Regionals...

This past Saturday was the Pinewood Derby Regional race that I mentioned here. All of the Packs in our District sent their top 2 Scouts to compete in district-wide races that would sent the top Scout to the State finals.

Now, a little backstory. After the Derby of 2006, our Pack decided to buy a new track, and went with a four lane metal track over the more conventional wood track. It's new, it's fast, and we have a pretty good system in place for running races. There are also no warps, burrs, varnish spots, etc. that are inherent in the wood tracks.

So, the District borrowed our track. Which, naturally, meant that they needed to borrow US to help set it up. So Friday night I head to the church where the district races are held to help deliver and set-up the track. Me, the other Asst Cubmaster, and our Council rep (whose laptop has the racing software installed, BTW) all met and delivered the track. We got it set up, in place, smoothed out, etc. and generally ready to roll.

Well, if you know anything about Scouts, or other volunteer-based organizations for that matter, you know what's coming next... We all got "volunteered" to help work the event as well. So my Saturday went from a morning obligation to an all-day thing. Oh well, small price to pay to make some boys happy.

Left there at 10PM, and was back at 8:30 with my son and his car. Checked in at 9, and settled in to watch the set-up. Since my son was racing in the Tiger heat, I couldn't help with that portion of the race. They'd had incidents in the past where people (read: Overzealous dads) were complaining about possible favoritism because someone was working the event whose son was racing. Now, I'll leave aside the fact that it is virtually impossible to cheat, given the sheer number of people, the software, etc.

All I know is it meant I got to watch the race sitting with my boy. And for that, I thank you, Mr. Whining Complainer.

My son's car came up in the third race. Now, mind you, there's 44 Tiger Cubs racing. That's 44 heats. We watch his car go down, he wins the race. We check his time. Sssssmokin'. Uh oh...

The next 5-6 races, we check every other winner's time. They're not even close to his time. Yikes.

Then a car beats his time. And another. And another. He wound up winning three of the four races he was in, but there was serious competition from the other Tiger Scouts. There were a BUNCH of really fast cars on that track.

End result? He took fifth place. Not too shabby at all. The kicker? The kid who won was a friend of my son's from the next town over. He went to pre-school with this boy, and we got to know the family pretty well, very nice people.

Once the Tigers were done, I took off my "Tiger Cub Dad" hat and put on my "Pinewood Derby Racing Staff" hat and got to work. For the Wolves & Bears heats I was a runner, bringing the cars from the end of the track to the staging area. For the WeBeLoS heats, I staged the cars for the races. It was exhausting, demanding, and so much fun I hope we get to do it again next year.

And there was a reporter from the Globe present - theoretically there's going to be a story in next Sunday's Globe on this event. I could be famous!

Fifth place out of 44. Not too shabby, especially for a guy who can barely swing a hammer...

That is all.