The Race Must Go On

Second grade winners (left to right) Matteus Grudin, Charlie Rosenthal, Josh Birns. Photo courtesy of Midori Im.In a sign that it’s fun to be a kid again, Scarsdale Cub Scout Pack 440 held their much loved Pinewood Derby car race on April 18, 2021 at Hitchcock Church. Each scout is tasked with carving their racing car from a block of wood into a speed machine and then decorating it. They then race against their fellow scouts.

Due to the pandemic, the event was cancelled last year, so this year the pack was were raring to go. With careful planning, the support of Hitchcock Church (the pack’s chartering organization), and adherence to CDC safety protocols, the pack was able to see their plans of a derby to the finish this spring.

The group’s leadership felt that it would be feasible to run the derby smoothly with modifications to minimize contact. While normally winners from each pack would race in further competitions against other packs, this year Scouts USA determined not to run such races. Nonetheless, the boys and girls of Pack 440 had a great time.

As first time racer Charlie Rosenthal, 8, recounted , “It was fun to build my car – drilling the holes, sawing it, painting it, and it was really exciting to see it race. For the first three seconds I was thinking nothing but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be fast.”

Final standings were as follows:

Wolf Den (Boys)
* 1st - Charlie Rosenthal
* 2nd - Matteus Lev GrudinClose heat. Photo courtesy of Midori Im.
* 3rd - Josh Birns

Wolf Den (Girls)
* 1st - Estelle Maddison
* 2nd - Elena Streche

Bears Den
* 1st - Ayden Ostermiller
* 2nd - Dylan Ostermiller
* 3rd- Robbie Kolb

Webelos 4
* 1st - Delfina Kirkendall-Rodriguez
* 2nd - Shouei Yoo

Webelos 5
* 1st - Christian Kirkendall-Rodriguez
* 2nd - Charlie Im

The fastest car in the pack was designed by Ayden Ostermiller.

For best in design, third grader Logan East took first place while his brother Jackson tied for second with second grader Wyatt Burke.Seven year old Josh Birns shows off his loaded racecar. Photo courtesy of Bruce Birns.

Second grader Estelle Maddison gets help from her little sister in carrying off the trophy. Assistant Cubmaster Heather Kolb looks on. Photo courtesy of Midori Im.Masks can’t hide the smiles of Webelos Charlie Im, Christian Kirkendall-Rodriguez, Shouei Yoo, and Delfina Kirkendall-Rodriguez as they proudly display their trophies. Photo courtesy of Midori Im.Den leader Brian Rosenthal and son Charlie, 8, both displaying their woodworking talent. Brian carved his neckerchief slide when he was a scout. Photo courtesy of Midori Im.