Jeremiah Dias and his son, Jaden, 9 of Glenview Pack 154, help in the setup of what Boy Scout officials hope qualify as the world's longest Pinewood Derby track. Scouts from the suburbs worked in the Woodfield Mall parking lot Sunday to assemble the track in hopes of setting a Guinness World Record.
Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
Dozens of suburban Boy Scouts, their dads, pack leaders and others gathered in the Woodfield Mall parking lot Sunday determined to set a new Guinness World Record, and have a lot of fun along the way.
Starting at 6:30 a.m., scouts affiliated with the Northwest Suburban Council - Boy Scouts of America began work on the world's longest Pinewood Derby track, one that at 620 feet, would almost double the current record.
After assembling the track, scouts successfully raced cars from start to finish. But ultimately it will be up to the Guinness organization - which did not have a representative on site Sunday - to decide if a world record was set.
"It is a fun thing for us to do," said Mike Gutschick, Boy Scouts of America district commission chairman.
The plastic yellow two-lane track was suspended by metal cables from scaffolding and stretched fully across parking lot G at the Schaumburg mall. The construction of the scaffolding and track took more nine hours to complete before racing started.
The racing was open to anyone with a pinewood derby car, including dads with their old cars, and kids from other groups such as Indian Guides and Indian Princesses. In all, about 60 cars tried out the track.
Besides setting a record, scout leaders said they hoped Sunday's event would bring attention to scouting and give thrill to those who took part.
Brian Mulcrone, senior district executive with the Northwest Suburban Council - Boy Scouts of America, works on what scouts hoped would qualify as the world's longest Pinewood Derby track. Scouts from the suburbs worked in the Woodfield Mall parking lot Sunday to assemble the track in hopes of setting a Guinness World Record.
Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
Suburban Boy Scouts worked in the parking lot of Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg on Sunday to set up a 620-foot Pinewood Derby track they hope will set a new Guinness World Record.
Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
TJ Cwiertnia and his dad, Eric, of Lake Zurich help in the setup of what they hope will qualify as the longest Pinewood Derby track in the world. Scouts from the suburbs worked in the Woodfield Mall parking lot Sunday to assemble the track in hopes of setting a Guinness World Record.
Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
Will Knogl, 10, of Des Plaines Pack 263 watches as one of the cars speeds past him as the Northwest Suburban Council - Boy Scouts of America successfully raced cars Sunday along a 620-foot track in the parking lot of Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. The council hopes the track gets them into the Guinness Book of World Records.
Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com