Taking first place on Feb. 1 in the Polaris District Pinewood Derby Championship at Vallco Mall in Cupertino, Veis competed against nearly 750 Cub Scouts from Saratoga, Los Gatos, Sunnyvale and Cupertino in a series of three-car racing heats.

This was Veis' third time competing. He says the first time he raced he did "really bad" and the second time was "a little better." However, the third time must have been a charm, since he blew the racing flags off other competitors in all racing heats.

Despite the defeat during his first two competitions, Veis said, he tried again because he wanted to change his previously poor record.

"I never made it to finals before," he says, then adds brightly, "but I did win 'fastest-looking car' the first year." Scouts vote for non-winning cars in competitions such as "most colorful" and "most unusual." Veis' first-year car was a wide, bright orange model with blue flames along the side.

This year, with a championship trophy in mind, Veis and his father, Jeff, started working weeks in advance.

"We wanted to start early this year," Jeff says. "We worked for two full days on the car but started prepping during his holiday break. Most dads wait until a day or two before, and you see them just burning the midnight oil."

Father-and-son interaction is a highlight of the competition, which allows only a molded wood car, wheels and minimal accessories—no engines or specialty devices are allowed. Jeff says he still has memories of his father helping him when he was in the Cub Scouts.

"I still remember the nervousness of racing," Jeff says. "But the dads are usually more nervous than the kids—they feel most of the pressure. For the kids, it's just about having fun."

Pack 581 leader Mike McConnell acknowledges the importance and fun of the race to the Scouts, but says what's more important is the "chance for boys and family to work together. It is always fun and good to work with your son," he says. McConnell says fathers have gotten so involved with the race, the pack now holds its own father's race at the pack heat held in Saratoga.

To qualify for the Pinewood Derby, Scouts must first win their pack heat, which is generally held several weeks before the district derby and involves only those from around the city.

Saratoga had 45 cars compete in its pack heat, held at Foothill Elementary in January this year. Barreling down the three-lane sloped wooden track, cars compete until three winners are left to advance to the districtwide race.

To begin preparing for the race, each boy is given a "derby kit," which includes a wooden block, thin metal axles and wheels. Options then abound, as Scouts can upgrade their wheels, shape the block, choose how to weigh down the vehicle and decorate its body.

Once the car is complete, it cannot weigh over 5 ounces.

"How you weight the car is up to you," Jeff says, "but it is the hardest thing to do." Jeremy decided to have some weight on both the front and back of the car, using melted lead putty, a trick he and his father picked up from the Internet.

The Veises even enlisted help from a physics professor friend to decide about weight placement. Jeff says the friend had reasons for putting weight either in the front or back of the car but ultimately couldn't decide. "It showed that the secrets of building a car for the Pinewood Derby are very special," Jeff says with a laugh.

Jeremy was happy with how his car turned out, particularly the way it looked, painted all black with a red racing stripe down the center of its slight frame.

Although Jeremy felt he raced well at the district derby, he had no idea at the time that he had won. "I was really sad when they called second place," he says, having believed he didn't place at all. "Then they named first and I had gotten top place. I was happy."