The Pinewood Derby is one of the highlights of the Pack year. The Cubs build 7 inch wooden cars with their dads and race them on a sloping track about 19 feet long. The basics of how to build a Pinewood Derby car are explained in the kit you receive four to six weeks prior to the race. Pack 144 prides itself on always being competitive in the regional run-offs.
Here are a few tips (not guaranteed!):
- Start early to allow time for adjustments.
- Get the weght of the car as close to 5.0 ounces as possible. Post office scales are helpful. Using small fishing weights recessed into the wood allows for easy adjustments.
- Put as much weight as possible in the rear. (For the physicists - this allows a greater vertical drop of the center of gravity and thus more potential energy.)
- Reduce friction in the wheels with lots of graphite and good wheel alignment.
- For more details and ideas, check out the many websites on the net.
Maximum Velocity, Jay's Pinewood Derby