Cheating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

t.nie

t.nie

Patience Tester
Ok, so I went and pitted for my buddies 7 year old yesterday at the local cub scout pinewood derby, and I gotta tell ya, one thing I saw just epitomized the ignorance and stupidity of some people beyond belief. This guy was a leader of the pack (no pun intended) and the official starter for the heats.

So this ignoramus is sticking the kids cars on the track, and when his kid's car comes up, what do you think this moronic buffoon does before placing it on the track? Pulls out the tube of graphite from his pocket, squirts it on all his kids axles, then carefully places it in perfect alignment, taking extra care to make sure its as straight as can be, even bending down to rifle sight it down the track. Meanwhile, everyone else's car just gets dropped on the starting line.

We all saw it, you could not miss it. Great thing was, his kids car came in no better than third in any of the heats, so it did not do him any good going those extra lengths to gain an edge. But man, some people.:rolleyes:

It was actually quite funny in the end.:)
 
todd... not intentionally playing the "devil's advocate" here(no relation or offense to the person who has that screen name), did any of the competitor's complain, or protest? is there a rule specifically against that?? i agree, it is borderline, or even blatant favoritism, but if a guy can get an edge, and be within the rules, then so be it. was he within the rules? i guess since the car did only better than 3rd, then i guess it's poetic justice... the 4th or 5th place cars should have maybe said something.i dunno... wasn't there, dont know the rules. find out, and let me know, or if anyone knowledgeable about pinewood derby, please post back. thanks,art.
 
I remember when I was a little kid my dad would drill holes in the very front of our car and melt lead into it and then cover it with wood filler and paint it up. This brought the car right up to the max weight allowed allowing for faster speed down the ramp.

We also used graphite on the axles before each race..

This was over 25 years ago, so it isn't anything new.

By the way, I won the area pinewood derby championship 2 years in a row.
 
Art, I dont know what all the rules are, or anything much about it, but the point is this particular dad just made himself look stupid. Its the freaking pinewood derby. In fact, the thing was supposed to be about a father and son sticking a car together and racing it, not about winning so much as sharing an activity.

One thing I am aware of is that it has become so much a dad's competition, with junior getting shoved out of it, that many packs have two pinewood derbys, a regular one for the kids, and one for the dads.

Graphite on the wheels and lead in the car happened when i was a kid too, and some other tricks like axle tubes have now been outlawed.

Know what the second fastest car overall was, yesterday? A block painted black with a huge hole drilled down the middle. Nothing fancy at all, and just dropped on the line. Pretty awesome, a real sleeper in the derby.
 
jdearing said:
I remember when I was a little kid my dad would drill holes in the very front of our car and melt lead into it and then cover it with wood filler and paint it up. This brought the car right up to the max weight allowed allowing for faster speed down the ramp.

We also used graphite on the axles before each race..

This was over 25 years ago, so it isn't anything new.

By the way, I won the area pinewood derby championship 2 years in a row.
Click to expand...
nah can't say it :D :D :D
 
got wood?

pine wood that is..Rule #2. a.No GRAPHITE or other lubricants will be allowed in the building. Only dry lubricant can be used on axles.. So essentialy, he would have been within the rules had he dusted the axles outside. My solution for this would be to take the axles(nails) off and rub a pencil(no 2) on them, and then re-insert them into the body. Pencil lead is really graphite.Not that my way is anymore sportsman like, but it is within the rules. Sort of.. depends on how swift the tech man is..The guy belligerantly disobeyed rule 1.o., 2.a.,and 11, on the offical rule sheet. He should have been ousted, but I believe the overall result was fitting...Thanks Jimmy, I'll try that idea. I'll have to find some sinkers to melt down...
 
Todd

t.nie said:
Ok, so I went and pitted for my buddies 7 year old yesterday at the local cub scout pinewood derby, and I gotta tell ya, one thing I saw just epitomized the ignorance and stupidity of some people beyond belief. This guy was a leader of the pack (no pun intended) and the official starter for the heats.

So this ignoramus is sticking the kids cars on the track, and when his kid's car comes up, what do you think this moronic buffoon does before placing it on the track? Pulls out the tube of graphite from his pocket, squirts it on all his kids axles, then carefully places it in perfect alignment, taking extra care to make sure its as straight as can be, even bending down to rifle sight it down the track. Meanwhile, everyone else's car just gets dropped on the starting line.

We all saw it, you could not miss it. Great thing was, his kids car came in no better than third in any of the heats, so it did not do him any good going those extra lengths to gain an edge. But man, some people.:rolleyes:

It was actually quite funny in the end.:)
Click to expand...
You should have yelled," Hey you cant do that!!!" As loud as possible, while pointing directly at him...Leader of the pack or not, he's not beyond correction, or criticism. Dont tell me you are getting shy about expressing your opinion now!! ;)
 
All of the pinewood derby races I have been affiliated with over the last 20 years the rules state, ONCE THE CARPASSES INSPECTION AND IS PLACED ON THE HOLDING TABLE NO WORK OR GRAPHITING OF WHEELS CAN TAKE PLACE. The only work allowed was if a weight or a wheel came off and had to be replaced. And as a former Den Leader and Cubmaster I was involved in races, but when it was time for my boys to race I made sure I was in a position to WATCH and not be scoring or judging in anyway.
 
If you want to see something crazy, do a search on "pinewood derby" and see some of the things that are out there to cheat up the cars. Bearing axles, lightweight wheels, fully prepared cars for sale, etc. Some of the "kid's" cars look like they've gone through a wind tunnel. We've been talking about this at work, and my thought on it is someone needs to get parents and sons over to one place over a weekend and let them work on the cars together with basic hand tools. After the weekend, the cars get boxed up and impounded until the race. With the look of some of the cars, there is no way the kids have any part in building them. I remember when I was a kid, the cars actually looked like the kids had some part in their construction. :rolleyes:
 
We have been known to "enhance" the construction. In another life we solved most of the problems with kids having "pro" cars by creating 3 classes for the dads. Stock, modified and unlimited. It's sort of like any other racing. Your friends tell you most of the secrets but not all.
 
The rule is you are not aloud to touch your car at all untill the races have ended once you put it on the line up table... Den leaders or cubmaster could not touch there sons car or be a judge. All cars couldnt weigh any more then 5 ounces. This year was my first to enter my own pinewood car. Same rules except these cars could weigh up to 1pound boy was that fun. mine ended up at 14 ounces an took a 1st in heat one and a second in heat two. My sons car took first in all his races also against me. :eek: owell we had fun doing it. :) An some day i look forward to the day we race on a local dirt track together.
 
Guys, no need to go on a defensive crusade about pinewood derbies. My point is simply that things are so slow in winter that cheating at a pinewood derby gets a thread with multiple replies. Do you think we'd be talking about this in May?
 
I agree with Dave0654 and little 302. Once the car has been inspected it can not be touched buy anyone other than the judges or the starter. In this case the starter happened to be a scouts father. he cheated and got caught. Like Tinie says: What did it get him ? NOT A WIN !!!!
I was involved in my nephews pinewood derby races. ( might i add he was Champ and fastest time three years in a row ! Yes im a proud Uncle )
The cars where inspected and watched over by someone other than a scout parent. noone other than the inspectors could touch them. only at the time of the race could the starter touch them. Which not a scout parent. after the race there was disignated people to collect the cars. Not a parent. And judges where not parewnts either. The point Im making here is at no time was a parent involved in the races.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.




Back
Top