AURELIUS - It was a thrilling day for 10-year-old Curtis Garber at the Fingerlakes Mall Saturday.

After a long afternoon of neck in neck races, the Weblo Scout saw his Pinewood Derby car crowned No. 1 out of a field of 54 other entries in the annual Pinewood Derby races.

“It felt good,” said Garber, who placed 12th in the event last year, said. “It feels really good this is the first time I ever got a trophy, it is really exciting.”

Going back more than 50 years, pinewood car racing has been a staple of events for Scouts across the country.

“Nationally it started about 1954,” said local Scout executive Don Grillo. “I think around here it has probably been going on since around then.”

And year after year it has proven to be a very popular event, attracting more and more young racers.

“It is one of the most popular things we do all year,” Grillo said. “It is always exciting for the kids to get out there and race their cars. Every pack has its own track and then the kids get a chance to get together here and race against all the other packs; it is a lot of fun for them.”

For the past two years Don Pultz and his Scout Pack 50 have been hosts to the event that is geared toward Tiger

Scouts, ages 6 to 13.

“It is a pretty good turnout,” Pultz said. “This is one of the biggest things the kids do all year other than maybe summer camp. It is a lot of fun for them and we get a good turn out for this event.”

For many racers, work on their cars began months in advance. Garber said that after a couple months of work and

planning, one day he just knew his car was ready to go.

“I spun the wheels,” Garber said. “When they didn't stop too soon, I knew it was ready, and I thought it would go pretty fast.” Grillo said that, while the kids enjoy the fast-paced races and the excitement of winning a trophy, the race is really about something more.

“The real idea is that it is something the kids can do with their fathers,” Grillo said. “It is exciting to race and everything, but what it is really about is a project that parents and children can do together.”

As the field of racers collected their cars and badges and trophies, all involved seemed pleased with the year's race.

“It went really well,” Grillo said. “The host pack has a really good system and they run a really good race and make sure that everyone gets to run a lot of races and things went very well.”

Garber was joined in the winner's circle by third-place finisher Mason Lamphere of Pack 59 and second-place winner Jared Cummings of Pack 6.