A Pinewood Derby gets a lot more exciting when world-champion sprint car driver David Gravel stops by.
Scouts and prospective Scouts in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area treated Gravel and a handful of his rivals to this Scouting America classic last November during the World of Outlaws World Finals sprint car season finale. Professional drivers and their crews had time to kill before their main event, so a few snuck away to see the Pinewood Derby being staged just outside of the dirt track at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The rules were bent in this trial run of a combination Pinewood Derby/sprint car race because kids were given existing cars and were limited on modifications in the interest of time. But that’s OK — the race did involve outlaws, after all.
“This was a concept we’d been eager to test in the wild, even if we had to change the rules a little bit,” says event co-organizer Michelle Serdula, Scouting America’s concept and innovation manager. “Bringing the tradition of the Pinewood Derby into a professional racing environment made perfect sense. Kids were able to celebrate creativity, engineering and competition. Families and fans jumped in with enthusiasm. It confirmed that this idea has real momentum.”
Ideas racing through their heads
Scouting America and the World of Outlaws decided to try this when Serdula and Melvyn Record, director of business development for World Racing Group, tossed around the idea of a race within a race a few months ago. Adult volunteers from Scouting America’s Central North Carolina Council helped by setting up tents, tables and tracks while their packs and troops prepared for the race.
Competitors in Scout uniforms and those experiencing a Pinewood Derby for the first time worked on precut cars and added flair with colored wheels, markers and decals — a simplified version of a typical Pinewood Derby competition — in this inaugural effort. With parents in the background offering tips, kids worked their magic on tables draped in cloth designed to look like checkered flags.
Once the cars were ready, Scouts and prospective Scouts gathered near the Pinewood Derby track and waited for their turn to race just before professional drivers fired up their 800-horsepower engines for the sprint car event. A few hundred yards away, booths lined a fence where kids could snag merchandise and pictures of their favorite professional drivers. For the World Racing Group, the parent organization of the World of Outlaws, it’s something to consider for next season. Sprint car racing starts back up this month.
“We’re always looking for ways to engage families and deepen the fan experience,” says Record. “Scouting America brought something unique with a hands-on, creative competition. Watching fans have so much fun told us this was a natural fit.”
Winners and more winners
Serdula notes that this collaboration taps into the shared spirit of innovation and competition.
It also advances Scouting America’s membership engagement efforts, connecting with current members and inspiring new families through one of Scouting’s most time‑honored traditions.
“The World of Outlaws is all about speed, grit and heart, and so are Scouts when they take on a challenge,” says Serdula. “This was the first event of its kind, but we’re already excited about what comes next.”
It’s also worth noting that David Gravel wrapped up a consecutive sprint series championship that weekend.
Meanwhile, in the Pinewood Derby, the Hunt family captured a sweep. Orion Hunt from Pack 49 of the Mecklenburg Council won in the new car division. His brother, Osiris, from Troop 49 raced to victory in the vintage car division.
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