Key: Fine Tuning the Pinewood Derby Cars

By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Fine tuning is the key to winning a pinewood derby.
Twelve member of Cub Scout Pack 21 competed March 9 at the Albert Breault VFW Post 1523 in the annual pinewood derby.
Rob Challinor, Cub master, said the Cub Scouts come up with their designs and those are marked on a block of wood. Adults cut out the rough designs and the Cub Scouts then sand, paint and name their cars. That takes about three to four weeks.
On race day, the recently acquired metal track is set up. Each car races on each of the three lanes and the computer averages the speed.
The first round, said VFW Commander Hans Lowell, determines the winner of “the work that was done at home.”
The winner was Hunter Bourbeau with Mega Motorcycle. Second was Gloria Challinor with The Moon Mobile and third was Nick LaFrance with Sus.
Following that round the “tweaking” begins. The key, Challinor said, is weight placement. The rules are very exacting. Tiny weights are attached to the car and as the work progresses it means frequent trips to the scale — a car must weigh 5 ounces or less. The real fine tuning kicks in with creating a center of gravity that will make the car scream down the track.
Challinor said, “You’d think that putting the weight in the front would make sense but that is actually a drag. It slows the car down.” The car is balanced on a small vertical wood “lip” that sits on a horizontal board. The horizontal board has numbers on it and the car should balance on the ¾ inch mark.
In addition, he said, the competitors want to have just three wheels solidly down on the tract. That also reduces drag.
Once the fine tuning was done the competitors raced again. This time some of the cars that didn’t even make it down the track made it to the end. And some cars actually ran off the end of the track. Many cars set records. Nicholas LaFrance set a record 222.88 mph.
The winner of Most Improved was Jordan Mentor with The Car. He improved from 170 mph to 220.
The competitors and their cars included: Rosie Paquin, Heaven Sent; James Mentor, The Color Shapes; Jayda Mentor, Fast Cat; Justice Hamblin, Stars & Stripes; Hunter Bourbeau, Mega Motorcycle; Elijah Romanchuck, Gatorademobile; Zach Holden, Block; Nicholas LaFrance, Sus; Alix Holden LG33; Gloria Challinor, The Moon Mobile; Joyce Mentor, the Purple Army; and Jordan Mentor, The Car.

caption, page 3:
Pinewood Derby
Another pinewood derby for Cub Scout Pack 21 is done. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.

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