It was Pinewood Derby Day in Forest Park on April 9. The annual Cub Scout event features Cub Scouts racing small, driverless wooden cars down a sloped track. The cars are powered only by gravity.
With an adult’s help, each Pinewood Derby car is built by a Cub Scout using a kit that includes a wooden block, plastic wheels, and metal axles.
The scouts race in heats organized by den (age/grade), then a final race of den winners to determine the overall fastest car.
Scouts watch the races begin on Saturday, April 9, 2022, during the Forest Park Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby at the Howard Mohr Community Center. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
Scouts watch the races on Saturday, April 9, 2022, during the Forest Park Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby at the Howard Mohr Community Center. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
Cars are seen lined up on Saturday, April 9, 2022, during the Forest Park Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby at the Howard Mohr Community Center. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
Scouts participate in the pledge of alligience on Saturday, April 9, 2022, during the Forest Park Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby at the Howard Mohr Community Center. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
A group of kids sit near the front line and watch the cars race by on the track on Saturday, April 9, 2022, during the Forest Park Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby at the Howard Mohr Community Center. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
The derby was held at the Forest Park Community Center.
The scouts offered shout outs to the Forest Park Kiwanis, Karen Dylewski, director of the Community Center, Mayor Rory Hoskins, BSA Scout Troop 107 volunteers, and a special shout out to Melissa Hurley who organized food and snacks for the event, and John Hegg, the one-man pit crew, who kept all the cars on track throughout the day.
Grand Champions
- Isaac Wood – Lion – First place
- Ellis Murray – Wolf – Second place
- Jeremiah Manzanares – Bear – Third place
Category winners
- Funniest Car: Henry DePriest
- Most Realistic Car: Max Bozman
- Kid’s Choice: Henry DePriest
- Most Scout Pride: Audie DePriest
1st, 2nd, 3rd rankings for the individual dens
Lion Den (Kindergarten)
- Isaac Wood
- Isaac Cooper
- Maeve Hurley
Tiger Den (1st Grade)
- Jackson Alexander
- Ramona Cross
- Max Bozman
Wolf Den (2nd Grade)
- Ellis Murray
- Michael O’Donnell
- Frankie Hepner
Bear Den (3rd Grade
- Jeremiah Manzanares
- Henry DePriest
- Nathaniel Rainey-Bouie
Webelos 1 Den (4th Grade)
- Alex Kouimelis
- Owen Rummel
Webelos 2 Den (5th Grade)
- Audie DePriest
- Ben Angelo
- Jimmy Hepner
