2011 Winners!

It's official! After some really good runs in the first round, Susan, Trayne, James, Russ and Nick advanced to the final round. The winners for the 2011 race are; Nick (1st place), James & Team (2nd place) and Russ (3rd place).

It was Nick who went the furthest in both rounds, claiming first place. Nick is no stranger to the winners circle. Starting in 2006, Nick claimed 3rd place. In 2008, 2nd place. 2009 was the first time he claimed 1st place. He was missed in the winners circle last year, but he has made a strong comeback! Congratulations Nick!!!

Second place was won by 'Team' James (?). The team consisted of James, his brother and friends. Their design, while clunky, ran very well. I'm sure it was the wide wheel base and evenly spaced axels that attributed to the car's stability. It definately wasn't the 'Hello Kitty' tape that held the engine to the base! After drawing a grotesque face on the base of the car, they named it the Troll Mobile. I think that luck had more to do with their coming in second than anything!

Russ (last year's winner) should have done better than 3rd, but he lost time in the pits putting together his second engine when he stopped to say good-bye to friends. After careful analysis, it was determined that the only difference between his first run and second, was the placement of the Piccolo Pete's in his engines. The second run engine did not have all fireworks facing straight and forward. This caused his second run to not have the same energy exerted as the first, giving him a 3rd place finish.

All in all it was a great race! Only one car ran off of the track and underneath a parked car near the starting line. No damage was done to the parked car, but the race car lost a wheel.

Pictures and videos are being uploaded - but it may take some time to get them all online. The first place run was NOT captured as it happened too quickly!! The race photographer (me) was taking a picture of the car on the starting line when it's fuse was lit. Before I could start the video, the car was down the street! Maybe next year I'll get an assistant!

Speaking of next year....I wonder who will win???? I can't wait to find out!



ABOVE PHOTO: left to right - Russ (3rd), Nick (1st), James & Team (2nd)

2011 Videos - First Round of Racing

Here is David 'in the pits' before the race building an engine. Tom asked him to rewire one of the entries that was made out of plastic bottles. It started with a single Piccolo Pete sticking out of the end of each of the 3 bottles. The problem would be lighting it. David rewired it, which fixed the problem. This design was rather cool as it sported a smoke bomb taped to the front, which was lit at the same time as the engine - for dramatic affect! (Video pending)


We had 3 yellow buses entered this year, all by different contestants. They did remarkably well. Unfortunately, due to the small wheel base, they tend to get a little squirrly. (Video pending)

At our Christmas White Elephant gift exchange last December, this statue (Oscar) was one of the gifts. It was reworked into a car for the race! It didn't run well, but it was interesting to look at.


Here is my car. I call it the Hula Car.


Did you ever see the movie Wally? This car is a distant cousin.



Here is the runaway car... part one is it going astray... part 2 is it's reveal from under the car.

From Humble Beginnings.....

I was cleaning out my craft room today, which involved mostly going through pictures. I came across pictures from our 1998 4th of July event when our Piccolo Pete 500 was born! (I'm pretty sure it was 1998, but 1997 is written on the backs of the pics...so you decide!) We spent the day at the Luna's eating and having water balloon fights. Then as the sun went down, we moved the party to Buena Park - where it is still legal to do fireworks. In another post I mentioned that Tammie and Susan had purchased a cardboard car with a firework sticking out the back, which was lit that night. As it burned into the street, a light bulb came on in the minds of all men present....WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT..... And our annual family tradition was born.



Here is David with the first car to be modified using Piccolo Petes. We've come a long way since that July 4th. I can't wait for this year!!!!

NOTE: I'm including the pictures that I took that night (because I think they are funny - everyone is so young!).


Hard to believe that since this picture was taken in 1997, dad, Grandma Iola and Grandma Esther have passed on. That's mom with the white blanket over her head - and Karen you can barely see in a black hoodie.

Here are the other pics...

2011 And I haven't loaded the Pictures from 2010!!!

Boy am I behind the times! I sat down tonight to create our invite for this year's 4th of July party, and I realized that I haven't loaded pictures from last year!!! The past 12 months have flown by. So much has changed, so much remains the same....mainly, the same groups in the winners circle last year - WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RUSS!!! He finally made it to 1st place. Can't wait to see if 2011 will bring a whole new set of winners!

2009 Winners with Trophies

We didn't award the 2009 winners with their trophies until our 2010 race. Thanks for being so patient!

2010 Videos - Part 3 - Russ' Runs

Russ' car - good qualifying run. It got him into the final race!
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Here is Russ' winning run, in the final heat.

2011 Videos - Part 2

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One of Bubba's creations.


Not sure who's car this was, but it had a good run. Check out all of the names on the track so close to the starting line! Not a lot of good runs this year.

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So sad.... my car didn't make it very far.

2010 Videos - Part 1

Here are some short clips from the 2010 race! Can't wait for this year!!!
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This year the OLDER generation turned over the task of 'spotting' cars to the younger generation...for 'most' of the cars. James and Trayne did a good job.

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Even with a second engine - some of the cars didn't make it very far this year. I think that part of the problem is the firework makers not putting as much powder in the Piccolo Petes!

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This would have been a good year for the OLDER generation to keep running after the cars....like I said, some didn't go very far. 'Spotters' had an easy job!

2010 Winners

FINALLY! After years of practice, Russ makes it into the finals - taking 1st place!

That's my Bubba! Another 2nd place win!


Is it Stephen or Michael? When will their luck run out? They have taken one of the top 3 spots EVERY year since we started this race!