2018 National Championships!!!

[xanthrum]

I really appreciate that the NYC Council has followed us in putting together a Great Race... it continues to expand the Pinewood Derby Racing - which is good for everybody... what you will find at the Mid America Pinewood Derby is an Expert set of officials - people that handle the cars and a Track that is exceptional. We broadcast our Races Live. We have rules that can be enforced and allow Scouts to apply advanced engineering in making them go... we have ZERO issues... ever with people having to tear apart cars - replace wheels - etc ... unless of course they do not read the rules... ours are simple - all BSA Markings have to be intact both on the inside and outside of the wheel. I am obviously biased but we had racers from 38 States and I will tell you if you want to see how fast you really are and want to race the fastest competition in the land on the Scout level the Mid America Pinewood Derby is where it is at.

 

[PeteIHughes]

I have no doubt that the Mid America is a great race that is run as it should be.
Would love to go someday and would be excited about the number of class options.


I was merely replying previously to a message - "The new York race is a joke"

It is stuff like the following that leads people to this impression :-

I think one of the problems was in the rules, the minimum wheel width listed in the rules was different in 2 different sections of the rules, yes how can that not be confusing.

However, the 2017 rules are still available today at
https://www.bsa-gnyc.org/files/1576/Official-Rules
and you will see that the above quote is not true. (Wheel width is only mentioned 1 time in one section)

 

[FDM]

The MA race is a bit too far for us to travel, but what I read is that you can send in the car for the race? How do you deal with issues on the cars that are send in? For instance if the car is a little overweight due to discrepancy of the balance the builder uses and the official ones, normally this would be a small amount and most people would just remove some of the tungsten putty in person, but how is that dealt with if you send in the car? Also will the cars be send back?

 

[FDM]

I have no doubt that the Mid America is a great race that is run as it should be.
Would love to go someday and would be excited about the number of class options.


I was merely replying previously to a message - "The new York race is a joke"

It is stuff like the following that leads people to this impression :-


However, the 2017 rules are still available today at
https://www.bsa-gnyc.org/files/1576/Official-Rules
and you will see that the above quote is not true. (Wheel width is only mentioned 1 time in one section)

Actually the wheel width is mention in the wheel rule section as being minimum of 0.36 inches and in the picture diagram the next page as a minimum of 0.38 inch. Now the picture wasn't totally clear so maybe this wheel width includes some other parts but that is a part I found confusing. To be honest I think people probably had no issues with the total wheel width since that is difficult to measure but I found it a bit confusion non the less. I think most people went wrong with over wheel diameter and maybe tread width. We had fun at the New York race and we hope they will organize again this year.

 

[PeteIHughes]

Actually the wheel width is mention in the wheel rule section as being minimum of 0.36 inches and in the picture diagram the next page as a minimum of 0.38 inch.

Including that picture is fairly standard in many Pack rules that I see.
The 0.36 in the text of the rules is quoted as THE minimum allowed.

Whereas the 0.38 in the picture (in the box labled standard wheel)
is not specified as a minimum.

I can see how this can be misconstrued. But that does not make it a bad rule that is contradicted
in other places.

 

[Vitamin K]

The MA race is a bit too far for us to travel, but what I read is that you can send in the car for the race? How do you deal with issues on the cars that are send in? For instance if the car is a little overweight due to discrepancy of the balance the builder uses and the official ones, normally this would be a small amount and most people would just remove some of the tungsten putty in person, but how is that dealt with if you send in the car? Also will the cars be send back?

If you have putty on the car, just put a note in the box informing the tech-in team where to find it so they can remove some if need be.

Cars will be sent back, but you have to include a return shipping label. Also, you should send the car box inside of a larger box, so they can pack your swag and any awards in with it.

 

[FDM]

Including that picture is fairly standard in many Pack rules that I see.
The 0.36 in the text of the rules is quoted as THE minimum allowed.

Whereas the 0.38 in the picture (in the box labled standard wheel)
is not specified as a minimum.

I can see how this can be misconstrued. But that does not make it a bad rule that is contradicted
in other places.

I am not saying it is a bad rule, just to me it was confusing, but then again it didn't matter much because we used wheels that had no altered width to begin with. We always played it safe and don't try to go on the edge of what is allowed, last thing I want to do is having to swap wheels out just before the race.

BTW do you know if this year there will be a NYC race? I have been looking for it online but couldn't see much else than some references from local scouting groups for a race on June 30th.

 

[xanthrum]

The MA race is a bit too far for us to travel, but what I read is that you can send in the car for the race? How do you deal with issues on the cars that are send in? For instance if the car is a little overweight due to discrepancy of the balance the builder uses and the official ones, normally this would be a small amount and most people would just remove some of the tungsten putty in person, but how is that dealt with if you send in the car? Also will the cars be send back?

I have a Team of people that help out with all the Proxy Racing Cars - we have specific instructions and we call the builders if there is any issues - weight etc.. putty is a great way to get cars up to desired weight and to remove if need be... all cars that are shipped all get shipped back out the following Monday -- with all the goodies you get for participating in our event / trophies won ... etc. There are specific instruction we lay out for our proxy racers - essentially you send a pre-paid shipping return label with your cars and ideally a box that allows us to put the extras that come back.

 

[PeteIHughes]

BTW do you know if this year there will be a NYC race? I have been looking for it online but couldn't see much else than some references from local scouting groups for a race on June 30th.

All I can tell you is that last year registration began on May 6th.
The page for the 2017 race was created in 2015 so hard to tell from that.

BUT, the www.bsa-gnyc.org/calendar still has the weekend of June 23rd-24th open.
So that would be my guess.

I didn't know it existed before our council race last year at the end of march.

 

[xanthrum]

For any of you that is coming live here is some great hotel information

Hotel Information

New Victoria Suites 10728 L Street, 402-593-2380, $55.00 per night

Courtyard by Marriott, next to Cabellas 402-339-4900, $85.00 per night

Hampton Inn across from Cabellas 402-895-2900, $92.00 per night

People can mention the CLAAS Rate and it will work most of the year except the baseball tournament and the Buffet weekend.

 

[txchemist]

Arizona must still have old inventory. Texas Chinese wheels are not heavier than US BSA wheels. Hobby Lobby as example.
Mold changed in China around 2014

 

[FDM]

From what I hear rules are worse this year

You were totally correct, the rules are out and they are worse than last year in the sense that they are much stricter. Now you can argue that is an issue or not, but IMHO not allowing after market axles in the pro-stock division is a bit silly and will just complicate the inspection process further. Isn't that the whole idea of the pro-stock that you can modify your car a bit further to get more speed, esp with the standard BSA axles being so horrible.

 

[TRE]

You were totally correct, the rules are out and they are worse than last year in the sense that they are much stricter. Now you can argue that is an issue or not, but IMHO not allowing after market axles in the pro-stock division is a bit silly and will just complicate the inspection process further. Isn't that the whole idea of the pro-stock that you can modify your car a bit further to get more speed, esp with the standard BSA axles being so horrible.

Like I said in a previous post this race is a joke and this is why I said that

 

[PeteIHughes]

Like I said in a previous post this race is a joke and this is why I said that

For Adults who do this as their only interest, I agree.

For KIDS who have to qualify for this event through CUB SCOUT events from ages 5 thru 11,
then you couldn't be more arogant or wrong.

Did you even read any of the posts explaining that the NY event is ONLY a cub scout event for KIDS only.
Cub Scout council events require Box blocks, box axles and graphite.
Live with it.

................................
(yeah, but they should allow OIL and SOLID AXLES and MAILING CARS IN like they do in ADULT racing)
But they don't, so please disregard this event.

Regards
From a Scouts Pinewood enthusiast who would be mocked in such a prestigious forum

 

[FDM]

For Adults who do this as their only interest, I agree.

For KIDS who have to qualify for this event through CUB SCOUT events from ages 5 thru 11,
then you couldn't be more arogant or wrong.

Did you even read any of the posts explaining that the NY event is ONLY a cub scout event for KIDS only.
Cub Scout council events require Box blocks, box axles and graphite.
Live with it.

................................
(yeah, but they should allow OIL and SOLID AXLES and MAILING CARS IN like they do in ADULT racing)
But they don't, so please disregard this event.

Regards
From a Scouts Pinewood enthusiast who would be mocked in such a prestigious forum

To call the NYC race a joke is going to far for me. Last time we went we had fun, and we got to meet a lot of new people. We did not encounter any problems with the rules and we did well in the end.
With regard of the rules, it all depends which council or district you race in, our rules are a little more relaxed and we are allowed to run non BSA axles. I understand this is a NYC race we are invited to so we have to live by their rules, if you don't like them you don't have to go. What always gets me though is how well you can enforce the rules you set. Wheels are easy to inspect but non BSA axles and oil are always much harder to detect. Sadly there will always be people, intentionally or just by not reading the rules well enough, that will end up with a car that is not totally compliant with the rules. Since not all non BSA axles (and oil) will be detected some of the non compliant cars will slip through the inspection process with an unfair advantage over the people who read the rules and don't break them. In my opinion it would be better to allow for after market axles and maybe even oil in the pro stock division. After all most people in the pro stock division already know the tricks of the trade (well at least the standard ones) and I would not be surprised if most of them already run after market axles. I think the scouts will also learn more from putting more time in building the car than spending hours removing those pesky burrs and crimp marks on those BSA axles.

 

[SuperSlow]

Right, thats the entire issue with me. Scout race or not, i would not have my son racing under rediculous rules that cant even be enforced and for what reason. What is the reason behind stupid rules like that, to make somebody have to explain why its makes NO sense. They were put in place by somebody who doesnt know any better and they just know that other people have those rules. And then to take it even further to have my son drill holes in his car to have to prove he fallowed an un enforcable rule to people who are probable less knowledgable about building the cars than him Lol no thank you. Its all total Bull and it hurts nobody more than the kids Especially the ones who are fallowing the rediculous rules.

 

[Maglev]

I’ve registered 6 cars for the Nationals race, racing proxy. Joel will bring my cars as I’m in Germany (for work).

Pure 2.4 Stark
Stock 2.0 Aotubahn
Stock Pro Predator
RAZR Jimmy John
Pure Outlaw Inner Peace
Outlaw Silver Bullet 2.0

Good luck to all racers!
Vikas (MAGLEV)

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

Why is naming the cars harder than building them?!
I have 19 cars that will be making the trip with me to Omaha.
I just have to name them first so that I can register them.

 

[B_Regal Racing]

I just have to name them first so that I can register them.

And I thought you were not going this year giving Alphonso a chance to be the national champion. Well.....I guess everyone always has a chance

 

[Cramjet]

Crane is running 19 cars to make damn sure I don't smoke him... especially in Street Stock. Lol *Sarcasm, of course*