Local Cub Scouts competed on Saturday in a race that is about more than whose car crosses the finish line first.

Each Cub Scout received a patch honoring their participation in the Tar River Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, and first-place through third-place winners also received trophies. Winning or losing was not the most important part of the day.

Telegram photo/Alan Campbell (ENLARGE)

Cub Scout Will Matthews, 7, lines up his car Saturday before a Tar River District Pinewood Derby race.

PHOTO GALLERY See more photos from the annual Tar River Cub Scout Pinewood Derby

"Most importantly, they're learning sportsmanship, and it's a time for parent and youth to work together, to build the car to come here and compete," said Adam Ipock, Tar River district commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America and coordinator for the Pinewood Derby. "It's not about how you win or lose; you're learning sportsmanship."

Each car was built from the materials provided in an approved kit: a block of pinewood for the material, four axels and four wheels, Ipock said. Each vehicle cannot weigh more than 5 ounces.

The design of each car, though, is up to its owners of the four groups of Cub Scouts – Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webelos. About 100 Cub Scouts were expected to participate in Saturday's games, Ipock said.

One car was painted in black and orange to make tiger stripes. Another car was cut out and painted like a pencil.

Tarboro resident and Webelos member Thomas Andrews built and painted his car to look like a piece of cheese with mice running on it.

"We cut it out," said Kevin Andrews, Thomas' father. "He helped drill the holes and he helped paint it and he helped sand it down."

Before each race began, four Cub Scouts would walk up to the 32-feet-long ramp to place their cars at the starting line, where they would be held in place by a piece of wood until an adult released them; some of the shorter Scouts had to use a step ladder to reach the top of the ramp.

The Scouts took a seat beside the track and wait for their cars to be released in a race that would last only a few seconds.

A digital readout, placed at the end of the ramp, tracked which cars came in first through fourth place. A barrier at the very end of the ramp brought the vehicles to a sudden but safe stop.

Their ranking was placed on a projector screen that tracked the results.

By the end of the contest, five students had placed at the top of their groups: Joseph Dees of Pack 76 placed first for the Tigers; Riley Sullivan of Pack 37 placed first for the Wolves; Jeffrey Flythe of Pack 834 placed first for the Bears; and Colby Sullivan of Pack 37 placed first for the Webelos.

Riley Sullivan also placed first overall for the second year in a row.

Colby Sullivan, his brother, placed first overall two years ago.

The race is something that hasn't gotten old for Red Whitaker, a member of the Pinewood Derby committee. He was part of the assembly line that checked each car to ensure it met specifications before it could be put to the test.

"Technology improves, and people are constantly trying to get their little cars to go quicker," Whitaker said. "And they're doing a good job."