Slow Poke Helper Plan Idea

Thanks for the replies both here and on PM.

B-Regal: I agree that the homemade track without a timer is not a very accurate way to assess the car's performance but still better than just running it on a tuning board. And it had seemed to work before. In September, my cars were averaging about 1/3 car length difference on my 30 foot track. And at the Sept. MOTM race they had 4 run averages of 2.9908 and 2.9981. So I figured that 0.0073 difference matches the 1/3 length difference on my track.

Doing some adjustments to the faster car and leaving the other one alone, I was getting a full car length gap on my track so figured the car was improved and would run sub 2.99. Instead, it could only manage a 2.9971. The slower car was not sent in for the Oct race , so this means it could have gotten slower, as Laserman suggested without me knowing. Although I have a 2nd benchmark car that seemed to keep the same gap with the primary 'benchmark' car as it had previously in September.

Sometimes these things are just hard to explain. Maybe something happened to mess the car up in transit. I can see the advantage of entering multiple cars so hopefully at least one of them will perform up to expectations.

I will back after it in November and working to improve my time.
 
I have a single lane, timed, homemade aluminum track (not BestTrack, but good enough). It is 40 feet long.
Each race, I take the results, post each run on an excel work sheet row.
ASAP after the race, I run each of my cars four or more times.
I take the time ratio between my track and the posted race results, and enter the ratio on my work sheet.

Then as I prepare for the next race, I run each car on my track 4 or five times, multiply the average time of those test runs to the previous ratio, and calculate an expectation of what the car will do on the PWDRL track. My expected times are almost always extremely close to the actual race results. Usually when there is a large difference, it is because of an unexpected wiggle on the NPWDRL track, or the results of something going wrong with the car while it is in the UPS hands.
 
CHR Racing said:
I will back after it in November and working to improve my time.

clap
Look to see you on the track and best of luck
clap
 
Better luck might be had if you picked someone to be your mentor and stuck with them. Most guys are willing to help without having to share any secrets.

If a person has a bad month and says there going to quit they might not be very successful at being mentored. Mentors want someone they can take joy in and makes them glad to be mentoring them.

I've tried this to a certain extent and have told things that nobody knows except my kids and I have no regrets about doing so.
 
Kinser Racing said:
Better luck might be had if you picked someone to be your mentor and stuck with them. Most guys are willing to help without having to share any secrets.

If a person has a bad month and says there going to quit they might not be very successful at being mentored. Mentors want someone they can take joy in and makes them glad to be mentoring them.

I've tried this to a certain extent and have told things that nobody knows except my kids and I have no regrets about doing so.

Hi Chris!

Good to see you already!

Be well,
Joe
 
Being a "Newbie" to this forum, I thought I'd chime in on what drew me here, after "Lurking".
I searched the internet for- Pinewood Derby, Pinewood Derby Physics/Science, Pinewood Derby Speed Secrets, Pinewood Derby Building Techniques, Pinewood Derby Construction, ETC.
I landed here, because... Who better to learn from, than the pros?
You guys offer so much info for FREE, I was kind of turned off, to the guys who sell books, DVD's, or Top Secret Tools, Jigs, Pre-made bodies, Fast/Faster?/Fastest? Wheels, and axels on thier .Com.
I'm here, BECAUSE! you share ideas, techniques, templates, with NOTHING to earn, gain, or lose. Other than the fact you're helping your fellow man!
I think, you guys are already providing a service, so... Handicapping, a "slow-poke plan idea" doesn't do much.
WE ARE HERE TO LEARN. YOU OFFER ADVISE-(FOR FREE!) And, WE AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE!
I'm going to build this car- Win, Lose, or Draw.
All I can say, is THANKS! For spilling the Beans! I'm here to pick them up.
Keep it up guys! We ALL owe YOU!
 
Halo Blu said:
I'm going to build this car- Win, Lose, or Draw.
There's a race in December so you can get your feet wet. Build it, mail it, and win it. That's all there is to it.

P.S. If you are racing, "junk talk" will be tolerated.
 
Just remember we were all beginners at one time. In the beginning I asked ALOT of questions. Everybody was kind enough to answer a lot of them. As you get faster at the pro level, you'll have to figure things out by yourself more. Everyone will give you the info you need to win everything at the scout level.
smile
 
Thanks for the invite.
I think I need a few more lessons, before I jump into the deep end/over my head.
Junk Talk/ Trash Talk doesn't interest me. I'd rather, just enter. Maybe later, my swagger will build, and after I win a few, I'll boast... Who knows? Like I said, I'm NEW... give me time.
smile
 
Thanks Rocket,
I'm no where close, to competing in the pros...
My BSA level, might be above average, just because I'm HERE! (Learning)
I'm here to learn... Then Build, RACE at the BASIC BSA LEVEL, then WIN! Then Tweek a few things, Then Re-Build, Race again, until I KICK ALL YOUR BUTTS! AND WIN The Whole SHA-BANG! LOL!
I'm just a Newbie- Have MERCY...<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IbtwVxMHkw4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I might be a Zombie, in search of BRAINS! /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif