Worthy Derby - The Great Race
Last year, Troop MS-1031 had the opportunity to host it’s first ever Worthy Derby. As I look back on the prior year, it was perhaps my most treasured troop experience of the season. From working with my son to build a car, to watching the enthusiasm of the boys as they raced their cars and cheered on their fellow Trailmen, it was an awesome experience!
We are hosting the 2nd annual Worthy Derby on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, and hope it to be just as exciting as last year’s event.
We have many new families in Trail Life this year, and many of you may be new to the Worthy Derby. We’ve emailed a lot about registration for this upcoming event, but if you are still scratching your head trying to figure out what this is all about, then this is the blog for you!
What is the Worthy Derby?
The Worthy Derby is a troop-wide race of home built, pinewood race cars. Each Trailmen in the Woodlands Trail Unit is eligible to participate in this event. Each Trailmen can purchase a kit and with the help of their parents design, construct and paint a car to be entered into the race.
Why all the fuss?
Quite simply...It's just plain fun! The troop has a 6 lane aluminum race track with laser activated lane timers connected to a computer controlled leader board. Each entered car will be given the opportunity to race in different heats, and be guaranteed at least 6 races. The cars with the top 3 fastest aggregate times will receive awards at the end of the night. We will also award prize for the car designs during the car show that precedes the race. The 2018 Worthy Derby was Troop MS-1031's inaugural race, and by all accounts was probably the most exciting and fun event we did with the boys all year long. We are looking forward to the 2019 event on October 29, 2019! Trust me on this -- if your son is at Woodlands Trail Trailman, he will not want to miss this event.
Why so much press more than a month before the event?
First, we need to pre-order the race kits, so we need a good headcount. Second, it takes a little time to build, shape and trick out your car. If you are a novice, do a google search on pinewood derby car construction. You'll be blown away at the wealth of information out there on how to build these cars, and the science that goes into building a winning car. Take heart -- you don't have to be a die-hard derby car builder to have a good time. But if you are the type that views everything as a competition, you can go nuts with this one. Third, we will have food available at the event, so we need to begin getting an accurate headcount to plan accordingly.
What do I need to do?
Follow this link (http://www.traillife1031.org/events/2019/10/29/worthy-derby-2019) and RSVP for the event and pre-purchase your car kit. We plan to order cards next week and have them ready to distribute on 10/1. This will give you time to construct your car, make a couple of test runs at the 10/15 meeting, and then have a chance to tweak your car prior to the race on 10/29. We are extending the registration through this weekend to give folks a few more days to register. Please register by midnight, September 22, 2019 to ensure you have a car for the race.
What about the Navigators/Adventurers?
The race itself is for the Woodlands Trail Unit; however, the Navigators and Adventurers are invited to join the fun and will be given opportunities to help with the race-night activities, and food service. Our plan is to allow this to count toward service hour credit for your advancement. Come ready to enjoy the fun and the opportunity to serve your younger fellow Trailmen and their families.
Final Remarks
There are 60+ Woodlands Trail boys in our troop. Nearly half the group still hasn’t registered. The more that register, the more fun it will be. If you haven't registered...now is your chance. Get in there and buy a car! If cost is a concern, please don't miss out on that count. Contact me directly and we will work something out. We want everyone who wants to participate to do so!