- April 23, 2024
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Jeremy Batt cheers on his car the Laughler during the championship round against Princess Belle. Photos by Anastasia Pagello
Ruby Golomb won the childrens derby with her car Princess Belle.
Sophia Temple, Charolette Carroll, Noah Lamb and Sam Horton help cheer on the derby car the Laughler.
Justin Batt with his Mustache car and Jeremy Batt with his car the Laughler.
The crowd cheered on the Laughler and the Princess Belle cars as the zoomed by.
Awards were given to the first through thrd place winners and the "Most Creative Car.”
Kids accompanied by even bigger kids — otherwise known as Mom and Dad — gathered around the plywood, 40-foot Pinewood Derby track set up in front of Flagler Beach’s City Hall on Friday, Mar. 4. The Pinewood Derby is an ongoing tradition in Flagler Beach for the past nine years.
“Ruby won third place last year with her car Pinkalicious. She refined her car this year with extra glitter; it must have given it that extra edge.”
MARK GOLOMB, father of first place Pinewood Derby winner, Ruby Golomb
“I think the adults get more excited about the race than the kids do,” observed event organizer Tom Gillin.
The cars raced two at a time down the inclined track and emotions ran high causing whoops, laughter and in some cases tears.
“There has already been a lot of trash talking this year between KIX 98.7 and Beach 92.7 here in Flagler Beach,” Gillin said. “Whenever there is a major rivalry I make sure that the cars are matched in the same heat. I was told that the manager will shun the losing car to the janitor’s closet,” Gillin laughed.
The derby offered both an adult’s and children’s race bracket. Each heat was followed by a double elimination bracket. First through third place winners received a trophy along with the winner of “Most Creative Car.”
“The participants can get as elaborate and creative as they want,” Gillin said. “One year LaBella’s pizza entered the race and submitted a car that looked like a pizza slice.”
Towards the end of the evening, the championship round for the children’s heat came down to the two fastest derby cars: Laughler and Princess Belle. Ruby Golomb came out victorious with her Princess Belle car by less than a second.
“Ruby won third place last year with her car Pinkalicious,” Tom Golomb said. “She refined her car this year with extra glitter; it must have given it that extra edge.”
