EAST PROVIDENCE — The Narragansett Council Boy Scouts of America held a regional competition as part of its second annual Pinewood Derby competition Saturday, April 2, at St. Brendan School in Riverside.

More Pinewood Derby photos by Richard W Dionne Jr

Seventy-six cars were entered into the local regional. Aaron Fontaine of Pack 7 in Buttonwoods (Warwick) was the first-place finisher Saturday. The top 12 finishers advanced to the championship race on April 16 at St Theresa's Roman Catholic Church, 18 Baltic St. in Attleboro, Mass.

The Pinewood Derby has been a Cub Scout Pack tradition dating back 60 years. The Narragansett Council, which includes all Cub Packs and Boy Scout Troops in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, will host four regional events in total leading up to the championship race where 48 cars will be featured.

Before each race, Scouts and their parent or guardian will build a derby car out of a block of wood, four nails, and four wheels. The pair must decide how to design, construct, and weigh the car so that it is the fastest in the Derby. If done right, a Derby car can reach 20 mph. The fastest cars from each Regional Pinewood Derby Race will compete at the championship.

2016 Narragansett Council Championship Pinewood Derby
Regional Qualifier, East Providence Area
The top 12 finishers were:

1. Aaron Fontaine, Pack 7 Buttonwoods
2. Gio Perrotti, Pack 82 Portsmouth
3. Nathan Simas, Pack 2 Bristol
4. Alex Wrightington, Pack 7 North Kingstown
5. William Godfrey, Pack 2 Seekonk
6. Will Carlson, Pack 28 Pawtucket
7. Ellis Shmitz, Pack 7 North Kingstown
8. Christopher Johnson, Pack 2 Barrington
9. Damien Caetano, Pack 303 Swansea
10. Devin Leonard, Pack 7 Buttonwoods
11. Joey Ricci, Pack 6 Bristol
12. Julian Walk, Pack 7 North Kingstown

The top 5 finishers of host Pack 4 Riverside were Arcangelo Harrington-Marinosci (16), Theodore Leland (31), Kyle Winfield (41), Ray Mello (56) and William Duckworth.