A Pinewood Derby Story (long)

Well, Saturday, 1/24, was the Pinewood Derby run-offs for our Pack and
Monday night was the finals. I thought I would share this with you all.
My 11 year old son, Joshua, is a second year Webelos Scout so this was his
last Pinewood Derby. Three years ago when he was working on his Wolf badge,
he entered his first Pinewood Derby race. It was our family's first
experience with this and we knew nothing. Joshua and my husband saw all
these cars whipping down the track, races so close it was hard to tell who
won had it not been for the indicators. Then came Joshua's race, his car
never even made it to the end of the track. It takes at least two races to
be eliminated, well in his next race, again, it stopped short of the end.
He was eliminated. My husband felt so bad for Joshua and gave him a big
hug. "It's okay," said Joshua, "I had a great time making the car with you,
Dad." I tell this story to any Scout I can who is working on their car and
may possibly be disappointed by the results of the run-offs. Well, his
second and third year races were a little better. Both years he advanced
into the Pack Finals. He did fairly well but never came close to those fast
cars that would represent our Pack. Well, this year, his last year in Cub
Scouting, Joshua decided he wanted to whittle his car. He whittled and
whittled and it just seemed to be taking forever. Homework was taking up
most of his time and his car kept taking a back seat to it. A week before
the Pack run-offs he decided he better use a saw to cut the shape he had
designed ( a little disappointed that he didn't have time to finish
whittling). My husband took him to his work where he had access to tools
and watched as my son worked so carefully cutting his shape. Now it was
time to drill the holes for the weights. YIKES! Joshua pushed too hard and
the drill went right through! Well at least the other three holes went
okay. Then he starting tappping the weights into their holes and YIKES! the
car cracked right down the middle. He glued it back together wih a little
smile, then he tapped the next weight in and YIKES! another crack. Well,
more glue! He whiped silicone gel all over the car in hopes of salvaging
it. He brought it home and showed me and said he would like to try to make
another one before the run-offs. Homework took priority again and the night
before the run-offs, Joshua decided he would just make do with the car. We
called it a "story car", that is, like his first year car, it may not do
well in the races but it has a great story of how it came to be. He took it
back to my husband's work to put in the axles, the wheels and do the final
weighing. When he brought it home that night, they had gouged (sp?) out the
weights in the back and put them somewhere else leaving these holes, they
shaved more off the front ruining the paint job. Oh well, a "story car".
Well, Joshua's "story car" not only came in 2nd in his den and advanced to
the Pack Finals, Joshua and his car came in fourth out of 84 cars and is the
"alternate" to represent the Pack at the Regionals! Many people in the Pack
knew the story of Joshua's car and how we didn't have much hope, so every
time Joshua's car advanced further, there was chanting and cheering for him
( and much surprise by us!). What a way to leave Cub Scouting! I gave
Joshua a big hug that night, not for coming in fourth, but for going into
the Derby with the attitude that he had a great "story car" and enjoyed the
time and laughs he had making his car (and trying to fix it) with his dad!
Joshua has two younger brother, one is in his Bear year and did not advance
to the Pack Finals, but I think Joshua has been a wonderful role model to
them both. His 6 year old brother wants to build a car just like Joshua's
with all the cracks when it is his turn.
Sorry for the length of this Post, but I am just a mom who is beaming!
YiS,
Laureen De.
Den Leader, Advance Chair
Knox Trail Council, MA
MOM

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