The Pinewood Derby Car Named Lightning Toast

My son joined Cub Scouts this year, which meant that in April, we had to build a pinewood derby car. You get a block of wood, four plastic wheels and four nails. Everything else is up to you.

He wanted it shaped like a piece of toast. With a lightning bolt. I said that wasn't very aerodynamic. He said, "Dad, it's toast. Toast is fast." I couldn't argue with that.

We spent three weekends carving and sanding it in the garage. He painted it golden brown with a pat of yellow butter on top and a red lightning bolt down the side. We added weights underneath with a fishing sinker borrowed from his grandfather.

On race night, the church gym was packed with kids screaming at a long wooden track. Lightning Toast won its first heat. And its second. It lost in the semifinals to a car shaped like a shark, but by then the whole room was chanting "TOAST! TOAST! TOAST!"

He won "Best Design." He sleeps with the trophy. The car sits on his windowsill, slightly burnt-looking, exactly as intended.