Every year over a million Cub Scouts and their families set out to create, decorate, fine-tune and ultimately race, a car in the Pinewood Derby. The Scouts from Long Valley’s Pack 36 had their annual Derby on January 25^th 2013 at O.F.R.S. This year we had over 35 boys enter their cars in the races and we saw some amazing results. The cars that are entered take every shape and color imaginable and this year was no different.

The first Pinewood Derby was held in 1953 by Cub Scout Pack 280C of Manhattan Beach, California, organized by Cubmaster Don Murphy. Murphy's son was too young to participate in the popular Soap Box Derby races, so he came up with the idea of racing miniature wood cars. The cars had the same gravity-powered concept as the full-size Soap Box Derby cars, but were much smaller and easier to build. The model cars are made of wood to specified dimensions, created, carved, assembled, and decorated by Cub Scouts under the guidance of their parents or helpers.  The cars are gravity powered and run down a special track.

On the 60^th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby, we would like to congratulate all of the individual den winners and the overall Pack 36 racing champions:

We also were very impressed with the cars that won awards for their creativity and design.

www.BeAScout.org for more information on scouting in your area