2015 Awana Grand Prix
Awana Grand Prix Overview
The Awana Grand Prix is a Pinewood Derby-style outreach event originally founded in 1964 to draw fathers to
Awana to hear the gospel message. Today, approximately 200,000 boys and girls compete annually in more
than 5,000 Awana Grand Prix events nationwide. The Awana Grand Prix is a family-oriented event that allows
clubbers to express their ingenuity by creating and racing their own wooden Grand Prix cars while enabling
clubs to share God's plan of salvation with clubbers' friends and family members by attracting them to a fun
event involving their child.
The rest of this document has a lot of details and what may seem like overwhelming specifications.
Don’t worry! As long as the car is: 1) the right size, 2) is no more than 5.000 ounces in weight, and 3) has
four wheels with graphite on them, the car will roll down the track just fine! Many of the hints and tips
that start on the bottom of Page 3 are for fine-tuning and speed optimization. Things like adding weight and
aligning the car are completely optional; however they do tend to make the cars go faster. We’ll also be hosting
two construction workshops – one in mid-December, and the other in mid-January where we can answer your
questions, and will have a band saw and belt sander to help you carve and prepare your car. Finally, there are
many award categories related to design and creativity, so don’t worry if you car isn’t the fastest on the track.
The point is to HAVE FUN and spend time working on the cars together with your children.
Again this year, we will have a “Masters Division” just for parents and leaders! Buy a car kit for yourself, and
compete with other adults for speed awards. Masters cars must meet all the design rules and specifications laid
out in this document, just like the Clubbers’ cars. Last year, the Masters Race was a really fun part of the day, so
adults, make sure you participate and make something fast, something silly, or both!
Finally, the most important things to keep in mind:
1. Have Fun working on the cars! This is great opportunity to create something with your child that will
be a lasting memory for them, even as adults.
2. Awana Grand Prix is an outreach event – consider buying a kit for another family to work on with their
child, and invite them to the event to race their car. There will be a gospel presentation and the event
will be a lot of fun. These kits make great stocking stuffers!
Key Dates
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December 14th and January 11th (Sundays, 1:00pm to 3:00pm) – Optional construction workshops at
MBC Loudoun for Clubbers to get some assistance working on their cars if necessary.
February 1st (Sunday, 12:30pm to 2:30pm) – Cars must be complete and checked-in (impounded) at
MBC Loudoun. Please complete the Car Check-in Form (it came in the box with your car kit) prior
to arrival.
February 7th (Saturday) – Race Day!! Exact times are still to-be-determined, but we will have three
races during the day:
o Puggles/Cubbies/Sparks race in the morning before lunch
o T&T/Trek in the early afternoon after lunch
o Masters Division for parents and leaders during the lunch break
Award Categories
To help you figure out what you want to “shoot for” as you design and build your car, below is the list of award
categories for the Grand Prix.
Speed Awards: Awards for top 5 fastest cars in each of the two Clubber races (and top 3 fastest in the
Masters race)
Design Awards: Awards for top-scoring 2 cars in each of the two Clubber races, in the following
categories:
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Best Bible-themed
Best Awana-themed
Best Overall Craftsmanship
Best Racecar Design
Best Animal Design
Best Sports-themed (new this year)
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Silliest Design
Best Inanimate Object Design
Most Original Design
Best Military-themed
Most Creative Car Name (new this year)
Judges Choice
Mandatory Rules and Racing Specifications
1. Cars must use the axles and wheels supplied in the Awana kit1. 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.
2. Car weight shall not exceed 5.000 ounces as determined by the official Awana scale (cars will be weighed
by the official Awana scale at check-in). Weight may be added to lighter cars to bring them to 5.000 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 2¾". The distance between the inside
edges of the wheels shall be at least 1¾". The 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 on the race track. This is the biggest area where cars fail during inspection, particularly when a
Clubber attaches weights to the bottom of the car.
5. Bearings, bushings, washers, springs, and starting devices are prohibited; cars must be freewheeling.
6. You may use the pre-cut slots in the wood blocks for your axles, or you can drill your own axle holes if you like.
If you choose to drill your own, make sure to take care that you still leave 3/8” under the car (rule #4 above).
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 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 (12:30pm to 2:30pm, Sunday
February 1st). 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/check-in period.
10. Each car will be assigned a number during check-in and will be marked on the bottom of the car. Clubbers will
also be asked to provide a name for their car on the Car Check-in Form.
11. Cars raced in previous years are not eligible – (after all, the whole point is to get out in the garage or
basement with your child each year to build something new!) All participating cars must either be built
specifically for this race using the Awana Grand Prix kit materials from the MBC Loudoun Awana store, or using
a wood block from another event within 3 months of the Grand Prix race coupled to Awana Grand Prix wheels
and axles (see #1 above, and footnote below).
12. Keep the white box that your car kit comes in – you’ll need to bring that to check-in on February 1st.
If you have a car from another similar event (such as the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby) carved within 3 months of the Awana Grand Prix, you can use the wooden body for the
Awana Grand Prix, but you must change out the Cub Scout wheels and axles and use Awana Grand Prix ones (our Awana Store sells wheels and axles separately for this purpose).
1
BASIC Construction Steps, Tips, and Hints
The Grand Prix should be a fun event for families, and not a stressful one. The pages that
follow have a number of construction tips that vary in their complexity and
sophistication, mostly related to how to make cars fast. However, we want to make sure
that everyone remembers that the point of the event is to have fun, and create a car that
your Clubber enjoyed making with you. And keep in mind – for each of the races, there
are only 5 speed trophies, but there are 24 design trophies for design creativity.
Awana Clubs International strongly urges the participation of both parents/grandparents/guardians and clubbers
in constructing the car. However, the clubber should do as much of the construction as is safely possible.
Design and Carving
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 imagination! Here are some examples of cars from last year:
We have photo galleries of all of the cars from our 2013 and 2014 racers posted at our Grand Prix web site–
check ‘em out with your Clubbers to get some ideas! http://www.mbcloudoun.org/awanagrandprix
2. Outline your design on the wood block before cutting/carving. 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. We will have a
band saw and belt sander at the two workshops this year to help Clubbers and adults cut and rough-sand their
cars. If you plan to add weight to your car, leave enough wood in the back of your car design to accommodate
your weights. Do not make the front of the car a very sharp point; it has to rest against a starting dowel.
3. Cars should be designed, painted, and decorated 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 race 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. Use your imagination and be creative! Car shape does not have too much to do with winning. A beaver driving
a log or 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 all that much in thirty feet and if you don’t win for speed, you still have a better
entry in the design competitions.
Axles and Wheels
The Awana Grand Prix track is designed so that the lane strips keep the cars in their proper lanes. Use only the
wheels and axles furnished in the kit. Slots for the axles have been pre-cut in the wood block; you can choose to
use these slots, or you can choose to drill your own axle holes (use a 3/32”
drill bit to drill your own axle holes). Make sure the distance between the
wheels is at least 1¾" 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 (or holes if you drilled them). Do
not tap in too far or the wheel will bind on the car body. A simple spin of the
wheels will ensure that they’re not binding once the axles have been
inserted.
Weight and Lubrication
Winning speed cars usually weigh the maximum 5.000 ounces, or very close. Once the wood blocks are carved,
they usually weigh only 2 to 3 ounces. Weight may be added by securely attaching commercially purchased or
homemade weights (pennies, screws, etc.) with screws or glue (stay within size limits, including ground clearance).
Remember that no loose or moving weights are allowed. If a car is a little too heavy after adding weight, you can
drill out some wood from the bottom; if a little too light, you can add a screw or two to the bottom (countersunk)
or other small weights. Finer weight adjustments can be made at check-in on February 1st, since the official Awana
scale may be slightly different than the one you might use during construction. We will have the official Awana
scale available at the workshops as well. Once a car has been officially weighed and checked-in, no additional
weight may be added.
Use graphite (available online or at hobby stores) to lubricate wheels and
axles. Break in the wheels by spinning them with lots of graphite before
car check-in.
Inside
wheel bore
Apply graphite
to all 4 wheels
ADVANCED Design, Construction, and Speed Tips
This section contains advanced techniques for creating a
fast car; they are completely optional.
Designing and Building the Car
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If competing for speed, try to keep the car the fullyallowed length (7”). It has to do with the physics of velocity and length of travel of the weights (see the next
item).
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Place the weights near the rear of the car. Faster cars have a center of gravity further towards the rear of
the car. This allows the car to effectively “fall further” in the acceleration phase of the race, converting
more gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy (velocity) in the coasting phase.
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Use the full 2¾” (outside wheel edge to outside wheel edge) that the rules give you. This will allow the
wheels to travel farther before hitting the center strip. Wheels rubbing on the center strip are a key source
of speed-reducing friction, so anything you can do to push the wheel out a bit can reduce this. You may
need to add wood to the pine block provided to do this.
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If using the pre-cut axle slots, use the axle slot closest to the end of the block of wood as the rear axle. This
allows you to put more weight in the rear of the car and push the center of gravity further back.
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The tread surface of the wheels may be lightly sanded or “trued,” 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.
Reducing Friction
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Debur the wheels. Take off 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. If sanding in a drill or drill press,
make sure to go slowly and/or use water to keep the wheel cool, or 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 on page 2.
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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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Once you match a wheel and axle together with graphite, keep them together. They will wear into each
other as a matched set.
Axle Placement and Aligning the Car
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Axles must be inserted 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.
3/32"
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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
too far.
Car Body
Gap between
wheel and body
axles
Glue the axles in place. Nothing is worse than having the wheel fall off as you cross
the
finish line. 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
Apply glue here
causing them to become glued together.
BOTTOM OF CAR
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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
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Try to get the weight as close to the 5.000 ounce limit as possible.
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”
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.
1.5 in.
Center of Gravity
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What kind of weight? Melted lead is dangerous and unnecessary – don’t use it. 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, pennies, etc., but these must be glued so that they don’t move
around during the race.
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Keep the weight low on the car and centered (that is, not to the left of right side of the car). Put the weight
just in front or behind the rear wheels for less wheel chatter.
An excellent online resource for optimizing your Grand Prix car for speed is Wayne Schmidt’s web page. Wayne
tries a number of different techniques and then conducts experiments to determine which techniques provide the
biggest speed increases. A warning however – these techniques can be sophisticated and not for the faint of heart!
Here’s the link if you’re interested: http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/awana.htm
Hobby Stores in the Area; Online Resources
Car weights, decals, model paint, and many other things you might want to consider for your Clubber’s car can
be found online, or at a number of hobby shops in the area. Hobby shops are great places to go with your
Clubber as you work on your cars together!
Great hobby shops nearby:
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Piper Hobby, 13892 Metrotech Drive, Chantilly, VA – www.piperhobby.com
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Hobby Hangar, 14014 Sullyfield Circle, Chantilly, VA – www.hhvastore.com
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Leesburg Hobbies & Collectibles, 9 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA – www.leesburghobbies.com
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Michaels (various locations in the area)
Great online hobby resources:
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www.hobbylinc.com
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www.towerhobbies.com
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www.megahobby.com