Post by OPA RENNEN on Oct 10, 2011 15:53:38 GMT -7
This was my first year in PDDR. In fact I had never EVEN heard about PDDR until May 2011. I have 5 sons (all in their 40’s and 50’s now, and all with their own children). In fact I have 30 grandchildren. I spent the last 15 years working as a Software Consult in Europe and Asia. When I retired and returned back to the USA, we had a big family reunion and one day was a Family Pinewood Derby day. Back in the 1970’s, I helped my sons with their cars, we most always won and it became a family tradition. Anyway the family challenged me to see if I could STILL build a car that could beat all of theirs. I built two, one for my wife and one for me, and we took 1st and 2nd out of the 50 cars. Best part was beating all 5 sons.
Early this year, 4 of my grandsons turned 8, and asked me to help them (because, as they said: “you know a lot more about Pinewoods than our dads”). I did so, and all of them took first place in their local packs. Two of them took first in their districts, and one 8 year old won the Council, winning a trophy as tall as he was.
After that Council race, one of my sons found a PDDR race on U-Tube, so I looked into it. I found Glen and John’s names and took a trip to Utah to visit them. I was surprised at how cordially I was received by both of them, and spent a half day with each, and later two days with John. They urged me to enter the June PDDR race, and become a regular participant in the next 5 races..
I decided to enter the car where my grandson had won 1st place in the BSA council, AND I expected to surely be in the top 4 or 5. I ended up SECOND (unfortunately, it was SECOND TO THE LAST out of 40 cars), in other words the bottom, with a 3.054. So much for BSA comparison to PDDR.
Nevertheless, I was hooked (my wife says obsessed). October was my 5th race. Pure Stock was 2.993 for Sept, and 2.991 for Oct, with a single run of 2.989. In Oct, my MOD turned 2.919 and a single run of 2.918. However, in the other classes; just so-so.
Net result, my pinewood knowledge is 100 times greater than back in May 2011. However I never could have done it without the constant help and assistance of SO GON (Dave London) and ___. Both have gone overboard to teach me so much that I never even knew was possible. Maybe they felt sorry for an old man.
For those who haven’t already done so, get ___’s DVD, listen to it 10 times, and follow it to the letter. Secondly, prepare your cars in a clean area, AND a dirty area, and never mix the two.
AGAIN, my heartfelt thanks to ___ and SO GON.
OPA RENNEN (which means “Grandpa Racing”). The names a good fit.
Early this year, 4 of my grandsons turned 8, and asked me to help them (because, as they said: “you know a lot more about Pinewoods than our dads”). I did so, and all of them took first place in their local packs. Two of them took first in their districts, and one 8 year old won the Council, winning a trophy as tall as he was.
After that Council race, one of my sons found a PDDR race on U-Tube, so I looked into it. I found Glen and John’s names and took a trip to Utah to visit them. I was surprised at how cordially I was received by both of them, and spent a half day with each, and later two days with John. They urged me to enter the June PDDR race, and become a regular participant in the next 5 races..
I decided to enter the car where my grandson had won 1st place in the BSA council, AND I expected to surely be in the top 4 or 5. I ended up SECOND (unfortunately, it was SECOND TO THE LAST out of 40 cars), in other words the bottom, with a 3.054. So much for BSA comparison to PDDR.
Nevertheless, I was hooked (my wife says obsessed). October was my 5th race. Pure Stock was 2.993 for Sept, and 2.991 for Oct, with a single run of 2.989. In Oct, my MOD turned 2.919 and a single run of 2.918. However, in the other classes; just so-so.
Net result, my pinewood knowledge is 100 times greater than back in May 2011. However I never could have done it without the constant help and assistance of SO GON (Dave London) and ___. Both have gone overboard to teach me so much that I never even knew was possible. Maybe they felt sorry for an old man.
For those who haven’t already done so, get ___’s DVD, listen to it 10 times, and follow it to the letter. Secondly, prepare your cars in a clean area, AND a dirty area, and never mix the two.
AGAIN, my heartfelt thanks to ___ and SO GON.
OPA RENNEN (which means “Grandpa Racing”). The names a good fit.
!
