Tag Archives: Pinewood Derby

Derby Racers Get Ready!

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Greetings Pack Families,

It’s that time of year to start planning for turkey, stuffing, and pinewood derby cars.  Our annual derby will be held on Sunday, January 24th at 1:30 pm in the SAM Hall.  Even though this sounds like a long ways off, it is never too early to start designing the winning race car.  Your kit can be obtained from your den leader over the next few weeks (or contact Mr. Remley if you would like to pick one up this weekend).  Race day is a fun event for the entire family. 

Remember that all adults and siblings are also encouraged to participate.  Last year’s “adult” race winner is 12 years old now, and looking to defend his title.

For those Scouts and families new to the event, we will have a short information session to help you get started next month.  Details will be sent out separately.  Please click on the image below to get a copy of the official rules, and be sure to read them thoroughly as a few items have changed.  A few rules to pay especially close attention to:  

  1. The wheels and axles must be obtained from the B.S.A. pinewood derby kit.  All 4 wheels must roll on the ground, and there are specific rules on how the wheels can be sanded.
  2. Weight and dimension limits are strictly enforced. 5.0 oz is the absolute maximum weight.  You will want to get as close to this as possible.
  3. A “stand” is purely optional, but if you create one, it must be within the specified dimensions if it is to be used.

There are plenty of ideas for designs in our photo albums, as well as on-line.  The best design, of course, is the one your Scout comes up with on his own.

There are openings this year on the official derby pit crew.  We need help with setup, decorating, race operations, food service, and check-in.  All of these roles do not take much time, and are highly sought after for the prestige they bring to any professional resume. Please contact Remon Girgis to sign up.   

rules

 

2015 Pinewood Derby Announced

pwd-logo

Greetings Pack Families,

Derby car kits and rules for our 2015 Pinewood Derby were handed out at the pack meeting yesterday.  If you did not receive yours, please contact Paul Hinz as soon as possible.  Our pinewood derby will be held on Sunday, January 25th, and looks to be another fun day for everyone.

Remember that all adults and siblings are also encouraged to participate, and the entire family is welcomed to cheer on their favorite racer.   This is one fun event for everyone. 

For those Scouts and families new to the event, we will have a short information session to help you get started next month.  Details will be sent out separately.  A few things to pay especially close attention to on the rules (click on the image below for your copy):

  1. The wheels and axles must be obtained from the B.S.A. pinewood derby kit.  All 4 wheels must roll on the ground, and there are specific rules on how the wheels can be sanded.
  2. Weight and dimension limits are strictly enforced. 5.0 oz is the absolute maximum weight.  You will want to get as close to this as possible.
  3. A “stand” is purely optional, but if you create one, it must be within the specified dimensions if it is to be used.

There are plenty of ideas for designs in our photo albums, as well as on-line.  The best design, of course, is the one your Scout comes up with on his own.

There are openings this year on the official derby pit crew.  We need help with setup, decorating, race operations, food service, and check-in.  All of these roles do not take much time, and are highly sought after for the prestige they bring to any professional resume. Please contact Warren Biederstadt to sign up.   

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Scouts Do Their Best at the Pinewood Derby

dscn3494 The pack’s annual Pinewood Derby was held this past weekend and it was yet another opportunity for our boys and scouting families to have fun and do their best.  Over 60 cars handcrafted by Scouts, siblings, and “big kids”, raced down the shiny track, and the 8 fastest competed in a final champion round.  Almost all races were very close, with only 0.0059 seconds separating the Pack Champion and second place.

City of Brea mayor and Rotary Club President Brett Murdock was on hand to present the pack with $500 for ongoing support from the Brea Rotary.

While we always have clever designs at our races, this year our boys came up with some really ingenious creations. The design winners for each category, as voted on by those who attended, are:

Best Paint Job:
Ben W., Mitchell D., Justin S.
Best Scouting Theme:
Matthew R., Aiden A., Noah G.
Fastest Looking:
Trent E., Justin R., Vinni P.
Best Use of Stickers:
Nicholas B, Dean K., Dean D., Joshua W.
Scariest Looking:
Ian R., Jack S., Jackson N.
Most Patriotic:
Dylan Diego V., CJ T., Collin H.
Most Hilarious:
Jeffrey M., Evan P., Ian M.
Tastiest Food:
David L., Sebastian D., Vincent N.
Best Sports Theme:
Matthew B., Justin R., Braden H.
Most Creative:
Jacob W., Kegan C., Jason F.
Most Futuristic:
Trent E., Isaac C., Vincent A.
Best Video Game Theme:
Benjamin G., Jacob B., Daren L.
Best Name:
Carlo V., Adam G., Dominic C., Hunter T., Sam W.

The Race Medal Winners from each den are:

Tigers: (1st place) Joseph T. (2nd place) Jack S. (3rd place) Daren L.
Wolves: (1st place) Isaac C. (2nd place) Christopher S. (3rd place) Jeffrey M.
Bears: (1st place) Ian R. (2nd place) Collin H. (3rd place) Mitchell D.
Webelos I: (1st place) Trent E. (2nd place) David L. (3rd place) Jackson N.
Webelos II: (1st place) Vinni P. (2nd place) Braden H. (3rd place) Matthew R.

Mack J. took first place in Sibling Race, and John Spielman took first place and bragging rites for the next year for winning the “young at heart” race.

A close finals round with some of the 8 fastest cars determined the Pack Champions:

derby-winners First Place:  Vinni P. with his car “Veyron X3 P14”
Second Place:  Trent E. with his car “Blue Blazer”
Third Place:  Ian R. with his car “The Deathmobile”

Of course, this fun event could not have taken place without the dedicated volunteer pit crew led by Event Chair Warren Biederstadt. This crew took care of the hundreds of details required for such an event, including activities such as assembling, decorating, procuring, cooking, operating, printing, recording, calculating, announcing, cleaning, and inspiring. This crew included:

Warren Biederstadt, Paul Hinz, Amy Hinz, Peter Gambino, John DiMario, Matt Sikes, Brad Halderman, Shawn Jamison, Jo Rivera, Scott Wemple, Jeff McEntee, Patti Di Mario, Debbie Felix, Remon Girgis, Rowen Pastrana, David Ladjevic, Andre De La Cruz, Jim Remley, Steve Corona, John Koos, and many others who jumped in to help whenever they saw a need.

Photos of the event will be posted soon. If you have some pictures that you can share, please upload them for all to enjoy.  A printout of all race records is available here.

Congratulations Scouts, and thank you scouting families!  Here is a composite of this year’s creative designs:

pwdcars2014

Get Ready to Race!

Greetings Pack 811 Racers!

Derbyico

Our annual pinewood derby will be held on Sunday, January 12th. Click on the image on the right for the details and official rules. Note that all cars must be turned in on Saturday, January 11th.  Pinewood Derby kits will be distributed at this Sunday’s pack meeting to all Scouts.

There have been several minor changes made to the Pinewood Derby for 2014.

  1. We added a few new design categories for our creative scouts to compete in. We will also be asking each Scout which categories he wants to be judged on (up to 2 choices).
  2. We have limited the display stand size to 9” x 5” and no more than 4” tall.
  3. Please be sure to read all the rules for a few other additions for this year.

We are once again including both siblings and parents in this year’s event. You can contact Paul Hinz if you need extra car kits or stop by the local Scout Shop in Anaheim. Scout entries should include their own “BEST” contribution.

A workshop will be held sometime in December for those that need a little help getting started. No one should feel intimidated or afraid to participate – our pack has plenty of experienced racers willing to share their expertise. Check the Pack Calendar for any updates.  Some useful hints can also be found on line. Check out the Resource Library for some links, and the Photo Albums for some pictures of creative entries from previous years. We are looking forward to another great event!

This event requires considerable volunteer help to make this an enjoyable day for our scouts.  Jim Remley and I will be actively recruiting volunteers to help with the following activities.

a.  SAM Hall set-up and derby car weigh-in on Saturday, January 11th. (4 volunteers)

b.  A photographer will be needed to take photos of each entry during weigh-in.

c.  Food services: hamburgers, hot dogs, snack table with beverages. (6 volunteers)

d.  Pit Crew for January 12th ( Staging cars, operating track, car retrieval after each race). (5 volunteers)

e.  Judging contest organizer

f.  Break-down & Clean-up (5 volunteers)

Each volunteer will earn a highly coveted spot on the official 2014 Pinewood Derby Committee.  Enough volunteers will be recruited to insure every parent will still be able to cheer on their racer on race day. If you are interested in being on the committee this year, please contact Jim Remley or myself.  We will have a meeting some time in December to prepare for race day.

Yours in Scouting,

Warren Biederstadt
Derby Committee Chair
warrencb58@netzero.com

Scouts Zoom to Victory at Pinewood Derby

5-race-11  Another exciting Pinewood Derby was conducted last Sunday, with over 50 scouts vying for the coveted first place race trophy and various design ribbons. Our brand new shiny track was used for the first time, purchased in part thanks to the generosity of the Brea Rotary Club.

As the pit crew learned to master the new track and timing software, all in attendance watched closely as their favorite car raced down the 49 feet of track at the “equivalent” of 300+ miles per hour.

Once again, we had some very creative designs inspired by some clever boys. The winners for each category, as voted on by those who attended, are:

Best Paint Job:
Jacob W., Joshua W., Mitchel D.
Best Scouting Theme:
Ben W., Braden H., Aiden H.
Fastest Looking:
Mitchell D., Vincent P., Joshua W.
Most Origional:
Grant E., Ben W., Noah G.
Best Use of Stickers:
Noah G., Ian R., Jacob W..
Scariest Looking:
Kai D., Justin R., David A.
Most Patriotic:
Matthew B., Collin H., Dylan Diego V.
Most Hilarious:
Trent E., Jeffrey M., Braden H.
Tastiest Food:
Matthew D., Braden H., Christopher S.
Best Sports Theme:
Dante T., Jacob B., Matthew R.
Most Creative Shape:
Trent E., Dean K., Ben W.
Most Futuristic:
Jonathan L., Joshua W., Jacob W.
Best Truck:
Jacob G., Arther N., Dylan Diego V.,
Best Name:
Evan P., Ben W., Jeffrey M.

The Race Medal Winners from each den are:

Tigers: (1st place) Adam C. (2nd place) Justin R. (3rd place) Christopher S.
Wolves: (1st place) Ian R. (2nd place) Collin H. (3rd place) Matthew B.
Bears: (1st place) Carlo V. (2nd place) Connor R. (3rd place) Trent E.
Webelos I: (1st place) Matthew R. (2nd place) Jacob B. (3rd place) Sam W.
Webelos II: (1st place) Nicholas L. (2nd place) Stephen G. (3rd place) Grant E.

Kate L. took first place in Sibling Race, and Peter Gambino took first place and bragging rites for the next year for winning the “young at heart” race.

A close finals round with some of the 8 fastest cars determined the Pack Champions:

0-2013cars First Place: Ian R. with his car “Minecraftopia”
Second Place: Jacob B. with his car “The Stealth Mobile”
Third Place: Collin H. with his car “Midnight Patriot “

Of course, this fun event could not have taken place without the dedicated volunteer pit crew led by Event Chair Warren Biederstadt. This crew took care of the hundreds of details required for such an event, including activites such as assembling, decorating, procuring, cooking, operating, printing, recording, calculating, announcing, cleaning, and inspiring. This crew included:

Warren Biederstadt, Paul Hinz, Amy Hinz, Peter Gambino, John DiMario, Mari Remley, Dean Gialamas, Matt Sikes, Brad Halderman, Shawn Jamison, Jo Rivera, Scott Wemple, Jeff McEntee, John Koos, Jim Remley, and Christian Lising. Of course, this list does not include the many other parents who jumped in to help whenever they saw a need.

Our great volunteers is what makes our pack so great! Check out some photos from the event in the Albums. If you have some pictures from the event that you can share, please upload them for all to enjoy.

Congratulations Scouts, and thank you parents!

Brea Rotary Supports Brea Cub Scouts at Annual Pinewood Derby Event

Cub Scout Pack 811

PRESS RELEASE

Brea Rotary Supports Brea Cub Scouts at Annual Pinewood Derby Event

January 28, 2013

Brea Rotary presented a check for $1,000 to Brea Cub Scout Pack 811 to offset the cost of their new “Pinewood Derby” track.  “Brea Rotary is proud to support Brea scouting, and we have done so for years.  When we learned that they needed a new track for their annual Pinewood Derby, we wanted to help”, said President Scott Elliott.  The ceremonial check was presented at the 2013 Pinewood Derby event, held at 1:30pm, Sunday, January 27th, at St. Angela Merici Church in Brea.

“We are honored that Rotary wants to support our Pack in this way.  After using the same track for over fifteen years, it was pretty beat up.  The new track is made of aluminum and will be available for generations of Cub Scouts to come.”, remarked Jim Remley, Pack 811 Committee Chair.  “We truly value our relationship with the Rotary Club and plan to commemorate their generosity with a permanent plaque affixed to our new track.”

About Cub Scout Pack 811 (Brea)

Since 1979, Pack 811 has provided a nurturing environment for scouts to reach their full potential.  The Pack’s charter is held by St. Angela Merici Church in Brea. More information about Pack 811 can be found on their website at www.cubpack811.org.

About Brea Rotary

The Rotary Club of Brea, founded in 1958, is one of the most active and respected service clubs in North Orange County.  Over the decades, it has been a forum for individuals who share in the spirit of service to the local and international community, giving tens of thousands of dollars to worthy causes annually.

About the “Pinewood Derby”

The Pinewood Derby is a racing event for Cub Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America.  Cubs Scouts, with parental assistance, build small cars from wood, plastic wheels, and metal axles.  The Pinewood Derby was founded in 1953 by Cubmaster Don Murphy, in Manhattan Beach, California.  The Pinewood Derby was named one of Reader’s Digest’s “America’s 100 Best” as a “celebrated rite of Spring.”  Similar Scouting events include the Raingutter Regatta and the Space Derby.

Contact: John Koos, Assistant Cubmaster

johnkoos@gmail.com

(714) 729-8404

Get Ready Pinewood Racers!

Greetings Pack 811 Racers!
Our annual pinewood derby will be held on Sunday, January 27th. Click on the image on the right for the details and official rules. Note that all cars must be turned in on Saturday, January 26th.

Since we now have a new track with a lower overall rail height, the minimum clearance under the car has been reduced. This should allow for the standard triangular BSA Derby Flat weights to be installed under the car.  See the Derby rules for the allowable clearance.  We also added several new design categories for our creative scouts to compete in.  Please be sure to read all the rules for a few other additions for this year.

We are once again including both siblings and parents in this year’s event. You can contact Paul Hinz if you need extra car kits or stop by the local Scout Shop in Anaheim. Scout entries should include their own “BEST” contribution.

A workshop will be held on December 14th prior to movie night for those that need a little help getting started. Check the Pack Calendar for any updates.  Some useful hints can also be found on line. Check out the Resource Library for some links. We are looking forward to another great event!

Congratulations Pinewood Racers!

Another exciting Pinewood Derby was conducted last Sunday, with nearly 50 scouts vying for the coveted first place race trophy and various design ribbons.  Even siblings and dads showed off their car building in their own races.  Never before have we had such creative designs, nor closer races.  Less than 0.007 seconds separated the top three finishers.  All scouts are to be congratulated for their handiwork and great display of sportsmanship.  In addition to the racing fun, scouts were able to try on a real dragster thanks to Eagle Scout Rick, and were entertained by yet more pies in the faces of Christian and Jim.  A great day was had by all due to the hard work of many of our great parents.  Check out pictures of the event in our photo albums.

scoutcars2 For the designs, the top prizes went to:

Best Paint Job:
Ben W., Trent E., Matthew R.
Best Scouting Theme:
Ethan D., Jared D., Collin H.
Fastest Looking:
Luke C., Trent E., Steven G.
Most Origional:
Sam W., Grant E., Ben W.
img_1303 Best Use of Stickers:
Chad H., Ian R., Noah G., Tyler B.
Scariest Looking:
Vincent P., Grant E., Alexander R.
Most Patriotic:
Braden H., Arthur N., Ian M.
Best Name:
Tyler B., Ben W., Sam W.

The race medal winners are:

Tigers: (1st place) Aiden H. (2nd place) Nicholas B. (3rd place) Matthew B.
Wolves: (1st place) Jackson N. (2nd place) Conner R. (3rd place) Jake Q.
Bears: (1st place) Tyler H. (2nd place) Braden H. (3rd place) Luke C.
Webelos: (1st place) William B. (2nd place) Mikal Q. (3rd place) John R.

img_4175 And the Pack Champions are:

First Place: Mikal Q.
Second Place: William B.
Third Place: Braden H.

Congratulations Mikal!

The Pinewood Derby is Coming!

Greetings Pack 811 Racers!

Our annual pinewood derby will be held on Sunday, January 22nd. Click on the image on the right for the official rules.  Note that all cars must be turned in on Saturday, January 21st.

We are once again including both siblings and parents in this year’s event.   Scout entries should include their “BEST” contribution.

A workshop will be held in the next few weeks for those that need a little help getting started.  A date and time for the workshop will be announced once confirmed.  Some useful hints can also be found on line.  Check out the Resource Library for some links. We are looking forward to another great event!

Steve Swanson
2012 Pinewood Derby Event Chair

Check out some past entries in our photo albums!

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Pack 811 Racers Show Great Spirit

This year’s Pinewood Derby was a great showing of creativity, competition, and most evedent, Scout Spirit.  Over 75 cars built by Cub Scouts, their siblings, and a few by “big kid” parents raced down our track to the cheers of the largest crowd gathered yet.  Congratulations to all scouts on their achievements, and especially to our champions listed below.   A big THANK YOU to all of the parent volunteers who worked so hard to make a wonderful memory for our boys.  Be sure to check out the photo albums to see our boys in action.

Pack Race Champions:

First Place:  “The Force” by Christopher G.  (Webelos II Den)
Second Place: “Popcorn Prize Machine” by Matthew R.  (Wolf Den)
Third Place: “Dragon” by William B.  (Webelos I Den)
Fourth Place:  “American Eagle” by Alex S.  (Webelos I Den)                        

Den Race Champions:

Tiger Den:  1st. Place: Trent E.  2nd. Place: Daniel G.  3rd. Place: Diego B.
Wolf Den:  1st. Place: Matthew R.  2nd. Place: Jacob G.  3rd. Place:
Vinni P.
Bears Den:  1st. Place: Eric S.  2nd. Place: John R.  3rd. Place:
Steven G.
Webelos I Den:  1st. Place: Nick T.  2nd. Place: William B.  3rd. Place:
Alex S.
Webelos II Den:  1st. Place: Christopher G.  2nd. Place: Alex J  3rd. Place: Casey J.

Design Champions:

Best Paint Job:  “Green Hornet” by Trent E. (Tiger Den)
Best Scouting Theme: “Speed Scout” by Jacob B. (Wolf Den)
Fastest Looking: (tie) “Silver Bullet” by Jacob W. (Bear Den) and 
                          “Black Bullet” by Ethan Leal (Bear Den)
Most Origional: “Sam’s Pizza Slice” by Sam W. (Wolf Den)
Best Use of Stickers: “Vans Attack” by Adam P. (Tiger Den)
Scariest Looking: “Jaws” by Adrian P. (Tiger Den)
Most Patriotic: “American Eagle” by Alex S. (Webelos I Den)
Most Environmentally Friendly: (tie) “Orbiter” by Matthew M. (Bear Den) and
                                                    “Popcorn Prize Machine” by Matthew R. (Wolf Den)
Most Fun: “Sam’s Pizza Slice” by Sam W. (Wolf Den)
Best Name: “Who Cut the Cheese” by Tyler B.  (Bear Den)

Congratulations Derby Winners!

The pinewood derby is always a favorite for scouts and their families, and this year’s derby was no different.  A record crowd gathered on the afternoon of January 17th to cheer for their favorite hand crafted car race down the track.  Congratulations to all Scouts for their clever car designs and to all for a great race day!

Congratulations to the overall big winners:

First Place:Casey J. (Webelos I Den)

Second Place: Nick L. (Wolf Den)

Third Place: Ethan L. (Bear Den)

Forth Place: Luke C. (Tiger Den)

Congratulations to our individual Den Winners as well:

Tiger Den:  1st. Place: Luke C. 2nd. Place: Jacob B. 3rd. Place: Alexander R.
Wolf Den:  1st. Place: Nick L. 2nd. Place: Stephen G. 3rd. Place: Tyler B.
Bears Den:  1st. Place: Ethan L. 2nd. Place: Nicholas T. 3rd. Place: Matthew M.
Webelos Den:  1st. Place: Casey J. 2nd. Place: Alex J. 3rd. Place: Aaron F.
Webelos II Den:  1st. Place: Christopher V.

The results from the design judging are now in!

Most Original:  1st. Place: Andrew J. 2nd. Place: Jacob G.
Best Theme: 1st. Place: Aaron F. 2nd. Place: Kevin R.
Most Humorous: 1st. Place: Sam W. 2nd. Place: Matthew M.
Most Clever:  1st. Place: Andrew J. 2nd. Place: Sam W.
Best Paint job: 1st. Place: Spencer Z. 2nd. Place: Hunter E.
Fastest Looking: 1st. Place: Grant E. 2nd. Place: Spencer Z.
Best Use of Stickers:  1st. Place: Tyler B. 2nd. Place: Jared D.
Best Scout only Design: 1st. Place: Christopher G. 2nd. Place: Justin N.

See pictures of the race here in the Church Bulletin as well as pictures in the photo album.

Special thanks..

…to Roz Elsenpeter and the following families for their contributions in  making race day fun for all: the Bohms’s, Biederstadt’s, Toller’s, Rodarte’s, Gialamas’s,  Elsenpeter’s, Jones’, Josten’s, and Glasgow’s.


Click on the image to see the 2010 Pinewood Derby Entries:

Most Original

1st Andrew Jones

2nd Jacob Gambino

Best Theme:

1st Aaron Fierros

2nd Kevin Ryan

Most Humorous:

1st Sam Wemple

2nd Matthew Martinson

Most Clever:

1st Andrew Jones

2nd Sam Wemple

Best Paint job:

1st Spencer Zumbek

2nd Hunter Elsenpeter

Fastest Looking:

1st Grant Elsenpeter

2nd Spencer Zumbek

Best Use of Stickers:

1st Tyler Barron

2nd Jared Dinsay

Best Scout only Design:

1st Christopher Glasgow

2nd Justin Nguyen

Final 8 that raced for the Pack Championship:

Jacob Biederstadt

Nick Toller

Luke Currie

Nick Lising

Ethan Leal

Casey Jeanblanc

Stephen Gialamas

Tyler Barron