Posted on 08/30/2010 11:57:35 AM PDT by SZonian
SANDY -- Boy Scouts are going to be very excited when they see the huge track being built for a special Pinewood Derby race to be held Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium. It's not just the biggest track in Utah, it's the biggest ever.
For the first time, the race wasn't only for Boy Scouts -- registration was open for anyone race, and everyone is invited to watch.
The Pinewood Derby track will be more than 325 feet long when it's done, and it's going to break a world record.
World's Longest Pinewood Derby
Saturday, August 28 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Cost: FREE to spectators Rio Tinto Stadium 9256 South State, Sandy Usually the derby tracks that engineer Steve Atkinson builds are 30 to 40 feet long. At 10 times that size, "It's easily the longest I have worked on," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at ksl.com ...
Ping!
Super Pinewood Derby Race.
My scouts would have loved to race on a track that size. Go Scouts!
I’m waiting for the Federal No Fun Commission to put a stop to this.
AWESOME. So if the track has no limits, does that mean the cars don’t have weight limits?
Now THAT would be awesome.
Did you not do the wind tunnel tests on your car before optimizing the weights?
Then there are the bearing surfaces. Did you not wear in your axles and bearings with graphite?
Then to check did you not apply at least 7 coats of hand applied lacquer sanding between each with final sanding with 2000 grit paper before before wax polishing?
For more info and videos of Saturday’s race
Don't forget to sand off the edges of the wheels where the plastic mold contact spot is too.
As to weight, it's best put over the front axle.
;-)
Just helped by son build one last year, in fact.
Ever heard of the Golden Turtle award. Slowest car to make it all the way to the end of the track. Used to be involved with pinewood derby’s through the YMCA Indian Guides. There was one group in Toledo that had a roped off area at the end of the track for Grandparents. They were served hot dogs, chips, and drinks by Dads in Tuxedos. Pretty funny. Lots of good memories.
My Pinewood Derby car was awesome. My dad did a great job.
... speed limits “expected” to reach 120 mph!
We used vertical fins to help keep it straight and keep the wheels from dragging on the center guide.
Where I come from the Pinewood Derby race is only for cub scouts.
LOL, the Pinewood Derby has been the bane of my existence for the past three years. Everytime I think “this is finally the year” me and my son have a real fast car, only to once again find ourselves solidly in the middle of the pack....oh well, next year is going to be THE YEAR!
Here is some advice:
Put your axl’s (really just nails in the BSA Kit) pointy end first into your drill, get some emory cloth (black sandpaper) and get it wet, turn your drill on and get the ribs near the top of your nail smoothed off, also sand hard against the top of the nail, on this inside, the part that will touch the wheel. Let’s say your wheel spins for 12 seconds before sanding, afterwards it will spin for over a minute, that means way, way less friction. Then, if your pack allows it use the black graphite, there’s lots more too it, my sons always finished very high, two years ago my son one the big trophy, first out of 66 drivers.
One of the Packs here in WA state used to have an UNLIMITED division for the adults.
Same adult used to win year in and year out (Boeing engineer). One year, guy used rocket motors and won.
We had an adult only, no holds bar Pine Wood Derby a few years ago in our ward.
It was a total blast!
I didn’t even come close to winning. There are several good engineers in our neighborhood. ;-)
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