Pinks Idea - Need Advice

[mkl2188]

Hi everyone, total noob here. I need a little input on a race I've been thinking about. I work for a company with a bunch on engineers. We are borrowing a track from a local Cub Scout pack to hold a private race. So, I get to set the rules of the event. I don't expect any serious racers.

I want to simulate the show Pinks by having the 5 oz cars start behind the peg, and a lighter car start in front of the peg with a very light string that wraps around the peg and is tied to the rear of the car using an eye screw.

The racers would negotiate the length of the string before each run.

Here's my question: How light should the lighter car be to make it possible for this to work? If it is too light, it might not be possible for the light car to win, regardless of the string length.

The cars start at a pretty steep angle on this track....they don't roll out slowly.

Any thoughts?

 

[Kinser Racing]

It will be almost impossible for the light car to win if it starts in front of the peg while the heavier cars start behind the peg. The cars behind the peg have the advantage of gravity working on the weight longer giving them more speed.

 

[Rocket car]

It will be almost impossible for the light car to win if it starts in front of the peg while the heavier cars start behind the peg. The cars behind the peg have the advantage of gravity working on the weight longer giving them more speed.

+1 if the cars are built the same.

 

[mkl2188]

OK, so what if I put the heavier car in front of the pin. Would there be a distance that would allow the light car to catch the heavy one at the finish line?

 

[Kinser Racing]

It will be almost impossible for the light car to win if it starts in front of the peg while the heavier cars start behind the peg. The cars behind the peg have the advantage of gravity working on the weight longer giving them more speed.

+1 if the cars are built the same.

What makes you think they would need to be built the same? /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

I'm guessing you could take a Street Stock car at 5 oz put it behind the peg and take a Unlimited car at 5 oz in front of the peg and the Street Stock would win. This is just a guess.

 

[Rocket car]

You would have to run the cars multiple times to judge the length of the string.

 

[Kinser Racing]

OK, so what if I put the heavier car in front of the pin. Would there be a distance that would allow the light car to catch the heavy one at the finish line?

It's extremely hard to tell, I'm sure there could be, it would depend on the weight and distance. I highly doubt anyone would have even tried it.

 

[mkl2188]

That would be the idea....the racers would negotiate the string length that they feel is a fair race. The first racer to win 5 runs would win the other guy's car!

 

[bracketracer]

What does the starting gate look like on the borrowed track? Do the start pins rotate forward or do they pull straight down through the track? My track has a start gate like a trap door so a longer pin holds the car from going while a short pin lets the car go immediately. It would be easy to handicap cars with a gate like that.

 

[mkl2188]

I'm pretty sure the pins rotate forward and down

 

[bracketracer]

Well, the pin length wouldn't have any effect then. Maybe you'll have to run the event more like Pinks All Out then, run what ya brung and hope ya brung enough!

Maybe they could negotiate for grams of ballast instead?

 

[mkl2188]

Yes, I think I have switched closer to the Pinks All Out format....win your bracket heads up, and then you can race another bracket winner Pinks style. Should be fun! Thanks everyone for the great comments.