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Preparing for Saturday’s Pinewood Derby

By JULIE STENGER 7 min read

STEUBENVILLE -- For 37 years, Joe Kovaleski has been an intricate part of the Pinewood Derby. He became involved in the event in 1987. A few years later, he started serving as its chairman.

And he has been volunteering and chairing ever since. When asked if he saw himself still being in this position almost four decades ago, his response was an amused, "No."

Kovaleski does not have any children or grandchildren currently involved in the Scouts. It is simply an activity he continues to hold close to his heart.

When his two sons, John and Tim, were young, both were actively involved in the Cub Scouts and later, the Boy Scouts. As time progressed, the boys joined the Eagle Scouts. Being involved with his childrens' extracurricular activity gave Kovaleski the opportunity to fill the position of chairman when the role became available.

When the gavel was being passed down, he took advantage of the opportunity. And he is not ready to put that gavel down just yet.

Once again, the event Kovaleski looks forward to overseeing every year is about to take center stage.

The Two Trails District Cub Pinewood Derby is planned for 9 a.m. Feb. 3 at the Fort Steuben Mall.

Cub Scout troops will gather at the center court, where they will pay the $10 entry fee to participate. The event is for all Cub Scouts, including Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Bear and first- and second-year Webelos.

Contestants will race their powerless, model cars -- created from a block of wood -- on a racetrack that has been erected in the center of the shopping plaza.

There are several rules the Scouts must adhere to when building their car, officials stated. Scouts must follow rules pertaining to car dimensions, car weight, the car modifications which are not allowed and race rules.

Trophies will be awarded to the top six finishers, according to officials. Last year's winners included, Liam Patton, Pack 269, first place; Alfonso Nocera, Pack 415, second place; Billy Heldreth, Pack 20, third place; Maximus Adkins, Pack 39, fourth place; Jaxson Hawkins, Pack 41, fifth place; and Levi Cooper, Pack 415, sixth place. Best Show Car was won by Billy Ault from Pack 20.

Officials stated derby patches are given to every racer and race ribbons are awarded to heat winners. Final race-winning cars will be held for one year following the race and can be picked up from the derby chairman at the end of the current year's race.

The Family Pinewood Derby Race is another event people look forward to attending, Kovaleski said. This race precedes the derby the evening prior to the Scouts taking center stage for the Pinewood Derby.

The Family Pinewood Derby is scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. Friday at the mall. Participants must be 12 years of age or older, Kovaleski noted. The event is for registered Boy Scouts, Explorers, Adult Scouters or a family member of a Scout in the Two Trails District of the Ohio River Valley Council. The entry fee is $5 to participate.

The Family Race Stock Class will consist of cars built following all of the regular Cub Scout rules. The event is a well-attended, popular activity which adds to the weekend's excitement, Kovaleski said. The Stock Class Race consists of cars that were built following all of the regular Cub Scout rules.

"All cars may be kept until after the preliminary heats are finished on Saturday," he explained. "Final winners will be kept until after next year's races. Trophies will be given for the final six winners."

Last year's Family Race Stock Class winners were: Jason Hawkins, Pack 41, first place; Kovaleski, District, second place; Aiden Kniszek, Troop 3, third place; Scarlett Koehnlein, Pack 41, fourth place; Buck Heldreth, Pack 20, fifth place; and Robert Hickle, Pack 20, sixth place.

When derby time comes around each winter, there is a lot of excitement in the atmosphere and several tasks have to be accomplished in order to ensure the events go smoothly.

There are approximately 12 to 14 individuals who volunteer at the derby, Kovaleski stated. The volunteers help in assisting with the set up and aiding Scouts with any help they may require. Their assistance is invaluable, Kovaleski said. Volunteers are an intricate, key part of the derby, and its current staff has been involved for a long time. Kovaleski stated volunteers play an important role and he is appreciative of all their efforts in making this a wonderful event for families to enjoy each year.

But it isn't just boys who compete in these contests. In 2019, females began racing their own derby cars. Last year, there were a few girls who took part and placed in the contest, Kovaleski explained.

"They get right up in there and race with the boys," he commented. "During Friday's race, there will be families with girls taking part. These races are really nice events and people attending have had a really good time over the years."

When asked what he would say to young children today, to get them involved in joining the Scouts, Kovaleski responded, "There are many activities they would not get to do if they were not involved in scouting. Especially when they get older, there are different activities they can get involved in. When they are Boy Scouts, there is outdoor camping and daycamp. The Cub packs participate in various activities, too. It depends on the leaders and the activities they have lined up for the kids to do. It works out really good for everybody involved."

"By joining the Scouts, boys and girls can become involved in things they might not otherwise be exposed to," he continued. "One of those things is being involved with the Pinewood Derby. This event only exists for Scouts. It is a tradition that has taken place for years and years."

While the derby is currently held at the Fort Steuben Mall, it wasn't always that way. The tradition of Scouts racing at the mall has been ongoing since it opened in 1971. Prior to then, races were conducted at the Hub in downtown Steubenville, Kovaleski said. This is just one of the many changes the derby has undergone throughout the years, he commented.

Technology has been a key element in the way the race is run. As technology progressed, so did major changes, including the finish line itself, he explained.

In earlier years, the event used sheriff's deputies to judge which cars crossed the finish line first, Kovaleski said. As technology advanced, high-speed cameras were later used, replacing the need for a deputy. The high-speed cameras were soon replaced with an electronic line which displays the winning numbers and which lane is the winner, Kovaleski said.

The changes which the derby has undergone -- from earlier years until today, are some of what Kovaleski will take away from the Scouts when he is ready to walk away. That time has not yet come.

There are a few good memories he and his wife, Suzan, will take with them at the end of this journey. She, too, played a role in the Pinewood Derbys and activities, Kovaleski said. The couple shares fond memories which will not be forgotten. The derby chairman's greatest memories he will carry with him when he finally decides to walk away and put down the gavel, are of the times when his sons were involved in the Scouts. And he wouldn't change that for anything.

Major sponsors of the 2024 event are: Fort Steuben Mall, Buckeye Mechanical Contracting, the Ville Restaurant, R Davis and Sons Heating And Cooling, Eat N' Park, Buena Vista Honey Farms, Touch of Elegance Bakery, Wintersville Trophy Shop, Hamiltons Emporium, Great American Cookies, Texas Roadhouse, Rock Starz, Game Stop and Screwy Louies.

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