By Libet Pierson Committee Chairman Cub Scout Pack 123

By Libet Pierson

Committee Chairman Cub Scout Pack 123

Over 80 Cub Scouts, family members and friends gathered at the Washington Fire Hall this past Saturday for Pack 123’s 2002 Pinewood Derby Races. Always a colorful event with a multitude of brightly colored race cars designed and created by the scouts, this year’s race was even more colorful than in the past with the unveiling of the newly renovated race track.

The 40 foot track was scraped, sanded and painted brilliant red by the Pack 123 “track crew”, Bryant Lee, Robin Lee, Opie Crawford, Doug Bywaters and David Woodard.

At 10:30 a.m. the first racers left the starting gate with former Cub Master Joe Peregory serving as guest starter. Cheers, shouts of encouragement and applause accompanied the cars down the track. At the finish line three judges waited to determine whose “bumper” flashed across the finish line first.

There were many fast cars and lots of close races, but the judges did an excellent job. Ribbons and awards were presented after each den advanced to the Pack Championship Race scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

The field of 15 cars contending for the Pack title made a rainbow of colors in the pit area. As the Cub Scout “drivers” were called up to get ready for the final races the excitement mounted. It became clear in the first heat of the Championship races that the judges had their work cut out for them. All the cars were fast and many of the races were very close. The scouts took their wins and losses in stride, with congratulations and encouragement the order of the day.

Two cars frame each of the three preliminary heats — moved on to the final heat. The “owner/drivers” for this field of six speedy cars were Sean Michael Knick, Tyler Shoemaker, Jonathan Letsen, Case Kramer, Chris Lee and K.T. Milam Jr.

After three hours of racing it was time to find out which car was the fastest in the Pack. In this last set of