A Cheating Bunch

[John DiBartolomeo]

"Of course, I say that with a smirk and a smile on my face… all kiddingly naturally."

https://dragracingedge.com/featured-...heating-bunch/

[Ok stocker]

Went my son was in Boy Scouts they had the derby cars built from kits. They stressed the weight had to meet. We showed up with a car that met weight and all the rules. The more experienced adults knew they were not actually going to weigh the cars. We came in last place. Lol
I picked up one of my sons friends cars. I bet it weighed 10 lbs. That’s when I learned a valuable lesson.

[John Kissel]

There was something I read a while ago about the "soap box derby" cars. The cars are held up at :start of the ramp by a metal plate. Someone figured out where to mount a magnet so that when the plate dropped down, the magnet would help give a good hole shot and win.

[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

[Jeff Stout]

Originally Posted by John Kissel

There was something I read a while ago about the "soap box derby" cars. The cars are held up at :start of the ramp by a metal plate. Someone figured out where to mount a magnet so that when the plate dropped down, the magnet would help give a good hole shot and win.

This was a great story. I had to think for a minute what it was a accomplishing.

[Cbrinson47]

Originally Posted by john kissel

there was something i read a while ago about the "soap box derby" cars. The cars are held up at :start of the ramp by a metal plate. Someone figured out where to mount a magnet so that when the plate dropped down, the magnet would help give a good hole shot and win.

sounds like stock elim racers !

[Mike Taylor 3601]

Originally Posted by Ok stocker

Went my son was in Boy Scouts they had the derby cars built from kits. They stressed the weight had to meet. We showed up with a car that met weight and all the rules. The more experienced adults knew they were not actually going to weigh the cars. We came in last place. Lol
I picked up one of my sons friends cars. I bet it weighed 10 lbs. That’s when I learned a valuable lesson.

KY seems to be ahead in some areas of country.. We have always had to show ID to vote even though half the people there working had/have knew me my whole life..still had to show ID..
When I was in Cub Scouts which has been 45 years ago now....I won our Pinewood Derby.or should I say my Dad did LOL ...Dad had weighed at the grocery store then had screw in weights if needed adjusting at the race.... our cars were weighed before the races then set directly on the track for that round..

[1347]

For those who were involved with Cub Scouts, you know its a parent/scout project. For the most part, the parent ( usually some over competitive father) spends hours prepping axles and wheels and puts the weight in just the right spot.

A good friend of mine who works for Penske racing was involved with his son in a scout troop that almost every father was involved with a NASCAR team. They ended up instituting an “impound “ policy after weigh in because the cars would be reengineered between weigh in and the race. He told me there is nothing more competitive than 20+ nascar dads trying to win a pinewood derby race. Lol

Just to add, all 5 of the cars Doug posted a pic of won fastest in rank, and top 3 overall in troop in all5 years we raced. :-)