Girl Scouts Championship Race

General topics of interest to racers and race coordinators alike.
User avatar
whodathunkit
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 2475
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
Location: Forgan, OK

Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by whodathunkit »

I find the height limit rule to be the most fascinating rule for the pinewood derby.
There was a lighted type timer used in the very first race. What followed after was judges
and there eyesight to find the winners.
And with the timer systems out now.
That there has been no height limit standard across the board.

But rather left up to packs to give that requirement based off the timing systems for there track.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Speedster
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by Speedster »

Maybe "The Judge" timer was an influence on the low height limit. The timer was inexpensive compared to some of the other timers and perhaps he sold many, many of them. I learned recently "The Judge" can be raised and still works fine. Still, our District has had the 2 1/2" height rule for 31 years so I think the Judge would not have been involved that long ago. What a mystery... I've emailed two groups in Michigan to get info on the Ford "STEAM" race. I'm hoping to get the rules for that race.
Whoda needs this info for his museum.
User avatar
whodathunkit
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 2475
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
Location: Forgan, OK

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by whodathunkit »

Speedster it would be nice to see the Girl Scout Ford Steam program pwd rules!
Last edited by whodathunkit on Wed Feb 15, 2017 7:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
User avatar
whodathunkit
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 2475
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
Location: Forgan, OK

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by whodathunkit »

Speedster wrote:Maybe "The Judge" timer was an influence on the low height limit. The timer was inexpensive compared to some of the other timers and perhaps he sold many, many of them. I learned recently "The Judge" can be raised and still works fine. Still, our District has had the 2 1/2" height rule for 31 years so I think the Judge would not have been involved that long ago. What a mystery... .

Speedster the Judge Timer has a history.. here"s a link to it showing 28 years.. so yes it's only lacking by 3 years!
http://newdirections.ws/newdirection.html
From what I read on the page the true date he started building timer would have 1988 so that's 29 years.. lacking by 2 years now!
3.1 inch's to the running surface of the track for the classic timer.. but could be raised up typically 4 more inches for a 7.1" height.

I done some more digging threw some more pwd books that I had from different clubs to see what I could come up with on there height limits.

I have a book published in 2000 by Gospel publishing house by Richard A. Marriott, (Royal Rangers national commander)
On there car specs .. rules are not much different!
Max length (including all the attachments) 7 1/2''
Max width 2 3/4"
Max height 3"
Max weight 5 1/2 oz. (156 q.)
Minimum under car clearance 3/8"
Minimum distance between wheels 1 3/4"

YMCA:
Width 2 3/4''
length 7 3/4''
weight 6 oz.
height over all not to exceed 3"

Any how speedster hope the info found published in different books will help with the height limits your looking for!
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Speedster
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by Speedster »

I'd like to stick with this Topic because it's about Ford/STEAM and the Girl Scouts.
I had a nice talk with Tracy Magee of Ford. She is definitely the one that can influence change. We talked a lot about fairness. Whether or not STEAM will ever accept the Mid America rules remains to be seen. We talked a whole lot about the 4 on the ground rule. After 27 years with no problems our District added that rule. I dealt with broken cars for 2 years and finally was able to get rid of it. No more problems. I told Tracy lots of very heartbreaking stories and I remember every one of them in detail. If she does nothing else but get rid of that rule she will help thousands of scouts to be able to just build their car.

I'm heavily involved with Natalie and the Girl Scouts. She is a Program Director for the Girl Scouts and lives in my area. She works with others who control all of Ohio and part of Indiana. She loves speed so I knew we were going to get along. She wants to be involved with Ford/STEAM program so there is a lot of work in progress going on right now.

There might be a lot of young ladies visiting Derbytalk soon. I wonder what their Derbytalk names will be. Maybe "STEAM to the Finish".
Best
Speedster
User avatar
Darin McGrew
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1825
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:23 pm
Location: Knoxville, TN
Contact:

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by Darin McGrew »

Speedster wrote:2. Stock wheelbase of 4 3/8" using slots. I'm sorry to hold the racers back but I still think it takes expensive tools and lots of skill to extend the wheelbase, even if you are cutting slots. Maybe later this could be changed.
We provide band saws and drill presses at our workshops, so extending the wheelbase is pretty easy.

Is a miter box and a miter saw "expensive equipment"? Cutting new axle slots with a miter box and a miter saw isn't that difficult.

And I tend to favor general-purpose tools over derby-specific tools, but there are jigs drilling straight axle holes in derby blocks that cost less than $15.
Speedster
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by Speedster »

I agree with you Darin. I have the 2 Derbyworx tools, one for drilling holes and one for cutting slots and they're both easy to use and do a nice job. I was thinking more about drilling angled holes to get the cant needed for various wheels. I didn't say anything to Tracy about the extended wheelbase. I will never try to take anything away from them they already have. Just think about all the Best Design folks if they adopted the Mid America rules. What do you get? A 6 1/2" height rule, or whatever it is. There's a lot of variables here. This program is in its infancy. They might consider having a special set of rules for a Team built car and then another set of rules for the individuals car. I fully realize children from impoverished areas, which they target, are not going to buy Derby Evolutions Mid America wheels for $50.00. OOPS, we also need the inner shaft coned on one wheel so that's another $5.00. Tracy suggested Ford send me around the country to teach adults who will be teaching the young scouts. I will teach them everything I know, you know, Whoda knows, VK knows, gpraceman knows ----- wait a minute. Derbytalk probably has an expert in every state. Ford wants to expand this program. Thoughts are spinning in my head.

I'm sending Tracy a copy of Troy Thorne's book, Build A Winning Pinewood Derby Car. That will introduce her to Dash Derby and his little sister Dottie. I hope it will make her smile.

Mr. Lisano, I understand you are old friends with Tracy Magee from your meeting in Texas. You might chose to drop her a line and ask her to GET RID OF THAT FOUR ON THE GROUND RULE. I'm sorry. I'm hollering at you.
Cheers Everyone,
Speedster
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4919
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by gpraceman »

Speedster wrote:Mr. Lisano, I understand you are old friends with Tracy Magee from your meeting in Texas. You might chose to drop her a line and ask her to GET RID OF THAT FOUR ON THE GROUND RULE. I'm sorry. I'm hollering at you.
My contact with Ford has been limited to those that I met at the Dallas and Miami races. My only real point of contact has been through the Match Marketing Group. I will definitely lobby to strike that rule.
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8

Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
Speedster
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by Speedster »

Tracy said she met you in Dallas. She seemed to recognize your name. I'll bet you could get the Girl Scouts in CO rolling. Maybe Ohio will get to race you in the finals someday.
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4919
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by gpraceman »

Speedster wrote:Tracy said she met you in Dallas. She seemed to recognize your name. I'll bet you could get the Girl Scouts in CO rolling. Maybe Ohio will get to race you in the finals someday.
I've certainly put a plug in for Denver to be one of the cities in the next race series.

I did touch base again with Match MG on the rules and my POC indicated that they would have me check out the rules before they were finalized to give any final feedback.
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8

Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
Speedster
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by Speedster »

That is Great news. I wonder who the final word is on the rules. Maybe it will be you. The rules wouldn't be all that bad if the 4 on the ground was gone. We can only hope.
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4919
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by gpraceman »

I don't know about that, but they seem receptive to my feedback.

Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8

Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
Speedster
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by Speedster »

My wife and I were able to attend the Ford Girl Scout race in Michigan. Randy did a Super job. The race was held at a church which is very active in many things. I talked to the Activity Director of the church many days before the race and built her a wedge Derby car. Thinking she might get to race someone, I did the very best I could. Two years after the Ford race, Lisa called me all excited and told me she was racing her car and winning every lane. I was happy for her. A few days ago, Lisa called me again and told me she was racing her car again and won every lane again in a race. The church apparently supplies the church for Pack 1707 to run their scout races. I don't know exactly who she races but it's fun listening to her excitement. She sent me a video she took of one of the races down a lane and also put it on Facebook. You can hear her hollering in the background. I think that's a Tribute to 5 year old Hob-E-Lube graphite. The video is also on The First United Methodist Church of Troy, Michigan. Yes, I'm sending her some Graphite.

One more thing that makes this humorous. The cars need a name because the winner of each race gets their name hollered out. She named her car "Klinger". If you happen to watch the video, that's what you are hearing - "KLINGER". My name is actually spelled with two "L's" - Klingler, but that's a lot harder to say. Lisa is a very bubbly personality and full of enthusiasm.
User avatar
murphken
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 4:26 pm
Location: Harrisburg, PA

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by murphken »

I imagine lots of pink wheels on those cars?
SHINING LIGHT Pinewood Derby & Audio
Loud2ns
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 7:50 pm
Location: Hudsonville, Michigan

Re: Girl Scouts Championship Race

Post by Loud2ns »

Got a link? I'd like to watch it, but I'm struggling to find it.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Post Reply