Mid America Pinewood Derby 2014

I don't know what is going to be in the goodie bags this year, I haven't looked at prizes. Last year both my neighbor and myself got a pair of Pro-inertia lites 1.3 gram wheels. Are they as good as John's, probably not, but they were free. I got way back more in door prizes than what I spent on our MA cars last year. Granted, I didn't run any $50 wheels last year and we were mid-pack. Just something to think about.

If you were thinking of attending live, and don't want to spend money on wheels, run heavy wheels. The kids will still have fun doing lego races, watching their car race, and so forth. This race I don't think has the heavy influence on winning like a pack or district race. It is more of an fun experience for the kids and parents. So you pay your small entry fee, run heavy wheels, and you get a pair of machined axles and a set of $40 wheels if your lucky. Sounds like a pretty good deal. Just my 2 cents. One of my kids won a rocket and the other one a nerf toy. They each got a football, hat, patch, graphite, stickers, pens, back pack and some other stuff. I paid $5 to enter per car.
 
There were cars last year in open scout wearing cheetahs, or cheetah X, that were in the top ten or better in rank. A family that did well across the board were not using nitros. Wheels alone do not make a fast car!

+1 on the door prizes
 
There are too many people racing with prebuilt cars. Unless they get dropped you have next to no chance winning without the proper wheels to fit the rules. Yes you can get close but I have already heard that the wheels are only running .01 off the Intimid8rs. I am also sure they have been copied by now so there will be even more.

The point is to race and have fun. Go prove me wrong!
 
My son's scout car ran old retired V-1 Cheetahs at Mid-America last year, and placed quiet well, against lighter wheels. Its how you dance , not what shoes you dance with !!
dance
dance
....SPIRIT....
 
I do understand the Goody bag and that is a plus. I just prefer to race on a level playing field. Prebuilt cars are not my idea of showing a persons' skill as a builder. I hear a few even snuck into the Novice class this month. I want to do it with my own hands. I may still send a car but with the race fast approaching and John being slammed, I don't think I could get the needed tires to be competitive. I'll stick to the NPWDRL for now.
 
from the Caliber of racers that run at the Mid America - a pre-built car doesn't stand a change and will likely not be the winner... but again those that run a pre-built car are missing out on 1/2 the fun... and I have seen horror stories of packs and districts - trying to enforce this rule...
 
xanthrum said:
from the Caliber of racers that run at the Mid America - a pre-built car doesn't stand a change and will likely not be the winner... but again those that run a pre-built car are missing out on 1/2 the fun... and I have seen horror stories of packs and districts - trying to enforce this rule...
Click to expand...
I guess it depends on who builds the prebuilt car...
 
everyone talking about $50 wheels being too expensive now prebuilt cars? there even more outrageous 2-600 bucks

my son and i are going to try our luck at mid America this year we have always ran very well (so we thought) in our pack, but with all the research Ive done were on the slow end to where competitive cars are running, we are doing more this car than ever before to attempt to run better, it to me is more of a competition to ourselves to improve if we improve to where we want to be or close we will run some npwdrl races and continue to strive to improve, to me half the fun is the process
 
Ickabod Crane said:
I do understand the Goody bag and that is a plus. I just prefer to race on a level playing field. Prebuilt cars are not my idea of showing a persons' skill as a builder. I hear a few even snuck into the Novice class this month. I want to do it with my own hands. I may still send a car but with the race fast approaching and John being slammed, I don't think I could get the needed tires to be competitive. I'll stick to the NPWDRL for now.
Click to expand...

To be honest, my son is just excited to watch his cars on the computer/tv.

The fact of the matter is there's never going to be a level playing field. There will always be ppl buying cars, there will always be people spending more money on supplies and the best they can get there hands on and there will be ppl that do what they can with what they have. You can't change any of those 3 to make the playing field level.

Yes there are some that race in Novice, probably Am and Pro that have cars built by other racers. Big deal. Everyone's goal is the same, be the fastest. If I sold "the punisher" car to someone else, whether I race it or he/she does, you still have to beat it. So when all is said and done, does it matter who built the car? That's why everyone always says race yourself and improve your car and times. Eventually you'll find what works best and makes you fast. After that, the only thing the ppl that buy their cars can do is spend more money buying a faster car. My question to those builders selling the cars is, what are you going to do when mine beats yours?
bruce
 
ODD has a great point. We all know a family that is "win at all cost" regardless of the contest.

Putting all the BS and dollars aside, there is but one point. You all have an opportunity to do one more fun thing with your kids.

I'm going to have fun with the kids putting a couple more cars together. If time works out we may travel. If not, we'll send in. The family will race, regardless of the outcome, we will have fun.

So I'm going to put all the pish posh aside and have some fun. What are YOU going to do?
 
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