Gentlemen,
Two sons and many hours trying to tweak our derby cars to get that
0.0001-second advantage over the opponent, I found that the WHEELS are the
most overlooked component on the car. I remember one kid (whose father
couldn't stand to see his kid lose--or to lose himself) machined the wheels
so the bottom almost formed a "V." I guess in his way of thinking, less
wheel on the track meant less friction on the track, which meant the car
would travel faster. Our soapbox committee let the boy have his win, but we
decided this was too much of an advantage and the son would never have come
up with this idea on his own. The father's formula of Time + Speed / Amt.
of V = WIN was good in theory but not appropriate for Cub Scouts.
So, I guess what I'm trying to say to Kathy is look at the wheels for a win. Sand those suckers down and go for it.
Your friend and long-suffering listener,
Bill Pedee
Toledo, Ohio
