Cub Scouts and their dads play at pinewood derby in Libertyville
His wooden car, sporting a Hershey bar wrapper, had enough speed to earn Anthony Milunas second place overall and a trophy in Cub Scout Pack 72's annual Pinewood Derby Saturday at Butterfield Elementary School in Libertyville.
A vast improvement from the first car he made as a Tiger Cub five years ago, the chocolate-brown model was a father-son collaboration, the 10-year-old Scout said.
"What I liked most about this was the son and father bonding. Most kids do this with their dads," he said.
Anthony's dad, Rim Mikunas, remembered making his own Pinewood Derby car when he was a boy. He said that the greatest challenge was finding the time to work on the car.
"My brother has a shop, and we used his tools, which helped," Rim Mikunas said. "I'm very proud of Anthony."
The Hershey speedster was one of 40 pint-size wooden cars, in every shape and color, which raced down a sloped three-lane track. Each car raced three times, once in each track. The total time from all three heats determined the placement of the cars.
Cub Scouts, their parents and their leaders cheered as the 6- through 10-year-old boys put their cars through their paces.
Christian Voelker and Scott Johnston, Tiger Cubs who attend first grade at Butterfield, liked the decals and stickers on their cars.
"This was awesome," Christian said.
An annual Boy Scout event in which boys and their dads transform a block of soft pine, measuring 7-by-1 3/4-by-1 1/4 inches, into a race car, the derby focuses on woodworking, tools and sports competition.
To race, the car must be fewer than 5 ounces, as registered by a postal scale. Boys use an official Scout kit that includes four nails for car axles and four plastic wheels.
"The boys learn to work with their parents, and they learn creativity and sportsmanship," said Pack Master Dennis Byrd.
Bear Scout William DeBruler took first place overall and within the Bear rank. Milunas earned second place overall and captured first place within the Webelos II rank.
The Tiger rank winner was Justin Carlson; Wolf rank winner was James Davis; Webelos I rank winner was Mark Jensen.
Cub Scout packs throughout Lake County are participating in Pinewood Derbies. Libertyville Pack 74 will hold its annual Pinewood Derby at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31 at St. Lawrence Church in Libertyville.
The first Pinewood Derby was organized in 1953 by a Cub Scout pack in Manhattan Beach, Calif. In the official Boy Scout magazine, "Boy's Life," the October 1954 issue publicized the Pinewood Derby and offered plans for the track and a car.