The Pinewood Derby Race at Mission Viejo Auto Collision
Mission Viejo Auto Collision teamed up with Boy Scout Pack 765 for our 3rd year to host their Pinewood Derby at our facility in Mission Viejo, California. This is one of the many ways we actively try to give back to the community that has served us so well throughout the years. Our friends, families, and customers have helped create so much support over the years, we truly enjoy giving back to the community every chance we get.It was standing room only during the event on January 26th, 2014 as racers, their families and their engineless pinewood cars gathered to witness all of the racing action, and Todd cooking on the barbecue.
For anyone who doesn’t know a lot about Pinewood Derby racing, this is the real deal. We start with weigh-ins before the race, to ensure these cars are at proper weight guidelines, generally no more than 5 ounces. Each track is different, but generally has anywhere from 4 to 6 lanes and slopes downward. Considering the only thing that pulls these cars down the track is gravity, the how, where, and why they apply the weight to the car is critical. Each scout is given a block of pinewood, 4 plastic wheels, 4 nails, and weights. The idea is that they build the car by themselves or with their family members, but more importantly, let their imagination run rampant. Here is a link from Wikipedia that gives some more background on the race. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinewood_derby .
Each scout gets to run their car down all lanes of the track, their times are measured and speeds determined. How each pack runs their race may vary, but trust us……..these kids are serious about winning. The design and development talent that was on display from these racers was off the chart. Be on the lookout, we could see these kids designing cars within the next 15 years for one of the OEM’s.
The crowd, both racers and parents, is definitely energetic and engaged. To keep them on their “A” game, we made it a point to provide food and drinks for all attendees.
If you missed this event, there will be another coming up Sunday, February 23rd at 1pm. Don’t be late, these racers are fast!
To everyone in Pack 765, thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your day. It is always a treat for us to open our home to you. We look forward to serving your families again next year! Until then, Vroom, Vroom!
