[earossi]

I had forgotten all about this topic! I had three sons go through Cub Scouts, and every one made multiple cars. The really competitive types make more than one car for each race season, and then race the fastest of their efforts.

The keys are to have the lowest rolling resistance and the greatest wieght. Moving all the weight to the rear could produce an instability in the car that will slow it down. So, front weight your cars.

Putting a knife edge on the wheels is one great idea. Another is to drill out the web of the wheels (lightening holes)........since the wheels have to go from zero to max rotational speed........you want to improve these ability to accelerate..........you do this by taking mass out of the wheels.

The axles are the next spot to focus. As stated above, they need to be polished to a mirror finish and they need to be "run in" on their axles. Finally, use lots of graphite for lubrication.

The last "trick" is to produce a car that rides "only" on three wheels! If you weight the car to the front, then "raise" one of the rear wheels so that the car will stand and move on the three remaining wheels.

Of course, it was my sons who developed such technology!