VASSALBORO — The annual Scouting district Pinewood Derby races were held April 6 at the Vassalboro Community School, where Cubs raced blocks of wood they carved and decorated into race cars down a long metal track.

Cub Scouts race small, driverless wooden cars down a sloped track. The cars are powered only by gravity. With an adult’s help, each car is built by a Cub Scout using a kit that includes a wooden block, plastic wheels and metal axles. Trophies or medals are often awarded for the fastest car and the best designs. Winners at the pack level move on to the district level. Kennebec Valley District covers Somerset, Franklin, Lincoln, Knox and Kennebec counties, according to a news release from Chuck Mahaleris, district chairman for the Kennebec Valley District of Scouting.

Ira Michaud, the principal of the Vassalboro Community School which hosted the race, is also cubmaster of Damariscotta Pack 213.

“These are all Scouts who from within their local Pack placed really well with racing their cars at their Pack’s race and have moved up to the district level,” said Michaud. “The Cubs worked with an adult in their life to create the cars that they are really proud of and raced today.”

“Me and my dad made a tank. It took us a long time to make it,” Kamden Conant said. Conant is a Lion Cub Scout in Pack 585 in Farmington.

“The hardest part was painting the car,” said Timothy Bourdelais of Gardiner, who made an American-flag theme car with his mom. He said it took three days to make the car out of the block of wood he was given. He is an Arrow of Light rank Cub Scout in Pack 672.

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