Nearly 50 elementary school age Cub Scouts from the Trexler District of the Minsi Trails Council who have placed in their local races gathered March 2 for the "The Big Race" to see who fashioned the fastest car made from a block of pinewood.

The event was held at the Mack Customer Service Center behind the Queen City Airport off Lehigh Street in Allentown.

Scouts from eight Cub Packs and family members from the Trexler District of the Minsi Trails Council of Boy Scouts of America participated in the annual derby event.

Prior to race day, Cub Scouts spent weeks with their den, adult leaders and parents designing their Pinewood Derby cars. Top race finishers in each rank received awards.

The Cub Scout Pinewood Derby dates back to the first race held in 1953 in Manhattan Beach, Calif. The race's founder, Don Murphy, wanted to create a new father-son Cub Scout activity he could do with his 10-year-old son who was too young to race in the Soap Box Derby, which requires the boy to drive a homemade car down a hill.

Murphy's dedication to family values and Cub Scouting ideals drove him to develop the idea of racing miniature Pinewood Derby cars down an inclined track. It is estimated over 50 million Scouts have built Pinewood Derby cars since 1953.

The Minsi Trails Council of Boy Scouts of America provides leadership and character development programs to nearly 11,000 youth with 5,000 adult volunteers. The council serves young people throughout the Anthracite Region, Pocono Mountains and Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania along with western New Jersey and serves six-counties: Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe, Carbon, Luzerne and Warren counties.

The local Scouting heritage dates back more than 100 years when the council's first Scout troops were established in the Allentown and Easton areas.

To learn more about scouting, visit www.minsitrails.com www.minsitrails.com.