DonkeyHody wrote:
ore they got to the finish line.

I've held work days in my shop with my tools and assistance to try to
help some of these boys be more competitive. But they aren't the ones
who show up. None of the single mothers or non-technical dads bring
their kids. It's the young dads who are sure they know how to build a
fast car, they just need the tools to do it.

Our pack has one guy with a wood shop, and he hosts a work day, even
though his sons have graduated from the pack. Everyone can come and he
helps do the sawing with his scroll saws, shows how to do the weights,
etc. Basically, at the end of the day, the scouts have the wood shape,
and the weights are placed. Two weeks later the same guy hosts another
workshop to tune the cars, by that time the scout has painted the car,
and attached the wheels and axles. It's up to the scout to do the axle
finishing, and the wheel finishing, and this is an easy thing to do with
sandpaper, a file, and some polish, with the axles spinning in a drill.

The day of the race, we also help anyone that has problems with wheel
alignment, or that is under weight, and provide lubrication assistance.

There are families that don't avail themselves of the assistance that is
offered, and that is their choice.

Everyone that participates in the race gets a certificate for some
aspect of their car, i.e. "Smoothest Paint," "Most Patriotic," "Most
Futuristic," etc.