DERBY TO RETURN — A group of area Cub Scouts watched closely as their cars neared the finish line in the Two Trails District’s Pinewood Derby held last year at the Fort Steuben Mall. The newly merged Ohio River Valley District will open the competition to more Scouts when it returns to the mall this weekend. -- Warren Scot

STEUBENVILLE — More than 100 area Cub Scouts will be busy this week applying their ingenuity and creativity, often with the help of parents and other family members, in preparing for the Ohio River Valley District’s Pinewood Derby.

The Scouts will be using a small block of wood, plastic wheels and other materials to produce miniature cars for a series of races that will start at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Fort Steuben Mall.

The race day will be preceded at 6 p.m. Friday by a night of races involving former Scouts, the family members of Scouts and adult volunteers.

Those interested in participating in that night’s races should register there at 5:30 p.m.

Joe Kovaleski, the event’s coordinator for more than 30 years, said about 126 Cub Scouts participated in last year’s Pinewood Derby and there may be many more with the formation of a new district, bringing together about 28 packs from Eastern Ohio and the top four Northern Panhandle counties.

The racers will face each other in a series of heats, with trophies going to the top six finishers. Ribbons will be awarded to all heat winners, and each racer will receive a derby patch.

A Best Show Car trophy also will go to the car deemed to have the best appearance.

The Scouts often take pride in painting their cars in a variety of colors and with faces or symbols inspired by movies, cartoons and other media or their own imagination.

Kovaleski noted the youth often team with a father, mother, grandparent or other family member to assemble their cars.

“It’s kind of a project for everybody,” he said, while adding some older Scouts prefer to do it all on their own.

While producing their cars, the youth may add weights and make other modifications in an effort to increase their speed but must comply with a set of rules provided in advance.

Kovaleski said he’s thankful for the many volunteers who assist him with the event each year.

He also expressed thanks to the owners and administration of the Fort Steuben Mall and its many supporters, including the following major sponsors: Buckeye Mechanical Contracting, the Ville, R. Davis & Sons Heating and Cooling, Eat’n Park, Buena Vista Honey Farms, A Touch of Elegance Bakery, Wintersville Trophy Shop, Hamilton’s Emporium, Rock Starz, Great American Cookies, Texas Roadhouse, Bath & Body Works, the Holistic Cloud and Screwy Louie’s.