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Model fathers, trophy sons.(In real life: first-person America)
OAKFIELD, NEW YORK -- The Pinewood Derby, in which Cub Scouts make and then race small wooden cars, is a rite of passage for many American boys--and a terror for plenty of fathers.
Pinewood Derby families fall into two categories. There are the ones who have trouble figuring out which side of the sandpaper you use. That's my group. My father and I used a jackknife to shape our Derby car in 1970--not because we were handy with it, but because we didn't own any other tools--and then spray-painted it. We were pretty proud.
Until Derby night. Then we encountered the other class of kids--whose fathers were engineers, with basement wood shops more complete than some factories. They showed up carrying cars with multicolor paint jobs, weighted down with lead, wheels freshly lubed with silicone spray.
The first group went into shock at the sight, so they've either suppressed all memories or remember in painful, exquisite detail how they lost to precision-engineered machines. This winter, I kept a Pinewood Derby diary--just so the doctors would know what happened if my son or I had a breakdown.
December 17: A dark pall descends over what had been a happy holiday season: At his monthly pack meeting, my almost-seven-year-old son Michael received a Pinewood Derby kit. Earlier in the meeting, the pack made Christmas ornaments for needy families. Seeing the mess that Mikey and I made with mere construction paper and glue, I suggested our ornament should go to a blind needy family. Now we are expected to make a raceable car?
January 17: Desperate after a month of denial, I do what every geeky modern father does when stumped: I go on line. Finding a treasure trove of Pinewood advice on the Web, Mikey and I slide over to Hobby House Toys. I buy some weights and a tube of graphite lubricant. This month, Mikey finally masters zipping his coat. And he's supposed to build a racer?
February 8: It is time to cut the car. Because Pinewood Derby is supposed to be a father-son project, I have Mikey in the basement with me. He goes to his Little Tykes plastic workbench and grabs some plastic tools. I sketch a sleek aerodynamic design on the block of wood. ...
- It's Pinewood Derby Time in an All-New 'South Park' on Wednesday, April 15 at...
- Press release article from: PR Newswire April 13, 2009 700+ words
NEW YORK, April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Building a Pinewood Derby car is the opportunity for...South Park" titled, "Pinewood Derby," premiering on Wednesday...Stan will win this year's Pinewood Derby. He comes up with a plan...
- Scouts' hearts race at Pinewood Derby.(Neighbor)
- Newspaper article from: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) April 14, 2000 700+ words
...country have prepared for the annual Pinewood Derby. Despite the occasional over-bearing...to speed down the tracks during the Pinewood Derby at Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee...For some Scouts this was their first Pinewood Derby, but for participants such as Carpentersville...
- Pack 103 tests its wheels in Pinewood Derby.(Neighbor)
- Newspaper article from: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) February 16, 2003 700+ words
...School Cub Scout Pack 103's annual Pinewood Derby on Jan. 24. This year's races featured...participate in the Fox Valley District Pinewood Derby Races. The Most Awesome Car this year...Hymel's chocolate-bar-mobile. Pinewood Derby Race results are: - Tiger rank winners...
- Winning Pinewood Derby takes backseat to building cars.(Neighbor)
- Newspaper article from: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) March 4, 2002 700+ words
...blocks of wood into race cars. The Pinewood Derby is an annual Boy Scout event in which...parents prepare for the three-hour Pinewood Derby Saturday in the school's parish activity...winners, but most parents know the Pinewood Derby is about so much more than winning...
- PINEWOOD DERBY HELPS FATHER AND SON DREAM.(SPORTS)
- Newspaper article from: The Virginian Pilot January 23, 2001 700+ words
...class, praying for a fire drill. Pinewood Derby time is here. The day of reckoning. They call the Pinewood Derby the most popular event in Cub Scouts...than 14,000 sites dealing with Pinewood Derby. And from checking just a couple...
- HEARTS RACE FOR DERBY CUB SCOUTS, PARENTS ALIKE ARE CAUGHT UP IN PINEWOOD...
- Newspaper article from: The Virginian Pilot Dolan, Matthew February 9, 1997 700+ words
...too many people. Ostensibly, the Pinewood Derby - Cub Scouting's premier pint-size...Saturday's Merrimac Council Cub Scout Pinewood Derby finals at the Chesapeake Square Mall...piece of sandpaper in one hand and his Pinewood Derby block of wood in the other, his father...
- PINEWOOD DERBY HELPS SCOUTS BUILD FAMILY VALUES.(VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON)
- Newspaper article from: The Virginian Pilot January 25, 2004 700+ words
...finishing touches. Pack 364's annual Pinewood Derby, held at Bayside Presbyterian Church...Scout Sunday" or Feb. 1, and the Pinewood Derby. "Is everyone having fun out there...CAPTION(S): PHOTO janet dunphy Pinewood Derby winners celebrate at the finish line...
- Pinewood Derby digital race timer.(directions to build)
- Magazine article from: Poptronics Malone, Doug July 1, 2002 700+ words
...you have ever been involved with a Pinewood Derby you know how seriously the contestants...responsible for running my son's Pinewood Derby races, I was very interested in fair...I decided to design and build the Pinewood Derby Digital Race Timer with an optional...
