By Gwen Sour
For The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Parkersburg – More than 50 Cub Scouts and family members gathered Saturday morning at West Virginia University at Parkersburg for the annual Kootaga District Pinewood Derby, a longstanding Scouting tradition that blends craftsmanship, competition and family involvement.
John Shepard, Kootaga District race chairman, said Pinewood Derby racing has been part of Scouting since 1955 and remains a highlight for many Cub Scouts.
“Pinewood Derby racing started in 1955. That’s been a key part of Scouting for a long time,” Shepard said. “Cub Scouts can race at the pack level in their individual groups, and then this is an opportunity for them to all come together and race against each other in our whole district area.”
Shepard, who said this is his 26th year as a leader and 15th year serving as district race chairman, estimated between 50 and 60 racers would participate in the district event.
The top three finishers in each division will advance to the council-level competition in Charleston, where they will compete against racers from across the state.
In addition to Cub Scout rank divisions, the district event includes a sibling class and an “Outlaw” class for adults and leaders.
Cub Scouts may enter siblings into a separate division, which awards a purple trophy to the top finisher. The Outlaw class allows more creative freedom, including modified or motorized cars, with a plaque awarded for the fastest entry.
“Everybody that signs up is another $5 that pays for awards and everything,” Shepard said.
The district uses a four-lane aluminum track with digital timing capabilities, allowing multiple cars to race at once and measuring finishes to the thousandth of a second.
“We use a four-lane track for the district race so we can race more cars at once,” Shepard said. “It has full electronics, so it times the cars. We will have cars race that are within hundredths of a second difference.”
The system records speed electronically, eliminating the need for manual judging in close races.
“It goes to a 1,000th of a second,” Shepard said. “We will award awards to the top two fastest kids in each of their age groups.”
Shepard said one of the most meaningful aspects of the Pinewood Derby is the opportunity for parents and Scouts to work together building their cars.
“One of the best parts of the Pinewood Derby is the parents working with the Cub Scout,” he said. “They get to work side by side, show them some of the skills of sanding and shaping the cars, painting the cars, testing the cars. That interaction is priceless.”
Shepard pointed to his own experience, noting his son is now 25 and works as an engineer.
“A lot of the reasons why he’s an engineer is some of the things we did in Scouting when he was a scout,” he said.
The Pinewood Derby remains one of the most popular hands-on activities in Cub Scouting, combining creativity, engineering concepts and friendly competition — often decided by mere fractions of a second.
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