A love of Pinewood Derby racing can last a lifetime. It can even span generations. Michael Forsythe, a Pinewood Derby pro, is exemplary in the longevity of his racing relationship and in his passion for the process. A former Scout, a current mentor to his son, and a knowledge bank for all things racing, Mike shares how his experiences have shaped his best insights and advice for participants and parents alike. [image] How long have you been involved with derby racing? I was briefly involved with Pinewood racing as a Cub Scout and then did not race again until my son joined Cub Scouts about 4 years ago. [image] Describe your earliest derby racing memory. What was it like building your first car? My earliest racing memory was as a Cub Scout. My older brother and I worked very hard to build my first cars in his garage. These were the cars that came with the cut out already in the block, you had to use the block of wood that came in the box, and the axles had to be in the same position on all of the cars. My first car as a child was built with my brother because my dad worked from 3-11 pm and I did not see him in the afternoons. My brother was a perfectionist, so I spent A LOT of time sanding and painting and polishing axles. This probably also kept me out of his hair while he did a lot of the woodwork. When I got to the race with my Dad (not my brother), he thought it was a good idea to use Vaseline on the wheels and my car did not even make it to the finish line. My brother was furious when he later found out about this! My first car with my son was an amazing experience because of the excitement he had for creating his first car. He wanted a car that looked like a real dragster, so we built a streamline car and then put what resembled a huge motor on the rear of the car. It was not very aerodynamic and was not really fast, but it looked cool. My son decided after that race that he wanted to go faster next year. [image] What three tips do you think every derby racer should know? Every racer should know that building a pinewood car is more about spending time with someone on a project than it is to win a race. Let the kid spend as much time as possible working on the car to build a sense of pride knowing that they worked on the car and that their guardian did not just build it for them. This time will be remembered for life. The third thing that every racer should know is you have to choose between the best-looking car and the fastest car. More to the point is: Weight placement, shape, wheel, and axle prep, in that order. Describe the biggest hurdle you face with every car through the design, crafting, and testing processes: The biggest hurdle in design is trying to develop a car that does not look like everything else. For as many years as Pinewood Derby races have been going on, this is difficult. The hurdle with crafting is getting the car as aerodynamic as possible without making it too thin. It’s also tough to get the axle holes drilled without damaging the car. Testing is most difficult because most people do not have a test track at their home. I put tape on the floor and roll the car to see if it goes straight. I try to get them to ride the rail, so I try to make the car go a little to the left and raise the left front wheel. Tell us about the car you’re least proud of building / most proud of building. I have built a lot of cars that failed. You learn more from failure than you do from success. I should have a Pinewood boneyard! The cars I am most proud of are the Cub Scout cars I helped my son build. We used his ideas and I let him do all of the work that did not involve a band saw! I showed him how I safely use the saw for when he is eventually old enough. I did let him use a belt sander to help shape the car. He learned not to put his fingernail in it the hard way. What do most first-time racers get wrong when making their car? First time racers are usually very young and have no idea how to build a fast car. Neither do their parents! The most common mistake I see when helping first timers build cars is they want to build a car in an hour. Most first timers also want to build an elaborate looking car that they don’t realize will not be fast at all. Weight placement is always an issue with first timers. How much has Pinewood Derby racing changed since you started? Pinewood cars and races have changed dramatically since I first joined Cub Scouts. I am old, so a lot has changed. I live by the motto, "If you don't change, you get left behind." That is true in Pinewood racing and in life. In your opinion, what does the future of derby racing look like? I think the sport of Pinewood racing will continue to be very successful. There are Pinewood racing leagues that are very competitive and there seems to be continued interest in the sport beyond Scouts. I am not yet racing in a league but now that my son and I have completed his Scout racing, it is time for us to move to a higher level and join a league! My concern is at the Cub Scout level where cars are sometimes purchased instead of built. Most of the time, the kids have no idea when something isn’t done in the spirit of the sport. Winning races is not the most important thing. Teaching your kids about ethics, morals, and values is more of what Scouting is about. I’ve also seen some info on Brick Derby™ races and it does look like a lot of fun. I don't know any kid that does not enjoy building with bricks. I do think Brick Derby™ has a lot of potential for another kind of racing, and requires less access to tools. My concern is at the Cub Scout level where you see cars that were either bought online or were built in such a way that makes the races unfair for the kids that actually work on their own cars. Most of the time, the kids have no idea that their dad has done anything unethical. Winning races is not the most important thing. Teaching your kids about ethics, morals, and values is more of what scouting is about. Can you disclose your best speed secret? My best speed secret is: it takes a lot of prep time to make a car go really fast. There are more limitations on the Scout races as you are limited to shape, axle prep, and wheel prep. The most important thing of all is weight placement. Try to get as much weight as you can to the rear of the car without making the front too light. Don't get your wheels too tight. One more thing is to keep the car shape simple. Wedges or flat cars work great and do not take as much time to build. For even more speed secrets and expert advice, check out our Winning Secrets series. Feeling inspired? Start planning your next car here! Interview has been lightly edited for clarity. PINEWOOD PRO Winning Tips and Hints Pinewood Derby Tips & Hints Before cutting your car, use a straight edge to draw lines down the center lengthwise and widthwise across your car. Then draw your car design template over these straight lines. The template and straight lines help guide your cutting on both sides of the car so everything is square. Pinewood Derby Wheels Tip A lathed wheel means the wheel was turned at a high speed and "sanded" with a cutting tool. Lathed wheels are perfectly tuned around the axis of rotation giving you the highest performance. Pinewood Derby Winning Hint Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets contains all the tips you need to win your race. 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