An anticipated event among the scouting community took place at the Colony Square Mall on Sunday afternoon, March 30. Cub scouts brought their best crafter pinewood racers to compete for a chance to win the coveted Cub Scout 500 Championship!
The Cub Scout 500 is a Pinewood Derby held by the Muskingum Valley Council, and it is open to all registered Cub Scouts in the Council. About 50 participants competed this year. This is the third year that Cub Scout 500 has been held in the Colony Square Mall.
“We have found the mall to be a great location. They have generously given us plenty of space to set up our registration, pit area, and tracks. The Mall personnel are great to work with and even helped us to promote our event. The location allows our Scouts and their parents to do a little shopping and have a bite to eat while they wait for the various races to start. Most of all, the venue gives visibility to our scouts. It allows people who may not be familiar with Scouting a glimpse at the fun and lessons of Scouting,” said volunteer Bob Sheridan.
“Many people don’t realize how much work goes into putting on events like this, and most of the volunteers go unrecognized,” explained Sheridan. I started counting the people who have touched this project. I counted 14 folks who had taken the time to have hands directly on this project. They will be helping with registration, providing and running the tracks, setting up the photobooth, and manning the pit crew. This doesn’t count the folks in the Scout Office who arranged having the patches made, set up the pre-registration, advertised this to the Packs, and dealt with the social media aspects. This also doesn’t include the Mall personnel who make space for us, provide tables, chairs and everything else we might need.”
“The main draw to the pinewood derby for the kids, very simply, is that it’s fun, and it’s fun on several levels. First, the scouts get to build a race car from a block of wood, a few nails, and some tires. Then, they get to paint and decorate their cars and show them off to their friends in the Pack. Finally, they get to race the cars. What’s not fun about all that?” said Sheridan. “The pinewood derby, however, is so much more, and it’s a good example of how the Cub Scouting program works. We try to teach the kids new skills while they are having fun. Many times, they have so much fun that they don’t recognize that they have learned something new. In the pinewood derby, for example, they learn to use their imaginations to design a unique race car. Then, they learn how to use tools and paint to bring their imagination to life and create something from virtually nothing. Building the car builds family time as the parents and the kids work together. They learn what it takes to make a car faster and some of the science behind the derby. During the derby, they learn sportsmanship. This is what the Scouting program is all about…teaching our youth new skills so that they have the knowledge and confidence to grow into leaders and members of society, all while having fun while they learn.”
There were many races held throughout the day, including an open race for older racers and non-scouts, several qualifying races divided by division; Lion and Tiger Scouts, Wolf and Bear Scouts, and Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts. The top three in each division go head-to-head in the championship race until there is only one winner.
Top place finishers for the 2025 Cub Scout 500 include Adan (Pack 382) Gunner S. (Pack 207), and Sam Y. (Pack 550) in first, second, and third for the Lions/Tigers/Wolves race. For the Bears/Webelos/Arrow of Light race, the top three listed first to third were Eddie Y. (Pack 550), Kaydin K. (Pack 98), and Ian L. (Pack 550). In the Championship Race, Adan (Pac 382) earned a first-place finish, followed by Gunner S. (Pack 207) in second and Kadin K. (Pack 98) in third. Leon Fogle took first in the Open Race.
For some, their car did not perform as expected, which hindered them from qualifying for the championship. Fortunately, there was still another chance for those racers to compete. The fun and lighthearted Turtle Race is for the slowest of pinewood mobiles. “To win a turtle race, you must actually lose the race. The only stipulation is that your car must cross the finish line,” explained Sheridan. “In the end, our Turtle Race Champion will not have won a single race.”
827 Scouts and 433 adult volunteers make up 28 Cub Scout Packs, 35 Boy Scout Troops, and 3 Venturing Crews that are all part of the Muskingum Valley Council. Visit muskingumvalleycouncil.com to learn more.