The Richland Mall was filled with excitement and loud cheers as local Cub Scouts participated in the annual Pinewood Derby Race on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The event, which has been held at the mall for the last five years, was hosted by Johnny Appleseed Trail District of the Heart of Ohio Council.
About 20 cub packs from Richland, Ashland, and Crawford counties took part in the race.
District Director for the Heart of Ohio Council Breck Dokken said that the race is one of two held every year. One is held in April, which is a bit more competitive, while Saturday’s race served as a welcoming event for the new Cub Scouts who recently joined their packs.
“The kids have a blast,” said Dokken. “The idea is that they spend time with their moms and dads working on their cars. All of the new Scouts get their own Pinewood Derby Cub kit, which is used to make their cars.”
The Cub Scouts anticipated the start of the race. As the announcer finally beckoned them foward with their cars, the Scouts their excitement was audible.
Each race was composed of a maximum of four different racers. A volunteer for the event let the Scouts’ cars loose on a track that had a timing system and sensor to determine the winner of each race.
Nick Wright, 7, was among those who participated in the race. He belongs to the Pack 702 of the Tigers Cub. He stated that his dad helped him build his racecar. One of his favorite attributes about Cub Scouts is the snacks they have after many of their events.
And while he didn’t think he’d get a snack on Saturday, he said he was looking forward to going out to eat afterwards.
Robbie Spitzer, 7, also raced. He is part of Pack 138 of the Wolf Cub. He and his dad built the racecar together. “We painted it blue,” he said with enthusiasm, which turns out to be his favorite color. “And it’s only four ounces,” he said in reference to his car.
