April 10, 2002

Scouts revved up about annual Pinewood Derby

District derby draws 163 racers to Central Grade School gym

By GARRET LEIVA
Herald editor
       While there were no engines to start or pit stops, there was plenty of racing action at the Scenic Trails Council Boy Scouts of America 2002 District Pinewood Derby. Featuring 163 racers, the annual derby was held Saturday at Central Grade School in Traverse City.
      This year's district race covered eight counties in northern Michigan: Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Osceola and Wexford. There are 53 Packs (groups) with a total of 2000 Cub Scouts in the District and 30 Packs with a total of 1,000 Cub Scouts in Grand Traverse County. Scouts must finish either first or second in their home pack race in order to compete in the district race, which is held in Traverse City each April.
      Historically, the pinewood derby started in 1953 with Pack 280C in Manhattan Beach, Calif. Since that time, an estimated 43 million sons and fathers (mostly) have participated in the annual Boy Scout event.
      Under the pinewood derby rules, Scouts are responsible to design and carve their own car shaped from a block of wood. The race car's final measurements must be seven inches long and two and 3/4" wide or less. Weight restrictions set a race day limit of five ounces. The cars are raced on one of three wooden tracks that are 32 feet long.
      This year's derby featured 163 racers with about 41 Scouts in each division. Awards were given for the top four finishers along with an award for best design in each division.
      The following are results from the 2002 District Pinewood Derby:
      Tiger Cub Division - Scouts in first grade
      - First-place: James Hamilton, Pack 111, Empire/Maple City
      - Second-place: Sutton Giffels, Pack 61, Wellston
      - Third-place: Ryan Harwell, Pack 167, Manistee
      - Fourth-Place: Skyler Smith, Pack 88, Kingsley/Hannah
      - Best Design: Keenan Ruppen, Pack 137, Traverse City
      Wolf Division - Scouts in second grade
      - First-place: Tony Looman, Pack 141, Benzonia
      - Second-place: Andrew Gutzka, Pack 27, Traverse City
      - Third-place: Kody Sisson, Pack 154, Manton
      - Fourth-place: Jimmy Wagenschutz, Pack 102, Fife Lake
      - Best Design: Caleb Thomas, Pack 61, Wellston
      Bear Division - Scouts in third grade
      - First-place: Ryan Crane, Pack 31, Traverse City
      - Second-place: Dillon Lodholtz, Pack 174, Reed City
      - Third-place: Ryan Travis, Pack 31, Traverse City
      - Fourth-place: Ben Yancho, Pack 31, Traverse City
      - Best Design: Joshua Thomas, Pack 61, Wellston
      Webelos Division - Scouts in fourth and fifth grade
      - First-place: Leland Ursu, Pack 31, Traverse City
      - Second-place: Dylan Rickard, Pack 135, Traverse City
      - Third-place: Karsten Schick, Pack 134, Traverse City
      - Fourth-place: Nash Henschell, Pack 27, Traverse City
      - Best Design: Josh Pion, Pack 46, Elk Rapids