Derby Update

My son took fourth in the district today for the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. He was very proud of himself and he is already talking about his car for next year. AND so is my husband. We had a bit of an upset today at the Derby.

Last year we sat next to the family who won for the age group. I sat chit chatting with the mom who seemed very nice. She gave a few hints about wheel polishing with a paper bag and that she would sit while watching tv and polish wheels at night. I said that the men were more into this than some of the kids and she agreed. What I didn't know what that she was holding a secret from all of us. The boy had used that same car as the year before. They asked her at one time while I was sitting there if it was the same car and she said no it was a different one. What I didn't know what that they pulled her son aside and asked him to and said, "scout's honor is this the same car that you used last year? " The boy's face changed like he had been caught and he looked at his mom and then turned to the judge and said, "it is a different car." Come to find out it was the same car as the year before.

So this year, I spied her right away recognizing her from last year and knowing that she was a big contender. Her son sat right next to her and her husband rotated around the room. They had another son competing in another age group this year. They both (both boys) had an identical car this year but different weight placement from last year. I noticed the car right away and guessed it was theirs and from the face of the son (who we were competing against) when he won his first heat it was definitely his. What I also noticed right away was that he was running on three wheels, which is illegal in our district. The car was FAST! Nicholas's car never ran against him in the beginning heats but we could tell from the electronic finish line that we were a close competitor this year. Of course, my husband had to mention something to the judges that the car was running on three wheels and they immediately took the car out for inspection. They later brought the car back into the race and it continued with the rest of the cars. It was much faster than the other cars racing, seeming to have an unfair advantage. My husband kept questioning the car to the officials and at the end of the race when this car took first place and Nicholas had come in fifth, the officials decided to take the car apart and inspect the axles and the wheels from the inside. They had used aftermarket axles that they had grooved and they coned a wheel so that they were not only running on three wheels but one other wheel wasn't touching the track with all its tread. They had three places where they were cheating according to the rules of the district. They disqualified the car from the race. Hmmm....

Come to find out the district has been trying to get this family on cheating for a couple years now and finally they were able to do it. The race director thanked my husband for being bold enough to question the car and he said that another boy had said something too about it. We felt good about that.

But every happy ending has a dark cloud in there somewhere right? Well this story is no different. The part that we didn't like was that the boy who's car was disqualified was in hysterics because he didn't win. He was upset and visibly so. The biggest part that bothered me was that his parents who built the car for him cheated and because of that the boy couldn't participate in a fun wholesome activity. The boy was disqualified because his parents chose to cheat and risk getting caught. How can a parent risk that for their son? I would much rather lose the race (like we did) and console my son for losing but having an honest car. It is aweful to win a race and then upon post race inspection get disqualified for his parents cheating. That to me is just not good role models.

I sure hope that in this event today two things come out of it. One his parents never do that again. I doubt that will happen but I sure hope so. And two, my husband and I remember this and continue to be well aware that our actions must always be honorable and honest for our children to learn from. This, I know, will happen!

I have to say Nicholas learned a lot from this experience. He saw the boy and he saw the father, who I might mention was very angry at my husband for outing him and his son, so much my husband thought the father might meet him in the parking lot. Nicholas learned that cheaters never win and do get caught. Nicholas learned that the honorable thing to do is follow the rules. And Nicholas learned that winning isn't everything. He was a gracious loser like usual. He was proud that his car had come so close to winning as it usually doesn't when he goes to districts. Plus he had fun competing against two of his friends!