The Boy Scouts of America and Dale Coyne Racing are teaming up for a program designed "to promote family fun and education through a new BSA IndyCar."
"It's the ultimate Pinewood Derby," said Dale Coyne, a former scout "with the Rainbow Council in Joliet, Ill.," who noted that he's still seeking primary sponsorship for the No. 19 entry. Coyne said announcements regarding the entire team program for 2010 (multiple cars and drivers) will be announced soon.
The No. 19 car will help commemorate the 100th anniversary of the BSA – the nation's largest youth service organization, which now boasts 2.8 million youth members, 1.3 million adult volunteers and almost 50 million alumni. The BSA and DCR plan to utilize the high-tech nature of Indy cars as a platform to promote science, technology and math to those involved in Scouting. Through the IndyCar program Scouts and volunteers will have fun and exciting at-track participation opportunities through out the year. The Boy Scouts and Coyne Racing collaboration provides an unparalleled opportunity to reach out to America's youth with a strong emphases on science, technology, engineering, and math.
"This is the first time that we're aware on a national scale that the Boy Scouts of America have wrapped their arms around a sport of any kind," Coyne said. "I think it's a unique platform; it's been a lot of fun what we've done this past year having scouts at several races.
"It's truly the ultimate engineering exercise what we do with these Indy cars, with the initiative that scouting and companies are pushing forward with their math and science program this will provide a cool way for kids to explore and expand their abilities in this field. There's a need in this country for future engineers, and we will have many initiatives to have kids to have fun, but explore the science of racing. We look forward to this being a very long relationship with many facets to explore and expand in the coming years.
"This is a program with true heart – from watching a young boy's first Pinewood Derby to helping him learn and apply the disciplines of science and technology using the excitement of IndyCar. The message we will convey is the significance of education and the value of preparing for a rapidly advancing high-tech world."