Mini2Go: I edited the original post to clarify - cars are available at Fontana when you check in. Mailing out 150 car kits would overtax our "mini" Club! Also, registration is OPEN!

MINI_Bee, no shirts planned right now for this inaugural first historic running of Dragon Draggin' classic - we'll see how the event goes and expand as we can next year. We're discussing more races, more race classes, and more available modifications to the cars, but don't want to kill ourselves doing it!

 

Looking forward to the run. Appears you have a terrific event on your hands.

Do you have standard dimensions for the Mini-wood block provided with the kit? Curious. Thanks.

 

I'm in!

 

Hey Guys
I have a blank from a past track day event can i prep it and enter the race when i get there?


See you at the dragon!!
Mike

 

OK guys, the dimensions are decided, but may vary by a 16th or so since these are cut out by hand:

L: 10cm / 4 inches
W: 4.5 cm / 1.75 inches
H: 3.2cm / 1.25 inches
Wt: Approx 2.5 oz (weight varies by +/- .75 ounces because wood density varies)
Kit Includes: Pine wood block cut to a Mini or Mini S shape, 4 wheels, 4-5 axles, instructions/rules, a small piece of sandpaper, and the cost also covers your entry fee for the Dragon Draggin' contest

Please note there is an MCS and an MC, we're preparing to have more MCS's available than MCs mainly because an MC can be made from an MCS blank by cutting/sanding off the spoiler. You WILL have to add weight to get to the 5 ounce limit, anything under about 4oz and these are not making it to the end of the track. The blanks pictured below are early prototypes, the "real" ones have slightly larger (and more evenly cut) axle slots. Build and mod tips to follow...



and for LilRuffCat and others who've asked...

 

Sorry, Mike, as referenced in the first rule in the first post of this thread:

The kits we're providing will be pre-cut to the rough form of a MINI. Also, and more importantly, nobody else will have the opportunity to work on their cars prior to their arrival. This will keep everyone on a more level playing field.

 

As for adding the weight, are there limitations on the material? Can I add chewing gum, play-doh, or any other similar material?

Thanks for the dimensions!

 

No limitations on the material, but there are dimensional limits on the car itself (see instructions in the link above). If you add, say, 3 ounces of feathers or styrofoam your car would likely be too large to get through the finish gate! Also, you can't interfere with any other racer. As for other limitations, if the weight falls off it stays off (there is a 5-minute limit on any necessary repairs, however), and if it's too gross to pick up we simply won't touch it.

I've also checked with our Dragon Draggin' Rules Co-mini-ission, and have the following to report:

The only restriction in the rules are that if it falls off it stays off.

Also keep in mind, however, we are using BSA guidelines for "fouls" and restarts as follows:

- If the car jumps off the track before the finish line, the heat will be run again. If the same car jumps off the track a second time, it will be eliminated from the competition.
- If the car (or any piece from it) leaves its lane and interferes with another car, the heat will be run again. If the same car causes interference with another car a second time in that heat, the interfering car will be eliminated from the competition. The interfered car will continue to the next round.
- If the car suffers a mechanical problem, loses an axles, breaks a wheel, etc., and a repair can be accomplished in a 5 minute period of time, the heat will be run again. If the repair cannot be completed in 5 minutes, the car will automatically lose the race. The car must be inspected and weighed after the repair is completed. (If there are other cars left to race, those races will proceed during the 5 minute repair time.)

So, in other words, you don't want to use something that would fall off or cause an interference.
If it's not mentioned in the rules above and a dispute results, we'll refer to the official Boy Scout Pinewood Derby rules for guidance.

 

 

Decisions made:

- There will be a hot glue gun available for emergency repairs and axle gluing
- We have over 2 dozen entrants already!
- The axles are reasonably polished, and we will supply the graphite or white dry lube (your choice) on race day. Once lubed, the cars will be impounded.
- Due to the large amount of racers anticipated, the cars will be taken from impound, announced, and raced by the organizers. This allows folks to drop their car off, head out for Saturday events, and still be eligible to win races or beauty contest prizes... BUT...
- We will ALSO have door prizes! These will be called by car number, and therefore only available to the folks in the room, so stay and cheer!
- There will NOT be a Demolition Derby this year, sorry. OK, none is PLANNED for this year. What you do with your car in your spare time is up to you!

And we have more coming... there's still a possibility of a Club Vs Club race (thanks Mini_Bee for the earlier suggestions...)

 

Grrrrrr. Here I come. Looking forward to this event.

 

Grrrrrr?

Uh oh. I think we're in trouble now - he sounds serious!

 

Is there a set time for when the races are gonna start yet?

 

I had Mark put 10:00am in the event planner. With the current entrant projection at this point, we look fine to open the assembly/design/check-in at 10:00am with race-entry deadline/race start at 11:00am. By locking in this time scenario, however, we might have to cut off registration around 100 entrants (we were looking to start an hour earlier if we approached the 150-entrant level). (Check-in deadline for the Drag Queen Car Show will be 12:00pm.)

Keep in mind that once your car is checked-in to quarantine for the races you are encouragedto stay (and win door prizes!), but not obligated to. We will have our highly-trained volunteers run the race heats for you.

The duration of the races is wholly dependent on the total number of entrants. (Well, that and the number of fouls/restarts!) If we only have 60 total entrants, we're going to finish up WAY before 1:30 (probably noon-ish!).

One question we have: how many folks will be relying on our LIMITED tools/resources for assembly/design and how many have grander ideas that will be bringing tools/resources of their own?

 

I'm bringing my portable CNC machine (hee hee hee!)

 

I'm bringing chewing gum and play-doh!

 

I know this may be a bit late to bring up but....
It seems that the Event Planner shows everything going on in the AM on Saturday, like the Sunrise Drive, Autocross and the Group Photo I so much want to be a part of.
There seems to be nothing going on after the Group Photo at 11am till 5pm when the Farewell Dinner begins.
Is there any chance of giving everyone a chance to participate in multiple events by pushing the Dragon Draggins back 1 hour?
That way it would be a day full of events that you wouldn't have to choose one over the other, you could make most of them.

Not trying to make anyone mad, I'm just pointing out a way to make more of the day.

 

I'm bringing my pocket lathe.

 

cabriopilot: We're trying to work with everyone on the scheduling - opening the event at 10 only means you can drop the cars off then. We'll likely begin racing at about 11 - we're on Dragon time...

Seriously, we all don't want to miss the day either, so don't worry too much about the start. One of the issues we face as organizers, though, is putting 100 cars on one track! Double elimination means about a minute per race... at 100 cars the first round will take 50 minutes. The second round is 25 minutes... then 12.5, then 7... pretty soon we're at 2 hours of racing.

We'll check on opening some car drop-offs earlier (we're quarantining the cars before the race), that way you're free on Sat AM. More news to follow... we are REALLY looking forward to this...

Stay tuned on Club vs. Club racing... that event is ON - we're looking for a way to run it. There will be ONE car representing each Club (two, if the Club wants to enter both the beauty contest AND the racing), and the number of entries are limited. The Club cars WILL be available to be sent out beforehand!

 

Great idea guys! I think that in the future people would be willing to pay the extra money to have the cars shipped to them in advance. Maybe even a block of wood and a plan for the shape along with wheels/axles. My son and I have 40+ hours in this car, it won his den, placed 2nd in pack and is racing @ district the weekend before the Dragon. I love Pinewood, but honestly, slapping a set of wheels on in a hotel room isn't going to be as fun as spending time customizing the car, polishing the axles, smoothing the wheels, etc etc. I want to do it, don't get me wrong, I just wanted to shed some light on next year.

 

Sounds like you want to be a part of the Club vs Club racing - we can send THOSE kits out! Represent your Club - with their permission, of course! We're still working on the prize list for that event... maybe the slowest Club has to wash the fastest Club's cars

Love your car... I can see there's just a bit of Dremel and sanding work involved there! This was the one I made to avoid "over-helping" my kids last year. I carved it from a block of pallet wood, and about burned out a Dremel in the process, but loved it... oh yeah - it was slow (pretty much on purpose, no added weight and unlubed axles), and all the Cub Scouts loved beating Lightning McQueen!

We're considering some other options for DD, stay tuned!

 

Opps

 

First, HAPPY EASTER!

We also noticed that - after our time/location was already scheduled. Upon attempting to change it, we were faced with more logistical issues than seemed feasible to surmount. Part of the trouble with the afternoon is that the main buildings need to be cleared and setup for either a meal or (on different days) another evening event. It apparently takes much longer for this setup than I expected. ...and, of course - as DixonL2 already mentioned, we're also trying to coordinate our own time to enjoy this vacation.

However, we aren't going to just dig in our heels and do what we want to do. We're willing to be flexible where we feel we can in order to make the event better, more enjoyable, and more available. Keep the suggestions coming! We're in discussion about a few of the proposed suggestions even now to see if they are feasible to implement. If nothing else, we'll certainly keep it all in mind for next year!

We might be able to make a schedule change with more emails/phone calls and some creative thinking, but right now the schedule seems pretty well fixed. Of course we'll keep you updated IF we work out anything different. Since there are people registered/paid, we'll have a poll before we make any changes.

 

Wow Dixon, that is a nice car you carved there!

 

Yeah, the red one was relatively easy but that larger Astro Black one took some time!