The iCar

On Saturday, Hi-Hat's Cub Scout Pack had their Pinewood Derby.  Hi-Hat, Geof, Granddad H and I had worked for a while this winter designing and building his first Pinewood Derby Car.  To cut and sand the car body and accessory piece, Hi-Hat disappeared into the garage with Granddad H, and Geof insists that Hi-Hat did the cutting and sanding himself.  So I will believe him.  And I will just say that Kellen seems to be a very skilled woodworker!  Maybe he can do my crown molding and chair rail projects for me.  ahem.  I just went and swiped a photo from Geof's facebook page - here's a picture of Hi-Hat hard at work on his car.  again - ahem. ;)

Hi-Hat's original design was to build an iCar - a simple wedge-shaped racer with an iPod replica mounted on top and ear bud racing stripes.   I jest, but he really did design and for the most part build and decorate his car.  But who can expect a little guy like my Hi-Hat to do all that taping for precision racing stripes?  I mean, I would hire someone out to do that if I were adding racing stripes to my own car.  Reminds me of the days when I wanted to drive cross country to L.A. to have bright orange and yellow flames painted onto my black VW Beetle.  I may have been studying to be a librarian, but I felt a flamed Beetle might provide me with good cover.  Those were the days.  Right.  Back to the iCar.

We did bits and pieces of research and learned all about weights, axles, centers of gravity, and graphite powder.  After an initial weigh-in we drilled out some excess weight and we were ready for the race!  I had no idea what to expect (except for a room full of screaming, hyper elementary school boys!), but I was hoping he would get a few style points.  I thought the iCar was a pretty cool idea.

Can you find the iCar in the sea of racers?  It's top center - red with the blue iPod and white ear bud racing stripe.

 The race was very well organized and went quickly! I was pleasantly surprised!  The cars raced down a metal track in 4-car heats.  Each car got to race 4 times, each time in a different lane.  Here you see the iCar in lane 1.

The Scouts counted down 3, 2, 1... And they're off!

Obviously, I took photos of all 4 races, so this shows the iCar pulling ahead in lane 4.

And here's the iCar ahead in its lane 2 heat!

 Going for the win in lane 2!

An ecstatic Hi-Hat after his car's 4th and final race - the iCar had won all 4 of its heats!  Hi-Hat was over the moon excited!  As the cars crossed the finish line, their time was recorded electronically, and the time and heat winner was immediately posted on the Big Screen.

Geof and I were getting hopeful that his car would place, but I'm not a numbers person and I wasn't keeping track of Hi-Hat's cumulative times along with the other top racers times.  Because I was taking pictures and keeping an eye out for our 2 girls and all.  I suspect that Geof was tallying numbers constantly in his head.  Because he didn't bring a camera.  Because he doesn't have one.  He thought Hi-Hat had an outside chance at one of these:

Cue the ooohs and aaaahs.  They built up the drama - making the boys clean trash off the floor and watch a few exhibition races while waiting for the awards to be handed out.  I thought the following scene was pretty cute - hanging around waiting for results.  They look like tiny little men together.   Future lodge brothers?  Love it!

OK, the awards ceremony is starting.  Commence the nail biting!

I should note that Fancy was exceedingly nervous and excited because she had kept track of the fact that Hi-Hat had won all 4 races and had a shot at something shiny.  Brought back the days leading up to Hi-Hat's spelling bee this fall, when Fancy was sick with nerves for him.  She is quite the competitor and reacts very emotionally to the prospect of winning anything.  So, if you can't tell from her face, she was excited.

And Hi-Hat was pretty excited, too.  OK, the awards.  We got a little suspicious when we noticed a certain familiar Apple-themed car resting on the table with the trophies and certificates.

 Hi name wasn't called for any of the style or craftsmanship certificates and trophies.  I should note that as an impartial judge, his was definitely the most stylish and creative.  Hands down.

And then the announcement: "the third place trophy for speed goes to [Hi-Hat] Hill-a-man!" Bright boy that he is, he deciphered the name and jumped up on stage to claim his trophy, by far the biggest trophy he has ever received.

He was so cute - so surprised and happy and proud of his little car.  He just carried this look of joyous disbelief on his face as all his family and Scout photogs snapped away.

The three big speed winners.  

Fancy was awash with relief and was more excited than Hi-Hat was!  She could not keep her hands off of him.

As Hi-Hat moved around the room, taking pictures and sharing his trophy with his friends, he was dragging his biggest supporter around behind him, because she just wouldn't let go!   That was probably the best part for me - seeing them have such different reactions (quiet, sweet, joyous surprise vs.  all out crazy ecstasy!) and yet be literally stuck together.  Who could ask for a better, more supportive little sister?  

And that ends this year's Pinewood Derby.  Third place race finish with a shiny new trophy and boosted love for Scouting.  Over dinner he talked about entering the next competition - the Rocket Derby.  Oh, dear me.