Pre-Pinewood Derby Race...

Anyone who has known a cub scout in their lifetime, is probably familiar with the famous "Pine Wood Derby" races. The boys (mind you... 8-11 years old) get a kit with a block of pine and some wheels in it... and with some strickt rules about weight etc. they build a car to roll down a track and race against other cars (supposedly) built by cub scouts. And depending on the troop, this cherrished event can have many long heats, lots of tears, dropped cars, wobbly wheel repairs, black hands and uniforms covered in some powder that is supposed to make them go faster, track repair, a very late school night, and for one proud father... I mean cub with the coveted 1st place trophy.


In the past the men's quarom in our church would get together for a dinner or a picnic with their wives for a social of some kind. Apparently, in our ward they are not very well attended, so they decided to change up the social and give these men a chance to build and race their own pine wood derby cars.


I guess the only good news, is it gives these poor mothers a break from having to protect their small cub scouts from the dangers of competitive natured fathers, since these Dad's don't have to pretend their cub scout built the car.


And maybe we will have a few laughs on the side lines sharing our stories with each other while these silly men race their cars. Yes, my strong silent mysterious man is building his own car to race Friday night at this most dreaded social event.



It starts with the block of wood, fine tune sanding comes after the secret design process of which I was not allowed to take pictures.


All parts must be carefully weighed....


A fraction of an ounce can mean the difference between a win, and disqualification...



Precision drilling to add the desired weights to even out the car's center of balance...


High gloss metalic paint, carefully applied, no streaks, no finger prints... this is most important (cause if you lose the race, there is still a chance for the second most coveted prize "Best in Show").


The secret weapon... 14 intake valvues (whatever that means)
ready for the next step... the wheels. If memory serves me correct... this is a process I can go to bed and miss out on, lots of cracked wood, missing parts, smashed fingers and swearing.



Tonight... the Race ~ To be continued...