Hans' Pinewood Derby Experience

It started last year.

Hans, our youngest son, had just finished dead last in his first Pinewood Derby. He wasn' t upset, exactly (he always has a good spirit about him), but we could tell he was a little disappointed. That year his dad helped him.

This year, he asked his stepdad to help. The pressure was on!

On to 2009. Two weeks ago, Hans was surfing the net for Pinewood Derby racer styles and came across a racing carrot! He loved it and decided that was the style for him.

So last Saturday, in preparation for the this year's race, Hans and I gathered our pine block, wheels, and axles, and headed to the home (and shop) of our good friend, Jeff Dahl. Jeff and I walked Hans through the initial phase of shaping. We had Hans draw the pencil outlines, taught him to use a bandsaw, and then he cut the basic outline. He and I then whittled it into carrot shape, sanded it down, and - voila! - a carrot appeared. The best part is that Hans did almost all of this himself.

We then brought it home for painting. Hans did all of that, too, but Ellie made a really fun and cute rabbit out of clay looking as though it were hanging on for dear life to something going really fast! It was extremely creative (we have very talented children). She baked it in the oven and then glued it on the back of the carrot. At about that same time we happened to run into our next door neighbor, Rod Farrington, who, unbeknownst to us, was a Pinewood Derby expert. Even more coincidentally, his brother Mark actually created some years ago a Pinewood Derby instructional video that was commercially available for sale!

Well, Rod's eyes lit up when he saw our carrot. He thought it was great and wanted to help. But all we had left to do were the most important parts - the weighting and the wheels.

Rod gave us lots of advice and we put together a final version that was real nice looking and perfectly weighted - but didn't roll straight! We then went down to his brother Mark's shop (he lives only a couple of miles away) and added Mark's expertise to the mix. The long and short of all of this is that we started over again! We got a new block and Hans once again did all the cutting and painting but this time we cut out better axles for the wheels, making the racer roll straight. By the time we were done with version two, it was a lean, mean racing carrot machine!


Last night was the race.


You could cut the tension with a knife. (not really)

The boys were ready for blood! (just kidding)

All the other dads were worse than Little League dads. (not so much)

The Carrot took second in its first two heats. Hans was pleased, but the competitive bug had overtaken him!


We added some strategic graphite to the wheels and a little to the bottom of the body so it would glide without resistance when it rode atop the racetrack's wooden guides.

He then promptly won every other heat for the rest of the night!

Race after race, each boy complained when they were put in the same heat as the now nefarious carrot. Even some dads began to question the tactics of this virgin Pinewood Derby dad.

But everything we did was legal and by the book!

Finally, after the cumulative times had all been calculated, Hans took FIRST PLACE!

Needless to say, Hans was very happy. Ellie was almost as thrilled, since her rabbit strode the crest of the winner. In fact we all shared in the victory and the fun.

There was a wonderful spirit there and some good natured teasing with the other dads.

It was GREAT!

Get ready NASCAR!