Not your parents' pinewood derby

For the second consecutive year Charlie Woolley nabbed top honors in the pinewood derby competition at the LDS Church in Plains.

With his "Lyman #2," Woolley was undefeated in his five heats with his fastest time at 3.678 seconds at the 2nd Annual LDS Pinewood Derby Friday evening. Woolley's slowest time was 3.696, faster than all the other cars.

Woolley was one of four adults and four kids in this year's pinewood competition, which was open to anyone in the community. The rules for the competition was basically the same as last year, with one exception – a two-pound limit on the car. Woolley's Lyman #2, comprised of wood and lead, weighed just over two pounds last year, so to get his vehicle within code he drilled holes in the two bars of lead to make it exactly two pounds. Woolley plans to move to Utah, but said he might have to return next year just to defend his title.

The car makers showed a variety of ingenuity and color with their custom made vehicles. Neva Thompson improved her car from last year, changing it from "Flower Power" to the 12 ½-ounce "Flying Frog," complete with plastic streamers on the back and a frog driver. Wilma Wuebkes, who conducted the event, didn't win any heats, but she went with the same car her son had used during his Cub Scout days, which had to be under five ounces. Kimbre O'Brien, 10, named her colorful pink car "Dream," and her younger sister, Ellianna O'Brien, 7, made her vehicle in the likeness of the largest of the mammals, naming it "Whaley," complete with pipe cleaners depicting spouting water from its blowhole.

Organizers this year were able to get the electronic finish line to work, which meant they didn't have to have people gauging who crossed the finish line first, second and third, as they did last year. The 60-foot aluminum track was donated to the church by the Plains Lions Club, which purchased it for the former Cub Scout pack.

Second place went to Mary Egbert and her rig "Zippy Zinger," which weighed only six ounces but had the aerodynamics to quickly zip down the track. This was Egbert's first time to compete. Her car's fastest time was 3.865, barely edging out 4-year-old Miloh Hardy and his "Jackson Storm," named after one of the vehicles in the animated movie "Cars." Weighing in at 8.5 ounces, Jackson Storm's fastest official run was 3.929. The car initially topped off at only 2.5 ounces, but Miloh's father, Steve, attached a mini flashlight with coins inside and attached it to the top of the car.

Casey Thompson won only one heat last year, but he and his revised 1-pound, 4-ounce pinewood car and nabbed fourth place last week with the fastest time at 3.959 seconds. He used the same car as last year, "Thompson Lumber," but removed the 9-mm casings and glued two cans of tuna fish to the top. "I didn't put a lot of thought in it, but it's a lot heavier," said Thompson, who called his new vehicle the "Tuna Express." While his car was being placed at the starting gate during one of the final heats, it got dropped to the floor and the tuna cans broke free. From then on the cans just balanced on the car during the races.

Once again there were no prizes for placement, but Wuebkes said she'd like to see some type of award next year. She also noted that they'd like to include other churches to make it a bigger event next year.