Lego Derby! Did you even know there was such a thing? Well, there is and Pack 170 did it as both a Summertime Pack event and as a recruiting opportunity. Our Scouts had a great time, we made new friends in the community, and shared the principles of Scouting with families in Leander and Cedar park.
Our warmest thanks go to Cedar Park Nissan and General Manager Dustin Krieger for hosting the Pack 170 Lego Derby. They made room on the showroom floor for us and provided support on race day to make the event a great time for all. It is great to find friends amongst our community’s businesses who support Scouting.
Pinewood Derby is the premier event of Cub Scouting and it has broad appeal with boys and girls as well as adults. It is a slice of Americana. But, it takes days to build a pinewood racer, and tools, and paint, and the list goes on. A Lego racer, on the other hand, can be built in less than an hour making a Lego Derby a one day event for participants.
The event was months in the planning and every last minute was well worth it. Mr. Nick and his family spent hours at the local Bricks & Minifigs near Lakeline Mall building the Lego racer trophy toppers and selecting 40 pounds of Lego bricks and special pieces for our participants to use in building their race cars.
STEM FACT
Drop a pencil and a soccer ball from the same height at the same time and they will hit the ground at the same time. The reason is that both objects are being pulled towards the earth by the same force, gravity. So, why don’t derby cars all finish at the same time?
We searched around a while to find the right location until Dustin Krieger, General Manager of Cedar Park Nissan, opened his dealership to us and the community for a fun day of racing. We met with him well in advance to figure out how the partnership would work. We didn’t want to interfere with their mission, selling cars, nor have their mission interfere with ours, having fun.
Race day was amazing! We had a pretty even split of Scouting families and new friends from the community. 28 racers in all showed up along with at least as many spectators to cheer them on. Add to that a few car shoppers that just couldn’t help but stop to watch a race. The participants, kids and adults, got extra creative with their cars. Flames shooting from engines. Proton partical beams blasting from the sides. Well, see for yourself. A picture paints a thousand words.
STEM FACT
Gravity isn’t the only force at play in a derby race. We also see Friction and Drag work against the car, as it goes down hill, and enters the long flat lane before the finish line. The key to a winning the race is knowing the TWO BEST WAYS to overcome these opposing forces.
Recognition is an important part of Scouting and an important part of our Lego Derby. We took a pause after every couple of races to award trophies for first place and certificates for second and third place. Cedar Park Nissan General Manager, Dustin Krieger, and Cubmaster Dylan recognised each of the smiling winners to much applause and cheering. Not everyone earned an award but they all earned a reward… a cool Lego racer to take home and a smile they can call on any time they choose to remember this wonderful day.
STEM FACT
Mass – the more massive an object, the better it can overcome drag and friction. That means the car can achieve a higher velocity (speed) while traveling down hill, which will carry it over the finish line. So, a winning derby car should be at or near the max allowable weight for competition.
STEM FACT
The MAXIMUM VELOCITY a car reaches in a race depends on the distance it falls (up and down). The higher the mass, the longer gravity acts on the car. The result is more speed going into the flat lanes. So, the majority of weight should be near the back tires. That is the highest point on the track at the start of the race.
If this sounds like fun, why not come visit us at a den or pack meeting? Better yet, we would love to welcome your family as our newest members. Send us an email at ScoutMeIn@Pack170.org to get the ball rolling. We hope to see you soon!
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