January 31, 2006 > Gentlemen, start your engines!

by John Williams, Cubmaster, Pack 152

Cub scouts, start your engines! Well, there weren't any engines but Fremont's Cub Scout Pack 152 did let the race begin at their annual Pinewood Derby. The competition was held on January 21st, 2006 at the Weibel Elementary School Multi-Use Room in Fremont.

"The main purpose of the derby," states Carl Chow, Pack 152 Committee Chairperson "is to have the scouts, with the help of an adult leader, build something from scratch. It's not important how the cars look after their done; the important thing is a feeling of accomplishment and to have fun in the process."

The Boy Scouts of America has been sponsoring Pinewood Derby events since 1953. This event is especially for the cub scouts; boys between 5 and 12 years of age.

The basic car kit is a block of wood and 4 wheels. The scouts use their imaginations and turn the wood into sporty looking cars. The cars race on a wooden track and are powered only by gravity.

Scouts follow a list of rules which outlines how the car is to be built, including length and weight of the cars. On the day of the derby, each car is inspected to ensure entries are in compliance.

Cub scouts race against other scouts within their rank. A point system is used to determine the winner and a final race-out determines an overall derby winner.

Pack 152 is part of the San Francisco Bay Area Boy Scout Council, Mission Peak District. For additional information regarding this organization, please contact Carl Chow chow_carl@yahoo.com, John Williams, Cub Master, jw1701@sbcglobal.net> or visit the pack web site http://www.cubpacks.org/ca/cs/152/.

Pack 152 thanks the Tri-City Voice for their support.