Building an Awana Grand Prix car MANDATORY RACING SPECIFICATIONS 1. Cars must use the axles and wheels supplied in the Awana kit. The addition of decals, driver, steering wheel, car trim, accessories, and painting are permitted as long as they do not cause the car to exceed the maximum dimensions or weight. Open Class, see exemption below. 2. Car weight shall not exceed 5 oz. (compared to the Official Awana 5 oz. weight). Weight may be added to lighten cars to bring them to 5 ounces, but the weight must be securely attached. No moving weights or mercury are allowed. 3. Overall car length shall not exceed 7", overall width shall not exceed 2 3/4", distance between the wheels shall be at least 1 3/4", and overall height shall not exceed 3" 4. Clearance to the bottom of the car when resting on its wheels must be at least 3/8" so it will not rub on the lane strip. 5. Wheel bearings, bushings, washers, and springs are prohibited. 6. Starting devices are prohibited. Cars must be freewheeling. 7. Wheels and axles should be lubricated with any dry type of lubricant (e.g., powdered graphite), but excess lubricant must be wiped off, so as not to foul the track. Once a car is checked in, no further lubrication will be allowed. 8. Wheels can be lightly sanded but must not result in substantial removal of mass or in reducing the wheel width from the original kit wheels. Wheel shape may not be altered from the original condition (i.e. rounded, beveled, cupped, etc.). 9. The car must pass inspection by the Awana Grand Prix Inspector at check-in time. If the car does not pass initially, it may be modified at the repair station as long as it passes by the end of the registration period. 10. Car number will be assigned during check-in and will be marked on the bottom of the car. 11. Cars raced in previous years are not eligible. All participating cars must be built specifically for this race. Open Class, see exemption below. 12. Only one car per person may be entered in the race.

OPEN CLASS Instead of a Masters Division, we are introducing an Open Class racing group. This group is open to Awana leaders and parents wishing to join the fun. We will also allow Awana clubbers with cars with non-Awana wheels and/or axles, but that are similar in style and appearance to the Awana parts (e.g., standard Boy Scout wheels), may be raced in the Open Class group. Awana Leaders (not clubbers) may reuse cars from previous Awana races, all others should adhere to rule 11. Trophies are not awarded to cars in the Open Class.

McLean Bible Church Awana Grand Prix 2015.

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RACING Racers are divided into races groups based on clubs. for our K-2 Sparks Sparks for T&T and Trek Upper Club for Journey, Leaders, Parents, and other clubbers with non-conforming cars Open Class Each group will race independently with each car racing in 6 heats, once in each lane. The slowest time recorded for each car is dropped and the five fastest times for each car are compared to determine the speed winners. Trophies are presented to the fastest cars in each race group. DESIGN Cars in the Sparks and Upper Club groups are judged for design by an independent panel selected by our Awana Commanders. The judges decide which cars best represent each category shown below. At race time, after the speed trophies are decided, the results are tallied to determine the design winner of each category, eliminating any speed winners. A maximum of one trophy is allowed for each car, so cars receiving a speed trophy will not receive design trophies as well. Likewise, cars that potentially fit multiple design categories, will only receive one design award trophy. Category

Description

Most Original Design

Awarded for a "car" that shows originality in the overall design and/or finish.

Best Bible Theme

Awarded to a "car" design that is inspired by and reflects a theme or object or person from the Bible.

Most Unusual Design Best Animal Design Silliest Design

Awarded for an un-car like design that you would not expect to find on a race track. Awarded to the best "car" design that is inspired by an animal, fish, or insect. Awarded for a design that makes you laugh because of its theme and or finish.

Best Military Theme

Awarded for the best representation of a military vehicle.

Best Transit Design

Awarded for the best representation of non-race car mode of transportation such as a plane, a train, a truck, a van, a passenger car, a boat, a snow machine, etc.

Best Race Car Design

Awarded to the best representation of a recognized race car (e.g., an Indy car, a NASCAR, a Formula-1 racer, a sprint car, etc.).

Best Inanimate Object Design

Awarded for the best design that is inspired by any nonliving object.

Judges Choice Award

Awarded for a "car" that the judges just liked because of its design and or finish.

CONSTRUCTION STEPS AND HINTS NOTE: Awana Clubs International strongly urges the participation of both parents/guardians and clubbers in constructing the car. The clubber should be allowed to do as much of the construction as possible. 1. Draw the car design on paper first. You may select a specific design from a magazine, brochure, or newspaper, or come up with your own. Cars may be built to look like real race cars or another creative design. Design judging will be based on how well your car resembles what it is meant to be, as well as how well it is constructed and finished. Use your McLean Bible Church Awana Grand Prix 2015.

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imagination! Some examples of race cars and other designs are shown below.

2. Outline your design on the wood block as shown. Rough-cut the shape using a coping saw, jig saw, band saw, knife, or power sander (adult supervision is strongly recommended for this step!). Using successively finer grades of sandpaper give the car its final shape and then smooth the surface.

3. Cars should be carefully painted to compete for design awards. The number of paint coats and proper drying time between coats may determine the quality of the car’s finish (hint: don't wait until the day before the check-in to paint your car). You may also use the Awana Grand Prix decals provided with your kit or other commercially available decals to enhance your design. Waxing or coating with a clear, high-gloss overcoat can further improve appearance. 4. The Awana Grand Prix track is designed so that the lane strips keep the cars in their proper lanes. The axles may be polished, if desired. The tread surface of the wheels may be lightly sanded, if desired, but must not be modified to a different shape (e.g., they may not be cut down to be narrower or be beveled). Be careful when sanding wheels, as too much friction can melt the plastic. Slots for the axles have been pre-cut in the wood block. Make sure the distance between the wheels is at least 1 3/4" and the bottom of the car is at least 3/8" above the ground so it will not rub on the lane strip and slow the car. Insert the axles into the wheels and tap them into the slots. Do not tap in too far or the wheel will bind on the car body. 3/8" MIN

END VIEW

1 ¾” MIN

AXLES Lane Strip Surface of Track

5. Winning speed cars usually weigh the maximum 5 ounces. Once cars are carved, they usually weigh only 2 to 3 ounces (make sure you include wheels and axles). Weight may be added by securely attaching commercially purchased or homemade weights with screws or glue (stay within size limits, including ground clearance). No loose or moving weights are allowed. If a car is a little too heavy, drill out some wood from the bottom. If a little too light, add screw(s) to the bottom (countersunk) or other small weights. These fine adjustments can be made on the day of the race at the pit area by the Awana pit crew. Once a car has been officially weighed and accepted, no additional weight may be added.

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ADDITIONAL DESIGN/BUILD SPEED TIPS Designing the Car •

Keep the car a full seven inches. It has to do with the physics of velocity and length of travel of the weights.

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Use the full 2 3/4 inches car width (outside wheel to outside wheel) that the rules give you. This will allow the wheels to travel farther before hitting the center strip.

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Leave a lot of wood in the back to put in the weights.

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Use the groove closest to the end of the block of wood as the rear axle.

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Do not make the front of the car pointed. It is hard to set up against the starting dowels.

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Use your imagination and be creative. Shape has the least to do with winning. A beaver driving a log or even a pickup truck is more interesting than a wedge and will be just as fast. The aerodynamics of a small block of wood doesn't mean much in thirty feet and if you don’t win by speed, you still have a better entry in the design competition.

Reducing Friction •

Deburr the wheels. Remove the flashing and seam that was produced when the wheel was molded with a 600 or finer grit sandpaper on both the inside and outside edges. Be sure to also sand any bumps off the wheel the sandpaper but don't sand too much or you'll create a flat spot. Sand by hand and not in a drill since the heat from the high speed of a drill will damage/melt the plastic wheel. Buffing with metal polish will restore the gloss to the wheels. Only lightly sand the wheels so as not to significantly reshape the wheel and break rule #8.

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Polish the axles. Begin with 600 grit sand paper, then use a jeweler’s rouge, and finally finish off with some chrome/metal polish.

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Have only three wheels touch the track. Mount one front wheel slightly higher than the other 3. There is less friction with 3 wheels rolling than with 4. Ensure that the height of the other three wheels is even.

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Use graphite to lubricate wheels and axles. Oils violate rule #7, damage the paint, and collect dust which will slow your car.

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Break in the wheels by spinning them with lots of graphite.

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Once you match a wheel and axle together with graphite, keep them together. They will wear into each other as a matched set.

McLean Bible Church Awana Grand Prix 2015.

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Aligning the Car •

Axles must be in straight front to back, that is, square to the body. If necessary, true the axles and don’t automatically trust the slots!

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Do not put the axles in at the top of the groove. Put them in at the middle. This lifts the car up off the track a bit more and reduces the chance of rubbing on the center strip.

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Do not push the axles in too far. When an axle is properly inserted, there should be about a 3/32” gap between the car and the inside edge of the wheel. To get the proper spacing, you can use 2 to 3 business cards glued together and placed temporarily between the body and the wheel as a shim to keep from inserting the axles too far.

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Glue the axles in place. Nothing is worse than having the wheel fall off as you cross the finish line but be careful not to get glue on wheels. If any glue whatsoever gets on the wheel hub or on the car body where the hub will touch, it will act like sandpaper and you will lose significant speed. Also, do not to use thin glue such as super glue since it may run down the axle and into the wheels causing them to become glued together. Many people use carpenter’s glue or hot glue for the axles.

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After pressing in the axles, test the car for crooked wheels...roll it on the floor. If the wheels are on straight, the car should roll 8-10 feet in a fairly straight line. Should the car turn left or right, you need to tinker with the axle placement without removing them from the car body, until it rolls straight.

Weighting the Car •

Get the weight as close to the 5 ounce limit as possible. You can add the last little bit of weight with lead tape from the golf shop or glue on some additional weight at weigh-in. This can be trimmed with scissors at the last minute. Remember, the official scale may not weigh the same as yours. (Tip: If you don’t have a precise scale, check the self-service weighing station at your local post office.)

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Place the weight in the rear so that gravity can act upon the weight further up the incline and for a longer period of time. A car with more weight to the rear generally gathers more speed down the slope. Many suggest having the center of gravity at 1 to 1½ inches in front of the rear wheels. Be careful not to put too much in the rear or you'll pop a wheelie and lose speed.

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What kind of weight? Melted lead is dangerous and unnecessary. Tubular weights can be sunk in the sides; flat weights, like those sold at hobby stores can be attached to the car bottom if it is carved in a bit. Incremental weights (with pre-marked grooves) are easier to snap off into the size you need. Some folks just use BB's, nuts & bolts, coins, etc., but these must be glued so that they can not move.

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Keep the weight low on the car and in the center (Left/Right of the car). Put the weight just in front or behind the rear wheels for less wheel chatter.

McLean Bible Church Awana Grand Prix 2015.

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