Does anyone know if the NYC council is holding the World championship this year? All of the sudden all the information is gone missing from their site.
World championship???
- Thread starter Derby addict
- Start date
Maybe they realized all of the headaches associated with their location and rules and are fixing everything to make it more enjoyable for the families and less court of law meets the DMV meets a night club.
looks like they are still on for 2020: https://nycscouting.org/wcpwd/
They have the rules and FAQ posted. Unfortunately, no significant changes from last year
They have the rules and FAQ posted. Unfortunately, no significant changes from last year
Thanks for the note!
Why do you think allowing bent axles is such a point of discussion? I know it’s much easier to get a car to rail ride by bending an axle to control steering, whereas forcing a straight axle while allowing it to be canted to the body takes much more precision and is really hard to do. We have this rule to help level the playing field for the, umm, shall we say less fanatical?
Unlike some of the other races around the country, the NYC race is really geared towards the average Scout and gives latitude to some minor enhancements. It's the reason we have just two classes; stock and pro-stock.
I wish there was a more family friendly way of hosting the event but we have some pretty crazy restrictions to deal with. I'm assuming that you're speaking of the long lines?
Court of law is to level set the pro's playing with the kids, our race was never designed to be an 'everyone can enter' event. I kind of like the night club thing we do though
My 2 cents on the topic.
I think most have issues with the bent axles because it doesn't actually level the playing field. In my opinion it does the opposite. The "fanatics" have the proper tools and skills to help their kids build a fast car either way. Bending an axle is a very simple process that doesn't require expensive specialty tools and would give the average family a better chance at being competitive.
I think most agree that the "stock" class covers your typical scout family build. The "Pro" class should be for those families that have a greater passion for the sport and to think no bent axles is holding back the "Pros" from taking over, I would say that building a car with a bent axle is easier and more likely to have the Scout involved in every step of the process.
Overall, I think everyone has the proper intentions. The purpose of the Pinewood derby is to have an excuse to spend quality time with your kids and teach them something.
PS. Graphite is Messy and ruins the track - Oil Please
I think most have issues with the bent axles because it doesn't actually level the playing field. In my opinion it does the opposite. The "fanatics" have the proper tools and skills to help their kids build a fast car either way. Bending an axle is a very simple process that doesn't require expensive specialty tools and would give the average family a better chance at being competitive.
I think most agree that the "stock" class covers your typical scout family build. The "Pro" class should be for those families that have a greater passion for the sport and to think no bent axles is holding back the "Pros" from taking over, I would say that building a car with a bent axle is easier and more likely to have the Scout involved in every step of the process.
Overall, I think everyone has the proper intentions. The purpose of the Pinewood derby is to have an excuse to spend quality time with your kids and teach them something.
PS. Graphite is Messy and ruins the track - Oil Please
I agree with STK.
And I am disappointed that the race is canceled, but totally understand.
And I am disappointed that the race is canceled, but totally understand.
No bent axles in pro class and graphite only...just to name a few...i could go on all dat but dont have the time
And that makes the race a joke?
Again, this race isn't a 'for everyone' race, it's designed for current Scouts who've won a district or council race and their families only. The goal was to promote scouting on a national level, not cater to the 'pro racers' who travel around the country. For Scouts, there's never been an oil category so I see no need to have one. I'll reconsider bent axles based on the reasonable comments from STK (thank you!).
Also, we have time constraints that make this a one day, 8am to 4pm race. We get there at 10pm the evening before to begin setup and don't finish setting up until 4am. When the race is over at 4pm we spend 3+ hours tearing it all down. That's the best I can do given that we're racing in the main ballroom of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. I simply can't add anything else to the program.
Sorry if this race doesn't meet your criteria, but my goal is to work with our scouts to roll a painted block of wood down an incline and create an exceptional lifetime experience - right?
Yup, check-in is a trial for all. I have an amazing team that really goes above and beyond to make this thing happen, but it's just the sheer volume that kills us. We make improvements every year, and I'm happy that I can gather perspectives from forums like these. Hoping to meet you guys at the event in 2021, always looking for an extra set of hands (hint!).
My 2 cents on the topic.
I think most have issues with the bent axles because it doesn't actually level the playing field. In my opinion it does the opposite. The "fanatics" have the proper tools and skills to help their kids build a fast car either way. Bending an axle is a very simple process that doesn't require expensive specialty tools and would give the average family a better chance at being competitive.
I think most agree that the "stock" class covers your typical scout family build. The "Pro" class should be for those families that have a greater passion for the sport and to think no bent axles is holding back the "Pros" from taking over, I would say that building a car with a bent axle is easier and more likely to have the Scout involved in every step of the process.
Overall, I think everyone has the proper intentions. The purpose of the Pinewood derby is to have an excuse to spend quality time with your kids and teach them something.
PS. Graphite is Messy and ruins the track - Oil Please
I agree 100% with this. Bent axles makes a car much easier to tune, and bending them is pretty easy.
On that note, a few years ago, the people who ran the NYC race were approached by a couple of people who run big races and leagues, to help with the New York race, and were basically told they didn't need help.
I get that NYC is trying to separate cubs from pros, but running the race? From the cubs I talked to, that is where the most help is needed.
A couple rule changes can definitely help, but, running the race is a big part too
That may be true, depending on the help offered. As I mentioned, I'm not looking to turn this into an open class series - just hosting a true Cub Scout Pinewood for winners of district or council races at a national level. We instituted the Pro class to allow for exceptions to the basic rules so that all scouts could race.
Agree that the logistics and some of the hospitality portion of the races could use some help, but the physical location has an incredible number of limitations beyond my control. I'd be happy to have open conversations with anyone who wants to attend the race as staff, or who can offer constructive criticism based on their experience after attending.
Thanks for the continued engagement!
- Matt
My 2 cent,
7" & 5 ounce. 4 wheels on the car
Letters remain visible on wheels.
Scout, No aero, No oil.
Master, Aero, Oil.
How many rules do you really need & how many can you really enforce ?
Run what you brung.
Local rules don't allow oil so I do see a need for a graphite bracket & yes oil is cleaner & faster.
If we want to pretend to try and keep the parents honest with the builds then 4 classes,
Scout, No aero, + aero, apply graphite to axle heads @ inspection, so you "may" jam up any oilers but don't upset the tune.
Masters No aero + aero. You can give out trophies to more kids that way.
Maybe a little proactive broadcast through Scout Book, Counsel sites or Boys Life would make this a real "National" thing, most don't even know about it.
Good Luck
7" & 5 ounce. 4 wheels on the car
Letters remain visible on wheels.
Scout, No aero, No oil.
Master, Aero, Oil.
How many rules do you really need & how many can you really enforce ?
Run what you brung.
Local rules don't allow oil so I do see a need for a graphite bracket & yes oil is cleaner & faster.
If we want to pretend to try and keep the parents honest with the builds then 4 classes,
Scout, No aero, + aero, apply graphite to axle heads @ inspection, so you "may" jam up any oilers but don't upset the tune.
Masters No aero + aero. You can give out trophies to more kids that way.
Maybe a little proactive broadcast through Scout Book, Counsel sites or Boys Life would make this a real "National" thing, most don't even know about it.
Good Luck
Last edited:
Similar threads
