We'd known about the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby for over a month but I didn't actually start working on my end of the building process until the afternoon before the race. Like anybody without a clue I got on YouTube to research what the race was about, what the cars looked like, how to get those wheels in properly, and what kind of competition we could likely expect from seasoned scouts. I was a bit overwhelmed with it all but decided to do our best this year and then adjust accordingly for next year.
I got out my trusty Dremel and sanded it a bit to give it some shape and cut the back end off and moved it to the front to help with wheel placement and physics and then cut the front slope off before handing a sand paper block and the chunk of pine to Sebastian. Then we got down to it. He was pretty serious about a pirate car so he painted it red and then I showed him how to draw a vague looking skull and cross bones. We were in a bit of a rush to get the wheels on but I needed to let the paint dry so I brought my blow dryer out to speed things up a bit.
Ruby insisted on making her own derby car so I cut her down a piece of scrap wood and let her paint her heart out. It wasn't until I informed her that her car didn't actually have any wheels that we had a giant sob fest. Lesson learned. Next year, get two derby cars.
There were three age groups that competed against each other and then the top three raced again to determine 1st-3rd place. Sebastian won 4/5 of his races in his age group but didn't advance to compete against the older brackets. He was thrilled with how fast his car was going but that all changed when he realized he wasn't going to get a trophy. I was so proud of him for not only doing so well but handling his disappointment like a champ as his new friend got first place.
Overall it was a fun night. The boys quickly set aside their awards to play tag and race their cars against each other all over again. Brett was able to get there just in time to see Sebastian's last few races and Ruby kept herself occupied with snacks. We got to visit with friends and learned a lot about the whole event. I even learned a few things about myself! Apparently, my competitive streak from high school sports is still alive and well. I'm going to have to work hard to not end up as the parent that yells at the refs from the sidelines.
-Rachel
