Axle slot/wheelbase rules?

[plhiatt]

Just finished up with all scout races this year and had a question.
Why do most scout races require axle slots to be used even though of
course most serious builders will drill and then cut slots?

And the whole, no extended wheel base rule?
I did not think that the extended wheel base is that much faster, if really at all?

I know most rule committees want to make it more fair,
but it seems to me they are just making it easier for some.
The midwest derby rules seem pretty fair, I wish that was
the rules across the board. At least you can actually
enforce most of those rules.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Mainly out of ignorance, IMO.

They think they are evening the odds for the less-skilled, but really, it doesn't do a thing.

The people who know how to build a fast car will always be the fastest no matter what the rules are.

All they are doing is stifling the creativity and ingenuity of the people who have the skills and desire to make these little blocks of wood really fly.

It doesn't help the people who wait until 2 days before their Derby to start on the car one iota.

Essentially somewhere along the line someone did all these things, and beat someone and they complained, so the rule makers just made their mods illegal...."because it wasn't fair". Fair to whom, is the question. Basically it was "I don't know/want/can't do that, so it's not fair".

 

[plhiatt]

Thanks, very well said.

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

Every pack has their own set of rules. Our rules are set by the guy who owns the track. I'm going to work on him to try and get the rules closer to John's. I almost have him bought in on the oil lube. The thing about our rules is they are very vague. They leave room for interpretation which I'm not a fan of. Spell out the rules like John does and that's that. No questions or interpretation needed. But as said above, the rules are attempted to be made fair for everyone. Also as said above, wheels and axles can win almost every pack for race and those who know how to go fast will.