"It's all About Having Fun"

[Ynot]

What a day to say the least. It was the big day today for our pack and I'm not sure how to view it. On the way to the location where we race I told my son that it's all about having fun and if we don't win that it's okay, he understood as I found out later. Did I? That's hard to tell.

First off the scale was the most inaccurate joke that I'd ever seen. We placed our car on the scale and it came up 4.80 as I expected. I then started dropping small weights on the scale to increase it. One then two then three weights. The scale didn't budge. We pick up the car and she zeroes it out, yet leaves the weights on the car, then 4.90. I ask her to zero it out again, then 5.0. So I'm about to glue the weights on and after the second weight I take it back to her and she weighs it, 4.80. I put the third weight on and still 4.80. I say forget it, I'll glue all three on and hope for the best. I have her test it and it reads 4.80 again. I leave it with her. A few minutes later I come back and ask her to weigh it again for the heck of it, 5.0 now. What a joke, this is the "Official Scale".

Next, they have a contest where kids vote on best looking car, most original, best paint, etc.. The kids are to walk by each car and vote on a piece of paper. Now keep in mind once cars are checked in you cannot touch them until the end of the day or for a major repair. There this one kid picking up cars looking at them and then another kid with a big chunk of ice as a popsicle dripping water everywhere. Kids in and out back and forth, goofing off. I think to myself we can't take this seriously.

The first race went great 2.580. Not bad for a bunch of stuff I knew almost nothing about, canted wheels, COM. The only odd thing was thinking back to last year and getting 2.530 on the same track and conditions and a completely different design, no canting or any concentration on COM. Either way I was glad to see that we were instantly in the lead out of 35 cars. What happened next was my ultimate nightmare. When a kid is about to race he's handed his car from the check in area and then brings it over to the gentleman in charge of setting them on the track. So here we are, the gentleman handing my son his car is looking and talking to an adult at the same time, while my son is looking at other kids and have at him. Now imaging this in slow motion as I witnessed, the car goes from the adults hand slipping past my sons and goes crashing to the ground, bending a perfectly tuned canted wheel. My gut sank as the world around me was suddenly quiet. I'm not sure what I said to anyone, but the wheel was chipped and the axle so bent that I knew it was over. I replaced the axle with a straight one, which was all I had and gave it another shot. The next 3 races of ours were losses, with horrible times. The last time we even jumped the track.

Could we have done better, hard to say, but there was a car that passed our best time with 2.578. I guess the upside is that we placed either way. I was just let down at the whole chaotic day.

On the way home my son asks me if I was mad. I hide my disappointment, of how it was organized, and say "no, I'm not mad". Then he looks at me again and says, "it's all about having fun anyways, right?". I say, "yep that's all it's about" and he smiles.

Although I've really appreciated the help from numerous people here, I'm not sure whether or not I should do it again. It was the most stressful month or so in a long time and I really felt that I lost touch with my son and the meaning of it all. After a while it just became an obsession with winning. I really have to find the balance or not do it again. Why do it if I'm, we are not having fun?

Again, thank-you guys for all your help and God bless.

[Nitro Dan]

In order to have fun with Pinewood Derby, you have to keep focused on the original purpose. Pinewood Derby is about you and your son building a car together, the good times you had working on it together, and creating something that you both can feel proud of. Racing is just an added side bonus to the experience, and win or lose its the time you both spent together that is the real magic.

As for the "dropped car", all cars at our race are moved via car carrying trays. Even a single car must be put on the tray to be moved anywhere (all volunteers are briefed on this heavily). We haven't had a single dropped car in the last four years since we built the trays. I know a lot of people disagree with this method as it tends to remove the "boy" from the racing process, but it does remove much of the risk on dropped cars.

Also, you need to voice your concerns to your Pinewood Derby Committee. I guarantee there will be no change in the process next year if no one says anything. When voicing the concern, also offer ideas of a solution and be prepared to volunteer your own time if necessary. This is the only way change can occur. This will give your son's car a much better chance next year, and hopefully you'll both get to experience the bonus of winning along with the time spent together building the car.

-Nitro Dan

[Ynot]

Awesome advise Dan. I talked to my better half this evening and was telling her something similar. I agree and someone needs to take this step. Don't get me wrong, they're all great people, there just needs more structure at this event.

BTW, do you have any pics of your "carrying trays"?

As far as my son and I what we did towards the end of building was make him a car that twinned the actual racer. I had him do what I thought he'd understand and have the patience for. After it was done I asked him what he'd learned and he told me. I was proud of him. He played with this after the race and took better care of it than I thought he would. Some kids were berrying them in the sandboxes and pushing them down the slides. He just ran around with his clenched in his hand. Next year I'm sure we can step it up a notch in the building process.

Tony

[Nitro Dan]

BTW, do you have any pics of your "carrying trays"?

The larger ones (holding 15 cars each) are listed with pictures over in this thread:

http://www.derbytalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=5457" target="_blank

The smaller one used for carrying the cars from the end of the track back to the parking lot trays is a single row that only holds 6 cars (you can see the handle and corner of it in the first picture). These parking lots were designed to handle about 75 racers efficiently.

-Nitro Dan

[FatSebastian]

First off the scale was the most inaccurate joke that I'd ever seen.

Nowadays precise electronic scales are relatively cheap (< $20). I have loaned a scale in race situations where the unit did not have its own accurate scale. You might consider offering to donate / loan your own scale to replace the troublesome official scale.

I'm not sure whether or not I should do it again. It was the most stressful month or so in a long time...

For many years we did not compete to win nor did we have expectations that we would win; it was about doing our best and then seeing what resulted on the track. Our first year the goal was simply to not be the slowest car. It was only after one of my sons placed very well that the boys' expectations skyrocketed to the point that they felt the motivation to be more competitive and we thus worked accordingly.

Consider asking your son what he wants to do next year and then help him work toward that? The BSA kit rule sheet says "Cars should be built by the Cub Scouts with some adult guidance."

[quadad]

I would say that after a very stressful month, you and your son had a GREAT Pinewood Derby. If your son left the race with enjoyment of the time you spent, appreciation for your interest in helping him and a positive attitude about the whole experience (despite the many flaws at the race) - then you finished way ahead of the great majority of people there. Take great pride in that.

Your words also offer great hints about what you might want to do different next year. The "obsession" part is usually attached to continually seeking the "best" way to do things, which is a forever chase. The "stressful month" is usually a combination of the former along with trying to get the work done with your son while dealing will limited time windows afforded between many other important activities and equally important 'down time'. As the stress goes up and the time remaining goes down, kids tend to get less out of it. So maybe use this years experience to make a plan in advance, allow plenty of time for all of the steps (months) and do your best to keep your son's wonderful attitude right where it is.