Monday, January 26, 2015

Final Pinewood Derby Results!

PlaceTimeAvg MPHLast NameRank
17.7096192.4Den. KiteWebelos2
27.7159192.2LedellTigers
37.7351191.7Dav.CarlsonWebelos1
47.7356191.7KroeningWebelos2
57.7389191.6TroesterWebelos1
67.7508191.3Mat.CarlsonWebelos2
77.7717190.8Con.CarlsonBears
87.7748190.7LaBellTigers
97.7802190.6SongcoWolves
107.7866190.4BlairWebelos1
117.7875190.4SmithWebelos1
127.7966190.2Coo.CarlsonTigers
137.8066190Dom.KiteTigers
147.8213189.6WhitneyWebelos1
157.8434189.1BoggsWebelos2
167.8462189RabascaBears
177.8514188.9BurgoonTigers
187.8568188.7MacDonaldTigers
197.8694188.4WoodBears
207.8956187.8Cor.MacPhersonTigers
217.9012187.7SzetoBears
227.9083187.5McLemoreWebelos1
237.9089187.5CramerWebelos1
237.9089187.5YeagerTigers
257.9139187.4JohnsonBears
267.9154187.4LaRuschWolves
277.929187MeadTigers
287.9339186.9GolubBears
297.9443186.7BurgoonBears
307.964186.2Log.MacPhersonWebelos1
317.9687186.1Aid.CoatesWebelos1
327.99185.6HorsleyTigers
338.0223184.9MeyerWebelos1
348.0494184.2MitchellWolves
358.0537184.1KaffenbergerWebelos2
368.0858183.4TriguerosBears
378.1099182.9NayakWebelos2
388.1602181.7LewisWolves
398.2166180.5NaikBears
408.2185180.4TriguerosWolves
418.222180.4Pre.CoatesWolves
428.2975178.7BurgozWolves
438.367177.2BagleyBears
448.6028172.4ClarkBears
459.0195164.4FerenceBears
469.1175162.6KimmelWebelos1

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Hello Pack 618,

Remember that final check-in is TOMORROW at the Rabasca garage, 17213 N. 43rd Street, from 6-8 pm Check-in is mandatory if you want to race!  (You do not need to check in again if you already have your pit pass.)

Saturday is race day in the Copper Canyon Cafeteria!   Things to bring:

(1) Your son in class A uniform
(2) The Pit Pass you received at check-in
(3) Check or cash for your Blue & Gold Tickets (adults $20, siblings $15, scouts are free).
(4) More cash to buy lunch (pizza slices from Crust!), snacks, and water bottles
(5) Your Pack 618 water bottle (we'll provide water for refills)

Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your race start time! Races go quickly, and if you are not there, you might miss all the action.     

Races will start at the following times:

Tigers:    11 am
Wolves:  11:45 am
Bears:    12:30 pm
Web1:      1:15 pm
Web2:      2 pm

We will start the finals immediately after the Webelos 2 den is finished racing, hopefully no later than 2:30 pm.  The fastest car from each rank will automatically advance to the finals, along with the next 11 fastest cars (a total of sixteen cars in the finals).   If you are not in the finals, we should have plenty of time for open and challenge racing, sibling racing, etc.

See you all this weekend!

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Hello Pack 618,

If you did not check in tonight (and most of you didn't), you must check in on Friday.

You may not race on Saturday unless you check in on Friday!

Check in runs from 6-8 pm in the Rabasca Garage,17213 N. 43rd St. (here's a map). Bring your car lubed up and ready to race, let us check it, and then leave it with us to bring to the race on Saturday.
Hello Pack 618!

Reminder that Pinewood Derby Check-in starts TONIGHT between 6-8 pm in the Rabasca Garage,17213 N. 43rd St. (here's a map).  If you can't make it tonight, you can come on Friday, same location and time.   No uniforms required, and you can come at any time that is convenient for you.

We will measure your car, check it over to make sure it conforms to the rules, and weigh it (no more than 5 ounces!).  We will keep the car until Saturday's race, so make sure the car is lubed up and ready to race when you check it in! 

If you are having any issues with your car, this is also an opportunity to stop by and get some help.   You can then make any adjustments and check in on Friday.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Registration is now open for Summer Adventure Camp at Camp R-C in the cool country east of Payson.

I think R-C is the single greatest experience you can have in Cub Scouting. It's four days of camping, horseback riding, archery, BB guns, crawdad fishing, super soaker wars, etc etc etc.  It's about as much fun as a boy can have, and it's a great parent/son bonding experience.   I've been five times, and it never gets old.  Seriously, ask any parents or boys in our pack who have been there, and I can promise that they will rave about it.

A large group from our pack is planning to attend Session 4, June 18-21 (Father's Day weekend).  If those dates don't work for you, you are free to register for any other session (dates run through the month of June).  If you don't go with our pack, you will be assigned to a group of friendly folks from another pack.

The link to register for Session 4 is here.  You can reserve a space for you and your son for $100, the $231 balance is due a few weeks before camp starts. Sessions do fill up (especially when our pack fills up the camp), so if you are interested at all, I would strongly recommend putting down the refundable $100 deposit as soon as you can.

You can read more about Camp R-C here, and you can sign up for the other sessions here.
Hello again, Pack 618,

This year's Pinewood Derby will start with flags at 11 am on Saturday, January 24 at Copper Canyon.  We will have slices of pizza and other concessions for sale.  We will also have tickets to our Blue & Gold Banquet (February 22) for sale (scouts are free, adults are $20, siblings are $15).   

We plan to follow this schedule:
Tigers:          11 am
Wolves:       11:45 am
Bears:           12:30 pm
Webelos 1:   1:15 pm
Webelos 2:   2pm

Finals will start immediately after the Webelos 2 races are finished.   Cars in the finals will include the fastest car from each rank, plus the eleven next-fastest cars regardless of rank (a total of 16 cars).  We hope to have everything wrapped up by 3 pm.  

The official 2015 Pinewood Derby rules and process guide is now available by clicking here.  Nothing of substance has changed from last year, but if you are curious about the rules and process, feel free to take a look.

A couple of rules that were highlighted in my previous emails:
  • You must use official BSA materials (block, wheels, axles) that you process yourself. It is not legal to use aftermarket or third party parts, or to use BSA parts that were machined, processed or selected by anybody but you.  The whole point of this is to teach the boys sportsmanship and craftsmanship, after all. 
  • The car cannot exceed 7" in length; wheelbase must be between 4 1/4" and 4 5/8"; weight cannot exceed 5.0 oz.  The car must have enough ground clearance to work on our track.  DO NOT EXTEND THE LENGTH OF YOUR CAR IN ANY WAY, AND DO NOT ALLOW ANYTHING TO HANG BELOW THE BODY OF YOUR CAR.
  • No part of the car can extend in front of the starting gate.  NO NOTCHES IN THE FRONT OF YOUR CAR!
Check-in is offered from 6-8 pm next Wednesday and next Friday at the Rabasca garage (where car cutting was held).   You can check in anytime during those times that you want, and you do not need to come to both check-ins.  Bring your READY TO RACE car to check-in, and then leave it with us until race day.  YOU CANNOT RACE ON SATURDAY UNLESS YOU CHECK IN ON WEDNESDAY OR FRIDAY. 
Hello Pack 618,

We have plenty of time slots available for selling Camp Cards this weekend.  You can view the available time slots by clicking here.

If you want to reserve a time slot, just drop me an email and I will add you to the list.

**I do not anticipate that there will be any additional opportunities to sell at Fry's this year, so if you do want to sell tickets, I strongly recommend that you do so this weekend. If you do not want to sell this year, the pack would greatly appreciate a $35 donation to cover the costs of your son's awards (this is the same amount the pack would have made if your son sold $100 worth of cards).

Friday, January 9, 2015

Hello Pack 618!

Reminder that tomorrow is car cutting at the Rabasca garage (17213 N. 43rd St.) from 9am to 4 pm.   Bring your wooden block and your son's design idea.  Andy has the tools and the know-how to make it happen!

We still have plenty of time slots for Camp Card sales at Fry's.  Please let me know if you would like to sell on Saturday or Sunday.

See you this weekend!
--brett (brett.carlson@gmail.com)

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Hello Pack 618!

If you are interested in selling Camp Cards at Fry's this weekend, please send me an email. 

I was able to reserve spaces at Fry's (both Tatum & Bell and 64th & Greenway) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so I should have a slot at any time that you want to sell.  But please send me an email letting me know when you'd like to go so I can eliminate any overlap (first come, first served).

I've also reserved space at both Frys for next week, January 16-18.  I do not anticipate any additional times in our neighborhood this year, so if you do want to sell cards at Fry's please drop me an email and let me know when you would like to sell.

As your den leader may have explained, the council drastically cut back our supply of cards, so I recognize that many of you may not be selling this year.  If you are not able to sell, we would greatly appreciate a donation of $35 to cover your son's award costs.  This is the equivalent of what our pack would have made if you sold $100 worth of Camp Cards.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thanks,
--brett

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Hello Pack 618!

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break -- and now the busy season has sneaked up on us, starting THIS SATURDAY!  

January 10 (THIS SATURDAY!) is Pinewood Derby car cutting at the Rabasca home at 17213 N. 43rd St. (here's a map).  You can stop by anytime between 9am and 4 pm.  This is not required (you can build your car on your own if you want to), but it is highly recommended, especially for first time car builders.  Bring your son (no uniform required), the wooden block from your son's car kit, and your son's ideas of what he wants the car to look like.    We'll have plenty of experienced builders and a great set of tools available, so even if you have no how to build the car, just come out anytime during the day and we can help you.

Car check-ins are EITHER January 21 OR January 23, also at the Rabasca home.   Bring your completed and ready-to-race car back to the Rabasca home anytime between 6 and 8 pm on either night (NOT BOTH!) for weigh-ins and qualifications.  We'll keep your car until the derby.

Pinewood Derby is Saturday, January 24 at Copper Canyon. Tigers will race first, followed by Wolves, then Bears, Web 1's and Web 2's, followed by the top 16 cars in the finals.   We will send a more detailed schedule in the next few days.

We will have full race rules on the website (azpack618.com) soon, but they are generally the same as last year.  Here are a couple of highlights:
  • You must use official BSA materials (block, wheels, axles) that you process yourself.  Aftermarket or third party parts are not allowed.
  • The car cannot exceed 7" in length; wheelbase must be between 4 1/4" and 4 5/8"; weight cannot exceed 5 oz.  The car must have enough ground clearance to work on our track.  DO NOT EXTEND THE LENGTH OF YOUR CAR IN ANY WAY, AND DO NOT ALLOW ANYTHING TO HANG BELOW THE BODY OF YOUR CAR.
  • No part of the car can extend in front of the starting gate.  NO NOTCHES IN THE FRONT OF YOUR CAR!

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO RACE .  If you want to build a car but cannot be present on race day for any reason (including illness), we will race your car during the breaks (time permitting) and write down your times so you will know what you would have scored had you been there; you can go to the district races if you still want to.  But you must be present to race in our Derby.

We'll have more news soon, but please let me know if you have any questions in the meantime.