Pinewood Derby at the $2012 Challenge?

How do you make one of these things? I was all pumped for a BSA Pinewood Derby race, but that's not happening now, so I need to get one of these made.

Karl looks as if he's figured out the best way.

Whats funny about Karls design, is i'm pretty sure it violates most of the rules that....Karl posted.

Yeah, but who's gonna disqualify Karl?

I am a Judge so disqualify away ! I am not really a judge as I am to violent . I am only doing promo runs /fun runs only .

Did I miss the "Rules"? Are we just WO? Weight - Wheels - ???

But what about 5 cylinder valve covers?!?

Are we going to officially adopt Karl's rules with the addition of the $20.12 cost cap? Tom?

I vote those rules with the addition of $20.12 cost cap and allowing valve covers from any engine as long as it meets the weight and size limits.

Do you get a $10 dollar extra if you sell off old parts ?

Karl La Follette wrote: Do you get a $10 dollar extra if you sell off old parts ?

What are you going to sell off of a valve cover? The filler cap?

Why am I thinking that some sort of DOHC valve cover would be the way to go?

$2012 Challenge Valve Cover Racing Rules

Valve Cover Regulations:

See my later post for updated, official rules.

How do these look?

A couple of thoughts: How big is a Pontiac straight 8 valve cover? Better to use actual measurements IMO. What about twin cams? If width was a max of 10" some could be used.

"you could store energy during a race against a slow car, then use it to beat a fast car in a later heat."

Is this a distance race or a speed race?

I think $20.12 makes more sense as a budget. You could exclude the actual junkyard cost of the valve cover.

I like the less restrictive wheel rule to encourage creative stuff... like the Challenge.

Argo1 wrote: How big is a Pontiac straight 8 valve cover?

This. Otherwise works for me.

Concours judging? Creativity? Matching Challenge car?

We're still working on coordinating everything, the rules will probably be subtly tweaked in the next few days.

The track might be dirt. Opinions?

Valve cover rallycross? Rather see pavement IMO.

One of the cars I built was near $50 with the cost of the valve cover, paint, wheels, rust removal, etc.. Another came in at just over $3. The $50 cap really is reasonable if you have to buy wheels. (How about wheels don't count in the official budget if they say Kumho on the side?? :)

I assume it's like a drag race where the first car to finish wins, not a quest for distance. That leads me to think that they all start from the same start line, not the back of the track. Then the dimensions of the car should not matter much.

This should be a gravity power race; otherwise it will turn into something that is not Valve Cover Racing.

Oh, why bother talking about rules when Karl is going to smash us all. Let's just give him the trophy now. Well, at least the one for best design.

Tom Suddard wrote: This is a gravity race, cars may possess no easily retrievable potential energy at the start of the run (with the exception of their height from the ground at the start, which will be provided by the launch ramp). Excess energy generated during official runs at the $2012 Challenge may be stored onboard the cars to be used during later runs. For example, you could store energy during a race against a slow car, then use it to beat a fast car in a later heat.

Not sure I understand this... can you provide an example?

BradLTL wrote:

Tom Suddard wrote: This is a gravity race, cars may possess no easily retrievable potential energy at the start of the run (with the exception of their height from the ground at the start, which will be provided by the launch ramp). Excess energy generated during official runs at the $2012 Challenge may be stored onboard the cars to be used during later runs. For example, you could store energy during a race against a slow car, then use it to beat a fast car in a later heat.

Not sure I understand this... can you provide an example?

I'm envisioning a rubber band that winds up on the first run and has a mechanism to keep it stopped once it runs out of momentum.

Then all hell breaks loose on the second run. (Run it backwards?)

By "rubber band" i mean one of those gigantic scary pallet rubber bands. I'm pretty sure we could get a valve cover up to a good 40mph with one.

I'm hoping Bryce builds a hybrid Fiero valve cover.

If its "first to finish" elimination races then cars must start from a line rather than rear wheels against the top to compensate for length differences. If it is single or double elimination races for best distance then back wheels can be used.