READY, SET, GO! SCOUTS RACE PINEWOOD DERBY CREATIONS

Bryan Leible watched closely as Brice Max used a hack saw to remove a portion of a weight from the left side of young Leible's pinewood derby racer.

"We'll take about the same amount of weight off the right side," said Max. "That should put the racer into the right weight class."

Racers entered in the Pinewood Derby must weigh under five ounces.

Leible's coupe design, made from a block of pine, originally weighed in at about 5.5 ounces.

It took a while, but Leible's racer, carefully lettered with the name, "Bandit," eventually qualified, at 4.6 ounces. It was one of 60 to race at the annual "Great Scout Show," held at the Osage Community Centre, 1625 N. Kingshighway. Saturday.

More were registered but, "Some entries didn't show," said Jerry Siemers, chairman for the one-day event, which featured Scouts and Scout activities throughout the Shawnee District.

The entries ranged in style from a limousine design, to that of a freight engine. Most, however, were in the shape of traditional racing machines, featuring brilliant colors.

One of those was a bright yellow racer design by Thomas Karraker, whose father, Tim Karraker, was on hand to watch. Thomas' car crossed the finish line first in the initial heat.

Siemers also noted two other race events were on the day's schedule: The Rain Gutter Regatta, a boat race, and the Space Derby, a race of home-made rocket ships.

In addition to races, the activities showcased Cub and Boy Scouts from throughout the district, featuring displays of Scout equipment, hands-on Boy Scout crafts and demonstrations, and American Indian dancing.

The Pinewood Derby attracted much of the Scout and spectator action Saturday, as the home-made racers, made from a Pinewood Derby Kit, raced down a 32-foot, electronically-time race track, six at a time.

Cub Scouts obtain the derby kits, which contains an oblong block of pine wood, four wheels and four nails. Scouts then design their own vehicle, which must meet certain specifications to qualify for the Derby during an official weigh-in and inspection of all cars at the "Great Scout Show."

The cars are raced, six at a time.

Each racer will make six trips down the track, one in each of the six lanes.

Points on the six finishes are then totaled to arrive at the final two cars for the championship run.

The boats used in the Rain Gutter Regatta, are also made by the entrants, from kits. The boats must be between 6 1/2 to 7 inches in length, with a sail, which is provided in the kit. The boats area propelled over a special course by boys blowing into the sails. The entrant can not touch the boats with their hands.

New in the district this year was the Space Derby. Again, a special kit is used. Although the rocket body may be no longer than 7 inches, not including propeller and fins, there are no restrictions on weight or design of the rocket.