Thanks for your help!

[Halo Blu]

My G'Sons did pretty well at the Pack race! They took 3rd, and 4th with 85 cars racing. They both built a standard wedge, with a 5/8 inch balance point in front of the rear axle, and their times were in the low 2 second range. I'm not sure of the wooden track length... But Halo Blu had a 2.20, taking 3rd. Ozzy had a 2.23 taking 4th. The winner had a 2.17, and 2nd place had a 2.18. Most of the cars ran in the 2.65+ Up to 9.999 range with the "Winner" of the BEST EFFORT AWARD going to 9.999 seconds, because time stopped- it never crossed the finish line.(Not sure how that gets best effort, and a Trophy/ Medal the same size as 1st place... but whatever...) ;(
I skipped the fenders, because I didn't like the way they turned out. They did it all! I only helped with the shaping, and the knowledge I learned from here. The Boys went into this thinking they were a "shoe in", because they felt they knew more, than the other kids. I kept telling them, they have other scouts doing the same thing, with the same available knowledge.
The wooden track- SURPRISED me... Last year we had a really BAD Aluminum one, I thought we'd get it again. The cars didn't fall off the sides, or crash, (Like last year!) they'd slam the stop ramp and bounce off end over end, and 2 BROKE! ARRRGGGHHH!!! I was so pissed, to see those cars flying through the air!!!
Our NEW Pack Master, actually addressed this at the end of the race, and I QUOTE- "I'm a Marine. I can tell you- "STUFF" happens, and I'm a member of the "Tough Love Society", so GET OVER IT! IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE RESULTS- YOU CAN TAKE IT UP WITH ME!!!"(OUTSIDE!) (Ohhhhh.... "Tough Guy".) The way he said it, could have been better. Track testing, could have been better. Invoking a fight, if you don't like it- Was just wrong, and the HUGE crowd heard that- Loud and Clear! So much so, we're searching for our next Pack Master.

 

[Kinser Racing]

Congratulations. I was the never crossed the finish line kid once. No trophy and even more disappointment in humanity, no help. It was one and done. I think I made them all pay later though. lol

 

[Halo Blu]

You do the hard work.( Building, Testing, Experimenting.) But I'm pretty sure you wouldn't stoop to Cheating. If anyone does, I think we should call them out! My G'Sons cars were OVER- WEIGHT at 5.01 when 5.88 oz. beat them. Not sure how to address this to the Pack, or if I should. Rules are rules!

 

[Racing for fun]

You should volunteer to be the pine wood derby chair for your pack so you can help oversee check in and the race. Your pack should follow your districts rules. If you do not catch it at check in the car should not be disqualified.

 

[Crash Enburn]

If you do not catch it at check in the car should not be disqualified.

I disagree. If a car is outside the rules, it should be called out. Just because the person doing check-in either doesn't know what he/she is doing or is complicit in the rule-breaking, it doesn't mean that the car gets a pass. Call the kid and his dad over and get the car corrected, or DQ it from the results.

I ran the Bear track at Districts one year, and saw an obviously illegal car. Pointed it out to the chairman, who basically shrugged his shoulders, and said let it run. I did my best to stage it badly, but the car still won handily. During the award ceremony, I found out that the boys who won 2nd and 3rd in that race were both from my pack. I should have been more vocal.

Regarding your car though, Halo, I'd say you were largely within spec. A scale that only shows to the tenth would have had your car as legal. And you were prepared to take the weight down that hundredth. We always built our cars that way, as you never know when if your scale shows 5.01, the official scale may show 4.99.