Beat, but not BEATEN!!!

[IndyMustang]

My son participated in District this past Saturday and finished 3rd in Webelos and 3rd overall. Not bad considering he won rank and overall last year and was only going to his last district race to have fun since he will bridge before next year's district race.

The rules were pretty loose and so was tech, but he was encouraged to build per the rules and informed of the consequences and finger pointing if built otherwise.

I took a few pictures of the competitors entries just to get design ideas and discovered a few reasons why some were much faster and decided to get close up pictures.

My son noticed the wheels on two of the faster cars and had a hard time understanding why I encouraged him to stick to the rules and not stray from them. I had to really convince him that sometimes things aren't caught or others interpret the rules differently and what may not seem fair is simply out of his control.

At 10 years old he was pretty mature about it all, which I am proud of hime for.

I'll try to post a few pictures.

My son is in the middle and my co den leader's boys are on each side. They finished 2nd in Webelos and 2nd overall and 2nd in Tiger.


This is his car (#6):


Here are some V wheels:


And lightened wheels on the car that was first in Webelos and overall:


Chris

[Bulldog]

Third place is EXCELLENT! Especially at the district level. Absolutely nothing to hang one's head low for.


But, yes. I'd be disappointed in the wheels of the other cars as well. The rules should be the same throughout the district- A car legal at district should also be legal at each pack level. That way all entries follow the same rules. And the rules should be enforced!

[doct1010]

The rules were pretty loose and so was tech, but he was encouraged to build per the rules and informed of the consequences and finger pointing if built otherwise......
I had to really convince him that sometimes things aren't caught or others interpret the rules differently and what may not seem fair is simply out of his control.

Congrats to you and your son.

How could ANYONE miss the raised ridge on that V cut wheel!

[Lucky13]

Congrats to you and your son. I'm with Doct1010, how could the people running check-in miss the v-ed wheels. I could understand a lightened wheel maybe getting through. Were the v-ed wheels actually illegal for the race ? You mentioned the rules were pretty loose, so I was just wondering.

[IndyMustang]

The rules stated that the wheels and axles could be lightly sanded and polished, but could not change the shape and size. I know that leaves a lot open to speculation, but ????

Here are the wheels from the overall winner. Pretty thin and they passed too.



Chris

[doct1010]

LOL lightly sanded! Yeah right. Those are 1 or 1.8 gram wheels, trust me they were not made by the scout! (unless his dad is Warpspeed) I suggest an eye chart be set up near inspection table. All in good fun of course.

[psycaz]

You see what had happened was that while my son was polishing his wheels, his finger with the sandpaper slipped around the edge of the wheel and fell into the wheel cavity. That's how come some of the wheel from in there is missing. (huge sarcasm).

Depending on how the rules were worded, lightening of the wheels doesn't change the outside shape or size. So in that case, I guess, lightened wheels would be ok.

Don't know by what clause or thought process that you could come up with for the v shaped to get by. Outside of someone just missing it.

We did have one of those at our districts - scout got by check in with washers. It was caught when staging the car for the race and promptly dq'd. Still don't like the idea of dq'ing someone once the car has been accepted. Especially without providing the scout some type of chance to correct the car - which was what happened in our district, no chances, it was gone.

[pwdarchitect]

LOL lightly sanded! Yeah right. Those are 1 or 1.8 gram wheels, trust me they were not made by the scout! (unless his dad is Warpspeed) I suggest an eye chart be set up near inspection table. All in good fun of course.

Or a member of another well known racing league out West.

Depending on how the rules were worded, lightening of the wheels doesn't change the outside shape or size. So in that case, I guess, lightened wheels would be ok.

Doesn't weight fall into the size catagory? So, if you reshape the interior of the wheel and thereby lightening the wheel this does not change the wheels size?

[doct1010]

Or a member of another well know racing league out West.

Judging by the design you may be right on target! Close to a big salty lake? lol

[PWD_addict]

The rules should say lightly sanded and polished on the outside. It could be argued that there's no way to sand the insides of the wheels to make them look like that!

IMO, that's why the rules need to be specific--so that something like that doesn't happen.

I guess if the rules are unclear, you should ask an authority.

Nevertheless, 3rd at District is awesome!!!! Congrats to you and your boy!!! And congrats for taking the high road as well. That goes much further in life than a little bit bigger trophy.

[IndyMustang]

I've offered my services as District PWD Tech for next year since my son will be in Boy Scouts by then. I'm all for giving the chance to correct the problem to allow the boy to race. I've even brought extra prepared wheels and axles the past two races just in case someone needed them. We'll see how next year goes.

[doct1010]

I've offered my services as District PWD Tech for next year since my son will be in Boy Scouts by then. I'm all for giving the chance to correct the problem to allow the boy to race. I've even brought extra prepared wheels and axles the past two races just in case someone needed them. We'll see how next year goes.

Kudos for stepping up to the plate! The start of a solution, one which will insure a similar debacle is history. Good luck.

A word of advice/caution, be sure the rules are clearly articulated, ie if you intend to prohibit lightened wheels say so explicitly. It seems it is becoming imperative all exceptions be spelled out clearly. Eliminate grey area at all cost, of course only if that is your intention. Each scout should recieve a set. Keep a set at inspection/registration.

[Pinewood Daddy]

I've offered my services as District PWD Tech for next year since my son will be in Boy Scouts by then.

I volunteered for our Districts PWD Committee this year. We haven't had a meeting, but I assume I'll be involved in inspection and maybe starting (except for my town - I still have two boys in CS going to District). There's no better way to understand and influence change in the rules than being on the committee!

Our District rules specify "Wheels may be sand to remove burrs and surface imperfections, but cannot be altered in any other way". To me, that allows sanding the OD and coning the hub. No grey area.

[IndyMustang]

Thanks for the advice. If I get to that point I may want to bounce some rules verbage off you professionals if you don't mind.

Chris

[doct1010]

Our District rules specify "Wheels may be sand to remove burrs and surface imperfections, but cannot be altered in any other way". To me, that allows sanding the OD and coning the hub. No grey area.

This would seem to allow for lathing of OD. Not that I have a problem with good round wheels. I think if you intend to eliminate lightened or other types (v or H grooved) you must say so explicitly. eg." NO material may be removed from interior of wheel in attempt to lighten" "The tread pattern MUST remain flat, NO V or H grooves or rounding of tread allowed" ect.