They weigh just 5.0 ounces...

...but for the 40-or-so Scouts from my Pack who checked in their Pinewood Derby cars tonight in advance of Saturday's derby, they mean so much more.

As I checked each car tonight to ensure it met the length and height restrictions, I took time as often as I could to see what the car looked like.

Of course, the local NFL team -- the Steelers -- and its popularity ensured that many cars enjoyed a black-and-gold paint job. But patriotic themes, paint jobs that looked like they belonged on $100,000 cars, the traditional and the unusual caught my eye tonight.

I always wonder how much work the Scouts did on their cars and how much mom, dad or some other adult did. Our Pack includes an "alumni and futures" division, in which boys and girls, moms and dads and anyone else who wants to race, can. It's there that I want adults to build their own cars. But part of learning about design, colors, coordination, working with tools and a host of other things is by doing.

I want to believe parents don't lose sight of that. I really want to believe that.

On Saturday, my Scouts will stand when their car is placed at the starting line. Their eyes will grow big and wide. Their hopes for victory will soar.

They'll be having fun. That's what I love most about Scouting -- seeing my sons (one a Cub Scout, one a Boy Scout) and my Scouts having a blast.