Princeton Scouts Race Pinewood Derby Creations



When 9-year-old Siddartha Suppiah received a block of wood around Christmas from the Cub Scouts, he and his father mapped out a plan for this year’s Pinewood Derby.

Sid and his father, Nantha, decided to install weights inside the wooden block's undercarriage and cover them with putty. They made certain the car's weight would not exceed 5 ounces, the maximum the rules allow.

The goal? To create a fast and fun wooden race car during the Cub Scouts annual racing competition.

Together, father and son transformed the block of wood into a shiny green race car through meticulous carving and shapping for maximum speed and efficiency.

Sid and his father’s plan, which transformed his block of wood into a shiny green race car through meticulous carving and shaping for maximum speed and efficiency, worked.

On Saturday, Sid's car clocked a speed of 134 mph on the Pinewood Derby track set up at Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart. Sid, a Plainsboro resident, earned the trophy for the fourth fastest car on the track.

Jeshurun Reyen, 10, of Princeton placed first with an average time of 135.7 mph, Jonathan Lai, 10, of Princeton placed second with an average time of 135.3 mph, Crispin Yoo, 7, of Princeton placed third with an average time of 134 mph and Charlie Luo, 10, of Princeton placed fifth with an average time of 133.5 mph.

There were 43 entries into this year’s Princeton Cub Scouts Pack 43 Pinewood Derby. Entrants were students in first through fifth grade from eight public and private schools in the Princeton Area, Scoutmaster Tom Sullivan said.

Trophies for most imaginative car design went to Ryan Sullivan and Elian Rubin in first place, Benjamin Perks in second place and Connor Green in third place. 

All participants received at least one trophy, including those wildest design, best fuel economy, best animal, most cartoonish and most edible (those designed as block of cheese and a Hershey bar).

“We want every kid leaving here to feel the spotlight of success,” Sullivan said.

After the completion, everyone went outside where the four boys who sold the most popcorn during the organization’s fall fundraiser were allowed to throw a whipped cream pie into Sullivan’s face.

The top-sellers were Zachary Klein, Benjamin Klein, Elian Rubin and Peter Sac.