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Cub Scout Pack 215 Sponsored
by First
Presbyterian |
215 Pinewood |
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Specifications
& Tips Design for Speed If you want to make a
really fast Grand Prix car, you need to know which design factors increase
your car's available energy and which ones decrease it. You must start from
your initial design to get the most in speed. Some races judged by electronic
timers have been decided by one thousandth of a second (that's less than a
quarter of an inch at the finish line). There is probably NOT
a single BEST design. Given the competing nature of some of the performance
factors and track shapes, there IS room for difference in design. Though cars
shaped like high performance grand prix racers may win, a car designed by
following these procedures to the letter will tend to look more like a
dragster. These cars should win more often given the wide range of Grand Prix
race tracks and judging. Factors That Increase Energy Available for Speed 1. Length of your car 2. Location of your car's balance point 3. Total weight of your car Factors That Decrease Energy Available for Speed 1. Rubbing between axles and wheels 2. Resistance of your wheels to spin 3. Wheels that bob up and down (your car is not flat on
the track) 4. Wheels that are not aligned straight 5. Rubbing between the air and your car 6. Rubbing between inner wheel hubs and your car body 7. Rubbing between axle heads and outer wheel hubs Each of these factors
must be dealt with in some way in the design itself because they affect each
other. For example, in order to place the balance point where it should be,
you will make your car body as light as possible. This allows most of your
car's weight to be free weight that can be precisely positioned in the rear
of your car. However, the nose of your car may become so light it could hop
off a bumpy track! If you make the
body too slight, how will you secure the free weight to the car or keep it
from breaking when it hits the pillow or blanket at the end of the track? So
there are real trade-offs with real consequences to be judged and weighed in
the design of your car. How much of a risk-taker you are may determine how
you apply the procedures in this manual.
Race Days Pack 215 - Scheduled the last Monday of the Month of February District 6 & 20 Race - Against all
Scouting in the Area - Usually in Early March Pinewood
1.
Width:
Overall width shall not exceed 2 & ¾ inches or 7 cm. 2.
Length:
Overall length shall not exceed 7 inches or 17.8 cm. 3.
Weight:
Finished car can not weigh more than 5 ounces or 141.75 grams. The weight shown on the Official Race Scale is
final. All car parts and materials must be firmly attached. To increase the
car's weight, add wood or metal only. 4.
Wheels
& Axles: Use only Official Scout Grand Prix wheels and axles. (Do not use
Solid Axles or the Modified Wheel kits you can buy separately) You can polish
the axles. You may lightly sand the wheels to remove the molding seam on the
tread. No other wheel changes are allowed.
Wheels cannot by Rounded from edge to edge; the “dots” on the outer
edge of the wheel must still be present. Washers and bushings are
prohibited. 5.
Do not
change the position of where the axles are located on the car by either
moving them back or forward. 6.
Lubrication: Use dry powdered graphite
ONLY. You may NOT use any other lubricant, especially oils and silicone
sprays. No graphite may be applied after car inspection. 7.
Springing:
The car shall not ride on any type springs. 8.
Details:
Details such as steering wheel, driver, decals, painting, or interior detail
are permissible as long as these details do not exceed the maximum length,
width, and height specifications. 9.
Attachments:
The car must be freewheeling with no starting devices. 10. Inspection: Each Car must pass inspection by the
Committee before it may compete. Inspection will take place prior to the race
and will be completed by the Packs Committee. The Inspectors have the right
to disqualify those cars which do not meet specifications by race time.
NOTE: If you
have any questions, ask in advance so that there is no issue on race day. Pack 215 Raceway Rules
·
RACE 1 will only allow Cars that are made this year using the kits handed
out at the Christmas Pack Meeting ·
RACE 2 will allow Cars from Past Years but not including this year’s car. Awards
will be given for both races. NOTE: Once cars have been registered, weighed, and
certified, they will remain in the hands of race committee until the end
of the competition. 2.
GRAPHITE WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE BUILDING day of the race. Scouts will lubricate the
cars at the time of registration. 3.
Because
of possible damage to the cars and track, there will be no running, pushing,
yelling, etc. in the building. Violators will be disqualified. 4.
Food
and drinks will be available during the race (Pizza and soda). Each heat will be announced. 5.
Scouts and
all other spectators must remain behind the tape. Seats will be set up to
allow spectators to see the race. 6.
The
starter will make sure the cars are on the track properly and then will start
the race. 7.
Results
will be recorded at the finish line. 8.
If a
car leaves the track, runs out of its lane, interferes with another car,
loses an axle, etc., the heat will be rerun. If the same car gets into
trouble on the second run, the contestant is disqualified and automatically
loses that race. If, on the second run, another car is interfered with, the
heat will be run a third time, but without the disqualified car. We will follow
a double elimination setup to determine the winners. Thus, each car needs to lose a total of 2
times to be eliminated from the competition.
Check out the
following web site for more Pinewood Derby Tips The
Ultimate Pinewood Derby Site Maximum Velocity! Pinewood Derby Site
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