Bsa National Pinewood Derby

[xanthrum]

My condolences to you and your family. My Grandmother passed right before Christmas. Not a fun holiday season here.

We're all good.

And no, I've not raced MA. My daughter wants to GO there. Not sure that's in the cards in May, right before school lets out, though.
I do want to run it eventually, but life keeps getting in the way, it seems. It's a lot of money to spend on a little car to send off in the mail, lol. 50 bucks' worth of wheels to start with.

here is some inside knowledge ... you can be very very competitive and ... spend a lot less on wheels ... or use a 2.0 g wheel ...or many alternatives ....trust me a trip to NYC (which I personally plan on making) costs a lot more than any wheel you would buy for any car

and I am sorry to hear about your Grandma .. I hope the legacy she passed on was amazing.

I would live to see you field some cars for this year's race

 

[Jimmy & his 2 Kids]

Racing newb here... you guys really have me kicking the MA races around in my brain. I got hooked on PWD prepping for last weekends Awana GP at our church. I really got excited about building a car for NPWDRL's races though after closer research, intimidation and the realization of just how serious those guys are I think I might wait a bit before I do. Just can't afford the tooling nor the parts to be competitive plus shipping cost right now. I mean I know its fine if I tank and I should just jump on in and learn from there and enjoy it but I have a hard time doing it without all the gear and will take forever trying to do everything as close to perfection as possible by hand which I won't be able t resist doing. I looked through MA's info and it sure looks like a fun race, even if only doing proxy. My kids cars did dominate the Awana GP with all the help I got from here. Hmmm.

 

[xanthrum]

Racing newb here... you guys really have me kicking the MA races around in my brain. I got hooked on PWD prepping for last weekends Awana GP at our church. I really got excited about building a car for NPWDRL's races though after closer research, intimidation and the realization of just how serious those guys are I think I might wait a bit before I do. Just can't afford the tooling nor the parts to be competitive plus shipping cost right now. I mean I know its fine if I tank and I should just jump on in and learn from there and enjoy it but I have a hard time doing it without all the gear and will take forever trying to do everything as close to perfection as possible by hand which I won't be able t resist doing. I looked through MA's info and it sure looks like a fun race, even if only doing proxy. My kids cars did dominate the Awana GP with all the help I got from here. Hmmm.

That is EXACTLY what MAPWD is all about -- it is designed to take a step not a LEAP towards a higher level of racing -- it will teach you a lot - there are many Classes and you don't exactly have to have big time dollars or tooling in order to compete. Once you see your cars rolling down the track(s) live you will officially have caught the pinewood derby bug - its contagious.

 

[Jimmy & his 2 Kids]

Once you see your cars rolling down the track(s) live you will officially have caught the pinewood derby bug - its contagious.

Oh believe you me... watching my kids cars rip down the track last weekend at the Awana GP... yeah that bug bit and bit DEEP. Course watching them take it all made that bite go deeper still.
That was just so exciting. And I am a builder at heart. I used to love scratch building RC planes from foam and then I started working with wood... Oh man... I loved making the fenders and the body... then making it go fast... yeah... I am doomed.
I posted the kids Awana GP event too with pics & vids if like story telling. Couldn't help myself. lol But I can just imagine how much more fun the MAPWD can be. And the NPWDRL too once I make the leap.

Thanks for the encouragement Xanthrum.

 

[Pacfanweb]

here is some inside knowledge ... you can be very very competitive and ... spend a lot less on wheels ... or use a 2.0 g wheel ...or many alternatives ....trust me a trip to NYC (which I personally plan on making) costs a lot more than any wheel you would buy for any car

and I am sorry to hear about your Grandma .. I hope the legacy she passed on was amazing.

I would live to see you field some cars for this year's race

That is very close to happening. Daughter and I talked about it tonight. She wants to send one in, so I might as well, too.
Looks like the Adult Open class is graphite, so if I want to do an oil car I'd probably need to do a BASX entry as well.
Gotta think on which way to go on that.

 

[ScoutRacer]

The Race is on 6/24 and Rules are posted. The Rules are better than the last two years, but still need work IMO.

 

[SuperFastRacing]

The rules look exactly the same as last year just worded better. It looks like they are still running the fast 15 only 1 time in each lane not taking an average from the the car running in all 8 lanes. They would benefit from finding some Pro racers to run the event and make the rules. We attended last year and the event could use some fine tuning on every level. They are running both classes in every lane and taking the cars average than separating them into ranks. Tigers, Wolves etc. Than even if you are in 10th place you still could be in 1st place depending how many cubs are attending in that specific rank. For instance my cub was 9th overall in Pro Stock. 1st in Wolves for Pro Stock and 3rd in the Fast 15. I will say this. My son did not know the difference as we would. We were in New York Times Square at a PWD race and it was truly an awesome experience for him and our family that he will never forget. So if you attend on that note than I highly recommend it. If rules and format is what means the most than attend MA or race in one of the leagues. Just my opinion.

 

[speed bump]

So if you attend on that note than I highly recommend it. If rules and format is what means the most than attend MA or race in one of the leagues. Just my opinion.

Glad to hear that. Why not try both if you can. Believe me this league racing is a different size pond! The scouts love watching the cars on the internet. One CUB said he was on tv. lol

 

[Pacfanweb]

Both races are a ton of fun. You can't beat going to New York City, especially if you were trying to entice the ladies in your family to go. And if you want a pure and awesome Pinewood racing experience, you can't beat Mid-America for that. We are busy working on at least one car for Mid-America right now.

My son raced Pro Stock last year as well. The Webelos 2 division.
Won the division. Car was damaged in the very last heat and slowed down for the Fast 15, but still finished fourth in that as well. Great time.

 

[SuperFastRacing]

Both races are a ton of fun. You can't beat going to New York City, especially if you were trying to entice the ladies in your family to go. And if you want a pure and awesome Pinewood racing experience, you can't beat Mid-America for that. We are busy working on at least one car for Mid-America right now.

My son raced Pro Stock last year as well. The Webelos 2 division.
Won the division. Car was damaged in the very last heat and slowed down for the Fast 15, but still finished fourth in that as well. Great time.

You must have been the car we nudged out on the last minute in the final 4. Billy? How was the car damaged? We were from California. Long Beach Area Council. It was an awesome time but there format, inspection station and organization definitely needs some work.

 

[Pacfanweb]

You must have been the car we nudged out on the last minute in the final 4. Billy? How was the car damaged? We were from California. Long Beach Area Council. It was an awesome time but there format, inspection station and organization definitely needs some work.

That's him.
The joint in the stop section came apart on his very last run and his car went across the biggest gap. You could hear an audible "clank" when it went across the gap.
Prior to that, the car had been running basically three flat and then it suddenly slowed way down one run. Then it picked back up to about a 3.02 by the time that last one came around. But it only ran well up into the 3.03's during the Fast 15.

I don't know if the rough handling cause the initial slow down or if it was just a gust of wind. But I do know it was getting progressively faster every run and ran like a 3.000...... Then slowed down to about a 3.04, then pick back up to 3.02.
Then it hit the bad place in the stop section and slowed up to 3.03. Even ran a 3.05 during one of those Fast 15 runs. The body is cracked on it now. I don't know if that happened then or since.

I noticed several cars that were as fast or faster than ours that didn't do anything by the end of the race. Slowed way down.

That didn't matter for his division because that was his very last run.
But the car was considerably slower during the Fast 15 then it had been previously. It also got ejected off the track during the Fast 15 runs as well.
Nobody was going to beat that kid that won, though.

 

[SuperFastRacing]

That's him.
The joint in the stop section came apart on his very last run and his car went across the biggest gap. You could hear an audible "clank" when it went across the gap.
Prior to that, the car had been running basically three flat and then it suddenly slowed way down one run. Then it picked back up to about a 3.02 by the time that last one came around. But it only ran well up into the 3.03's during the Fast 15.

I don't know if the rough handling cause the initial slow down or if it was just a gust of wind. But I do know it was getting progressively faster every run and ran like a 3.000...... Then slowed down to about a 3.04, then pick back up to 3.02.
Then it hit the bad place in the stop section and slowed up to 3.03. Even ran a 3.05 during one of those Fast 15 runs. The body is cracked on it now. I don't know if that happened then or since.

I noticed several cars that were as fast or faster than ours that didn't do anything by the end of the race. Slowed way down.

That didn't matter for his division because that was his very last run.
But the car was considerably slower during the Fast 15 then it had been previously. It also got ejected off the track during the Fast 15 runs as well.
Nobody was going to beat that kid that won, though.

Yep. you guys ran good the whole time. I shouldn't be complaining since there format worked to our advantage. lol. The Tiger who's first runs were in the 2.92. Yeah I'm going to say what happen to the inspection team. That car was falling out of the gates.

 

[robo4881]

Yep. you guys ran good the whole time. I shouldn't be complaining since there format worked to our advantage. lol. The Tiger who's first runs were in the 2.92. Yeah I'm going to say what happen to the inspection team. That car was falling out of the gates.

I don't understand why they don't open up the pro stock rules a little more. They have a stock division. Why not make the rules enforceable in the pro stock. With that many cars to inspect it would make it easier on the inspection team and would make a more level field. You know they aren't going to catch everything with the way the rules are and that many cars. Just my opinion.