Pinewood Derby National Championships Pull Into Times Square
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Pinewood Derby has been a time-honored Boy Scouts tradition for more than 60 years. On Saturday, Times Square will host the national championships.
As CBS2's Steve Overmyer, every Boy Scout is given the same block of wood. But the finished product is a creation all his own.
"It was really fun to see how a little block of wood could turn into a small car," said contestant Charles Kitsakos.
William Gonzalez said of his design: "Because as long as it's flat, it can go faster. ... I've beaten everybody in my pack."
William and Charles are just two of the 200 Boy Scouts who have come to New York for the national championships. They had to not only beat everyone in their pack, but also in their region.
The secret to creating a championship derby car is science.
"Aerodynamics help your car go faster," Charles said.
Charles said he put weights in the middle of the car, rather than in the front or back, to help the car go faster.
"You don't have to finish first," said Alex Kitsakos, Charles' father. "If your car is on the track and you're racing and you're having fun and you've created it, you're a winner."
"Making Pinewood Derby cars is hard to do and fun," Charles said.
The cars race down the track at about 40 mph, or the scale equivalent of 200 mph.
The races are so close they have be timed with lasers that measure down to the one-thousandth of a second.
