments, a gearshift, and every other accessory you could name.

When it was time to bring the car to the starting line, the Cub Scout's father wouldn't let him touch it. Only Dad could protect this precious treasure from bumps and bruises. (I'll give you three guesses who made the car.)

At the starter's signal the gate dropped and the cars streaked down the track. Except The Blue Beauty. It didn't move. The wheels were locked with glue!

Dad was angry. He grabbed "his" car and stalked out the door, leaving his son behind with Mom.

The winner of that race, and every one that followed, was a car having all the earmarks of adult craftsmanship. The few cars obviously made by Cub Scouts limped and bumped along, fighting for last place.

I And the whole event amounted to a case of zip. Three dens, three races. Zip, zip, zip. One more race between den winners. Zip! The entire event I took perhaps 15 minutes, including the awards ceremony. Three huge trophies went home under the arms I of three proud fathers.

That was my introduction to the pinewood derby, some 25 years ago. There has to be a better way, I thought.

I offered some suggestions, and we all know what happens to people who open their mouths. Six sons and many cars and races later, my involvement finally began to taper off.

The Blue Beauty came to mind recently when I was asked to show a new group of Cub Scouts how to make a pinewood derby car. The boys' questions were easy enough to handle. But then the adults, all new and inexperienced, began asking detailed questions about everything from costs to the number of races and from judging procedures to prizes.

There are, in fact, few absolute rules, I told them. But the guidelines our pack has developed over 20 years have served us well. Here they are:

Define the purpose

Making a car should be a learning experience. Recognize each Cub Scout's effort and accomplishment (those are separate areas). Competitiveness, team (den) spirit, and good sportsmanship are all important. And family participation and encouragement, as always, are key ingredients. (Notice that neither speed nor beauty are high on the list.)

Cut the costs

Kits represent a cash squeeze for some families, and tools are an additional expense. Use pack funds to buy kits, scroll saws, sandpaper, graphite, and paint. Then arrange several car-making sessions so the tools can be shared.

Ask a few home handyman fathers to share drills, metal washers, and other hardware that can be used for weights.

Teach the basics

There are only two "secrets" to a fast car: wheels and weight. If the wheels are smooth and balanced and the weight close to the five-ounce maximum, a plain block of wood will really move.

Design may make a difference between the fastest cars, but the boys have more fun if you show them how to give their cars a fighting chance.

Limit the help

For his first car, no matter what his age, help a boy with his design, the use of tools and paint, adding weight, and assembling the car. For his second car, give some advice and a minimum amount of help. And for his third car, he's on his own, with a minimum of supervision. (Cub Scout-made "uglies" often will become the most cherished cars.)

Encourage family participation

Some all-thumbs dads and moms can't offer much besides encouragement. That's O.K. Encourage the encouragement. Ask those who are handy to work with another boy as well as their own. And let family members show off by making their own cars. This cuts down on adultmade cars masquerading as Cub Scout efforts and encourages family car-making sessions.

Have lots of races

This is the fun part, so make it last. Each den should have a minimum of three races. Record the finish of each car in each race and add the three numbers. The lowest totals determine den winners. Another race, if needed, breaks any ties.

When a den has more boys than the track has lanes, split them into two groups, with more races between group winners to determine den winners.

The top three cars in each den enter the pack race-off, and again each car races at least three times. The trick here is to keep the races moving so that boys whose cars have been eliminated don't become bored. Organize cheering sections to keep the excitement level high.

Judge cars and races fairly

Some adults don't want to participate as race judges because they are shy or want to avoid appearing to show favoritism. Solve that problem by breaking the work into easy, nonpartisan tasks.

Start with the weigh-in and measurement judge, who makes sure the car meets specifications and its wheels turn. Any car that needs help can be given 10 or 15 minutes for adjustments, with adult help if needed.

As each car passes inspection, the race secretary records the Cub Scout's name and a description of his car, using a separate scorecard for each den.

After registration, place the cars on a table near the starting gate, grouped by dens. From this point on, only the starter and judges should handle the cars. The purpose is simply to avoid having excited boys run into each other and, inevitably, damage a car.

The secretary assigns each car to a lane, moving up one lane for each race to rule out track variations. As the description is called out, the starter places each car in position.

Assign a finish-line judge for each car in a race. The judge picks up the car after it reaches his or her finish position, calls out the place and description for the secretary, and returns the car to the table. Any too-close-to-call finish is ruled a tie, with both (or all) cars involved receiving the higher place (or lower number).

Spread the awards

Every boy should receive a participation ribbon or some other memento of his effort. Give award ribbons for first, second, and third place in each den, and more significant prizes for pack winners.

Den and pack ribbons for car design can be given in different categories—most original, funniest, ugliest, and so on.

We've even had a Turtle Award for the slowest car. (Have you ever seen a boy urging his car to slow down in a race?)

Take photographs

Everyone appreciates a photographic memento, and they're great for recruiting displays. Action shots, with cheering faces alongside the track, are fun, but a problem is that you're sure to leave out someone.

Take a photo of each den with the boys holding their cars and ribbons. Then make copies and present them at the next pack meeting. Family groups will want photos, too.

There's nothing magic or sacred about these suggestions, other than to tell you that they work. Feel free to modify them to suit your own situation. The important thing is to plan the details, anticipate the problems, be consistent, and always keep your purpose in mind.

The pinewood derby has been one of the highlights of the year for our family for a long, long time. We have a box full of cars, some winners and some losers, that bring back great memories.

We hope you, too, will enjoy happy racing in the best tradition of Cub Scouting.

Thomas J. Serb lives in Chicago, Ill.

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Copyright © 1996 by the Boy Scouts of America. All rights thereunder reserved; anything appearing in Scouting magazine or on its Web site may not be reprinted either wholly or in part without written permission. Because of freedom given authors, opinions may not reflect official concurrence.