BPL National Pinewood Derby Open

[Ryan Jordan]

Lightweight backpacking, and much of what BPL has been about through the years, is less about "weight" than about the "performance:weight ratio" of gear.

For those of you familiar with "pinewood derby", or "pine car racing", you'll see the theme there as well: maximum performance (speed) into a limited weight (5.0 oz) pine car.

Pine car racing has evolved into a tremendously popular activity in youth organizations like the BSA, and for adults as well, but "open" races that integrate adults and youth and are not limited to organization members are limited (with the WIRL monthly racing series among the most popular).

We are considering sponsoring a National Pinewood Derby race. There would be entry fees (to cover race management costs and provide a fundraising vehicle for nonprofits), prize purses (cash/lightweight backpacking gear from race sponsors, of course!), 'net-downloadable videos of each heat, etc. You would not be present to race: cars would be mailed in, and mailed back to you at the finish. This would be an annual event, with PR reflecting the scale of a "National Open" race.

Entries would be open to the public and accepted on a first-come first served basis. This first year, we'd be limiting the event to "stock" cars meeting standards for BSA races, and if interest was high, move towards "open" divisions, and (under discussion), a National BSA Championship race open only to winners of BSA council races throughout the U.S.

I'd like to gauge interest in an event like this from the BPL community, it could be a really fun way for us to enjoy applying some of the neat performance principles (engineering, physics, etc.) that we use on a daily basis to analyze gear towards some friendly community oriented competition.

In addition, I'd be seeking a volunteer from the BPL community to serve as a Race Director. You'd be responsible for searching out the absolute best quality equipment (tracks, timers, software, etc.) for us to purchase, researching and helping us write the Rulebook, and managing the logistics of the race. We'd probably fly you out to Bozeman for a few days as well for track testing, running the actual race, and with other members of our staff (so we have a solid check and balance in place), act as judge and ombudsman for validating final results.

[kevin davidson]

Are there some website on Pinewood Derby racing to give us a sense of the flavor of these events. Perhaps Utube videos? I'm not familiar with this growing sport but it does sound like fun. I love applied design. Open divisions in the future? 5 oz. Artcars? Exotic materials—carbon-fiber/ti construction? — would bring in Bill F. :-)-

[Ryan Jordan]

Search pinewood derby on youtube.com, you'll find some videos. An open division would certainly involve exotic materials, non-standard axles, non-standard wheels, etc., while still maintaining weight and size limits.

[Bill Fornshell]

Now you have tweaked my interest. I might come out of retirement to be apart of something like this.

Many years ago one of my younger brothers was in the Scouts, I think the Cub Scouts, and making a Pinewood Derby Car. He made a typical "kit" car and I made one using a few special techniques but that were still within the rules at the time. My car was about twice as fast as his was.

Kevin,
There are a ton of web sites and lots of "after-market" suppliers of stuff for this.

[kevin davidson]

Omigawd—it's an entire subculture! Sites galore.

They live among us.

[Robert von Pentz]

My son and I built cars when he was a cub scout — a great father son activity — though more father at age 6 than at age 8. It was a lot of fun. In fact, he won the Washington, DC Championship one year. As mentioned there are a ton of websites discussing how to make a fast car.

If you allow non-standard rules it will become like sailboat racing and Ted Turner will win cause he has the most money. One dad around here tested the car in a NASA wind tunnel, or so the rumor goes.

We would love to bring the Bat Mobile out of retirement, especially if it is held in the summer when we are already in Bozeman.

Bob

[Adam Rothermich]

I helped with a Pinewood Derby for the Cub Scouts in my area a few years ago. One of the boys' dads worked at an auto body shop and his car had some pretty nice paint on it. I think it had some cool flames and a good coat of clear coat on it. It was easily the best looking car there. I think it was pretty quick too.

Adam

[Mark W Heninger]

My oldest son just competed in his last pinewood derby.

A few pictures if you are interested. My son's was the vicious looking one

http://heninger.org/gallery/pwd

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