 The concept. |
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 The build. |
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 Ready to race. |
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Some of the nation’s best custom-car and hot-rod builders recently took part in the third-annual Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA)
Pinewood Builders Challenge. Fifteen well-known builders created
one-of-a-kind miniature hot rods in the style of Pinewood derby cars.
The cars were raced at the annual SEMA Pinewood Drag Races in Pomona,
California, with the car built by Derek White of Street Vizions winning
the race. All of these cars will be on display at the annual SEMA Show and then placed on eBay for auction from October 30–November 8. All proceeds from the auction will go to support SEMA Cares and its two children’s charities—Childhelp and Victory Junction.
Describe the inspirations behind the design of your pinewood car.
This year, I used one of the bodies from my new resin model car line—the ’69 Camaro Sport Wagon. The original design was something I had been playing around with one afternoon and ended up contributing the artwork to Camaro Performers magazine for use in their "Camaro Concepts" section. The concept was so well received that when I started my resin model company, it was the first car put into production and has been a great seller. The car's design is something that Chevrolet should've done. Who knows a how many more Camaros would've been sold had they offered the Camaro as a wagon?
Describe some of the materials and resources you used to build your car.
The chassis is the original piece of pinewood that SEMA provided me with. The wheels, just as last year’s car, are drawer knobs, and the body is cast resin.
Why is it important for you to participate in the Pinewood Challenge?
For me, it's exposure, the love of competition and the fact that the sale of the car helps kids and maybe inspires them to get involved in hot rodding as a hobbyist or a professional later in life.