Car Jousting Competition
3:00 PM, Saturday, November 7, 2009
Corrigan Gym, The Winston School

  • Competition is open to students in Grades 6-12. Grade Groups do Apply.
  • “Contestant” is defined as a team of one person
  • The car used in jousting must be built in advance of this competition


In days of long ago, competitors settled their differences on the jousting field, seeking to knock their opponent to the ground. This event attempts to simulate that competition.



Construction

(1) The contestant must build a joust car using the PITSCO Power Car Dragster Kit available through the Winston School. Winston Science and PITSCO help underwrite the cost of these kits.

Power Car Kits are available at the Winston School, or at this web site:
http://shop.pitsco.com/store/detail.aspx?CategoryID=85&by=9&ID=1730&c=1&t=0&l=0

The car must roll down a ramp while their opponent comes from the opposite direction on a track on their right side.

  1. The car must fit onto the track, so due to clearance issues, the wider rear wheels cannot be used without recessing the wheels into the car body and shortening the axle.
  2. Additional narrow wheels can be obtained at the Winston School.
  3. No other additional part may be added to the car, except for the use of small weights such as lead fishing weights. These weights would be for the sole purpose of increasing the weight of the car to the maximum 225 grams.

(2) Each car will have affixed to them a “lance” extending forward and over into their opponent’s lane so that when the two cars pass each other, one car will knock their opponent completely or partially off the track.

  1. The “lance” will be a wooden skewer stick and will be attached in a manner that makes it easily replaceable (such as sliding the end into a hole drilled into the car’s body or one layer of duct tape).
  2. It must point forward and to the right of the car into the path of the opponent’s car.
  3. It cannot stick more than 6 inches beyond the front of the car.
  4. Skewers used will be supplied to contestants by the Winston School at the time of the competition. The wooden skewers are 10” x 11/64” with a pointed tip.

(3) The car (with lance attached) cannot weigh more than 225 grams total. The car must fit onto the track..

Procedure for Jousting

(1) Contestants will check-in with the judges 30 minutes in advance of the competition to have their joust car weighed and evaluated to insure that is complies with the rules of construction.

(2) If the joust car qualified, the judges will place an identifying number and the weight of the vehicle on the car for reference.

(3) The car will be launched by the student.

Judging

(1) The joust car that knocks its opponent most completely from the track will be the winner of that round. This will be determined by judgment in this order:

  1. The number of wheels still resting in the car’s original track. (This does not include being upside down.)
  2. The amount of the car’s body still resting on the original track.
  3. Once other things are considered, if there is a tie, the lighter car will be declared the winner.

(2) Replacement of a broken “lance” or pressing back on a wheel between races is allowed, but no other repairs may be done.

(3) A car that does not roll to the midpoint (where the cars meet) shall be disqualified.

(4) If one car’s lance strikes its opponent, but the other car’s does not, the striker’s car wins. If both cars’ lances do not, the race may be re-run at the choice of the judging team.

(5) Grade Groups will apply in this event.

(6) Awards will be present at the close of the competition.

Judge’s Interpretation

(1) The student-builder must launch the joust car. No stand-ins or assistance will be permitted.

(2) Students may use one or two hands to launch their joust car, depending on its construction.

Track Schematics

http://www.derbymagic.com/files/track_dwg_3.pdf

For additional information about Winston Science, contact Dr. Lehman Marks, Event Director.
Copyright © 2009 Lehman Marks. All Rights Reserved.