Goliath PWD track!

General track discussions.
Post Reply
User avatar
Pinewood Daddy
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1500
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:04 pm
Location: Wallingford, Connecticut

Goliath PWD track!

Post by Pinewood Daddy »

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/p ... /802290320

This track is seeking to break the world record for largest track previously set Jan. 6th at the Indiana State Museum.
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4926
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by gpraceman »

Loops, curves, and crossovers? That will be some track. It is hard to think that a car can make it through all of that.
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.
User avatar
Randy and Son
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:02 pm
Location: Elkhorn, Nebraska

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by Randy and Son »

I saw the crossovers and thought there's no way that a rail rider could run on that track. Upon further review, it appears to be an edge guided track. No center guide rail. But even a car with straight alignment might have trouble if it doesn't enter the crossover straight.

Besides, why would you want to expose your car to risk of collision after going to the trouble to align it properly?

I wonder if anyone has really tested those loops. Extended wheels base and stock wheel base are going to tolerate it differently.

Would be fun to watch, but I don't know if I'd want to participate.

Randy
iceman61
Journeyman
Journeyman
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:52 pm
Location: West, TN

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by iceman61 »

Randy and Son wrote:Would be fun to watch, but I don't know if I'd want to participate.
Randy
Same here. I get all nervous at the end of pack races when alot of the kids start racing their cars across the floor. lol
User avatar
Randy and Son
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:02 pm
Location: Elkhorn, Nebraska

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by Randy and Son »

Well here is a link to the article describing how yesterday's race on GOLIATH went. Not a single car was able to finish.

Sounds like there was a lot of "car"nage :) (Couldn't help my self) Still would have been fun to watch though.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/p ... /803020301

Randy
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4926
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by gpraceman »

Randy and Son wrote:Well here is a link to the article describing how yesterday's race on GOLIATH went. Not a single car was able to finish.

Sounds like there was a lot of "car"nage :) (Couldn't help my self) Still would have been fun to watch though.
The record shouldn't count if no cars finish!!!!!!!

They should try again next year. Take out the crossover and the sharp turns and put guard rails on any place that a car could derail.
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.
doct1010
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1300
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:06 pm

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by doct1010 »

Begs the question. How good is a design if no car finishes?
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: Goliath PWD track!

Post by Darin McGrew »

gpraceman wrote:The record shouldn't count if no cars finish!!!!!!!
Agreed. And if they do count it, then they should measure no further than cars were actually able to make it. The rest wasn't a derby track; it was decoration.
gpraceman wrote:They should try again next year. Take out the crossover and the sharp turns and put guard rails on any place that a car could derail.
When we built our current track, we built a "road hump" section. Not a loop, not a turn, not a crossover--just two gentle humps. We've never used it because cars have problems with it. The idea of loops and crossovers and sharp turns... :shock:
User avatar
Randy and Son
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:02 pm
Location: Elkhorn, Nebraska

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by Randy and Son »

To my mind its not really even a Pinewood Derby race. The term "Demolition Derby" seems more accurate. Way too gimmicky to be called a race. Endurance, yes. Race, no.

Randy
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4926
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by gpraceman »

Looking again at the first article, there may not have been a crossover. It may have just been how the sections were layed out as they were assembling the track.

Anyways, it doesn't sound like they needed a crossover to provide some good crashes. The turns did that for them.
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.
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4926
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by gpraceman »

Mr Slick was kind enough to dig up the photo and article for this track, since the original article is no longer available.

This photo shows it being assembled.

Image

http://www.worldrecordsacademy.org/bigg ... _80156.htm

Browsing around the web, I found these other photos and a more in-depth article.

Image

Image

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles ... newood.txt
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.
User avatar
pack529holycross
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 555
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:25 pm
Location: Dr. Phillips, Florida
Contact:

Re: Goliath PWD track!

Post by pack529holycross »

gpraceman wrote:Mr Slick was kind enough to dig up the photo and article for this track, since the original article is no longer available.

This photo shows it being assembled.

They should not have named it goliath, they should have named it Abomination. I would profer a protest in that the definition of a "Pinewood Derby Track" must include... oh.. I dont know.... the ability for cars to make it to the finish line. Certainly we can take ten packs Bestrack setups, and create a 440 foot track, and claim to have a record, but in reality a track upon which no competition can take place is simply an exercise in self indulgent ego stroking.

I nominate this track to hold the record " Biggest non functioning sculpture based on the idea of Pinewood Derby ". All due respect to the builder, but it fails the test of " is it a Pinewood Derby Track ".

Nicholas
Post Reply