A Cheating Bunch

[BG56]

If you stick around after the Pinewood Derby is over you'll see the Real fast cars come out. The organizers and 'informed' parents had cars that were built to run fast, no asthetics. Aside from polishing the axles and 'rounding' the wheels, all you need is a 3/4" wood dowel hollowed out and filled with weight (lead). Weight mounted as low as possible and alignment was very important . I won't get into the CNCd wheels and axles, but of course there was not a scale to be found either!

[Eric Merryfield]

Originally Posted by BG56

If you stick around after the Pinewood Derby is over you'll see the Real fast cars come out. The organizers and 'informed' parents had cars that were built to run fast, no asthetics. Aside from polishing the axles and 'rounding' the wheels, all you need is a 3/4" wood dowel hollowed out and filled with weight (lead). Weight mounted as low as possible and alignment was very important . I won't get into the CNCd wheels and axles, but of course there was not a scale to be found either!

One of the best things about cub scouts for myself and my son and the extended family. Back when I was a kid, 76/77 I went to the new england regionals with my built in the basement special. Looked bad, hauled ***, and certainly weighed, graphite on those wheels, and only having 3 out of 4 down, along with Irish coins in the rear were the trick for me. Still proud of that bad boy.

I couldn't compete with the 100% dad built toys that rolled in there.

When my kid was of age, I followed the same formula, he built it, decorated it, I tweaked it on the weight front and setup, three wheels down, etc, used my big dollar digital scale at work to be 100% legal. He did well all three years with his home built toys, earned whatever he got, now he's a Marine, where as the saying goes earned, not given.

Eric

[rognelson777]

cheating is when you specifically disobey something that is in black and white.. example, nitrous oxide is not allowed in prostock and you hide it in the drysump tank. using the rules to your advantage, innovative!. formula 1 at one point limited fuel tank size, one team found out they could put 20pct more fuel in if they cooled fuel significantly. unforseen problem. race delayed while cars on grid and fuel started overflowing as it warmed up

[SSDiv6]

Part of creativity...

[Keith 944]

"When my kid was of age, I followed the same formula, he built it, decorated it, I tweaked it on the weight front and setup, three wheels down, etc, used my big dollar digital scale at work to be 100% legal. He did well all three years with his home built toys, earned whatever he got, now he's a Marine, where as the saying goes earned, not given."

Eric
__________________
Eric Merryfield 1883 STK

I like what Eric did!
What are people teaching their kids by cheating?

[Mike Pearson]

I still have my Pinewood Derby car. It was the second place car that year.

[Frank Castros]

I still have the one I built for my son somewhere is the garage. It has all the tricks and won first place. I don't recall whether they weighed the cars but I doubt it because it's filled with lead.

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by Keith 944

I like what Eric did!
What are people teaching their kids by cheating?

Without going off track... winning. Winning being the only thing that matters. Any means to an end.

Cheat, steal, ignore rules, fairness is for suckers - just win.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by CMcAllister

Without going off track... winning. Winning being the only thing that matters. Any means to an end.

Cheat, steal, ignore rules, fairness is for suckers - just win.

Personally I wont cheat to win. Just not worth it to me. It would be a hollow win. One of my most memorable wins was at an IHRA race in Immokalee Fl. Final round and Anthony Bertozzi in the other lane. Nothing better than winning the final over a great racer like Anthony.