Pinewood pro

Sometimes, simpler is better.

If you ask Archer "Archie" Underdahl, he'll agree.

The Dalton Elementary kindergartner used simplicity to his advantage on Saturday when he roared past the competition during Cub Scout Pack 3's pinewood derby races.

During the closed event at the Nissan dealership in Post Falls, the 6-year-old Tiger Scout claimed victory over about 30 other boys up to age 12 to win a shot at participating in the upcoming district pinewood derby.

"He said, 'Those big kids said it wouldn’t be fast enough, and it was!'" his mom, Ashton Underdahl, said in a phone call with The Press on Monday.

Archie's car, No. 12, "Thunderbolt," lived up to its name. But the sleek look of the car may have also contributed to his victory.

"'Thunderbolt' is painted as a tiger, but it has the speed of a cheetah," Archie said.

"Thunderbolt" was progressively faster with each race: 3.204, 3.201 and 3.199 seconds, respectively.

"He was so proud," Ashton said. "He won a trophy and he was super excited about that. He put it on the mantle when he got home."

This is Archie's second year in Scouts and his second time participating in the pinewood derby, a longstanding Scout tradition. His dad, Scott, also participated when he was a young Scout, so he knew the pressure was on to craft the fastest derby car possible.

"They worked on it every night last week," Ashton said. "They were painting it and weighing it. They worked really hard on it.

"We actually love the Scouts," she said. "It teaches Archer to be a good person. It's all about values. They teach kids to open doors, to appreciate nature, to use their manners with their elders."

And, from Archie's perspective, being in Scouts teaches a bit of humility when it comes to competition.

"It’s not about winning," he said. "It’s about having fun."