[ JUNKYARD WARS ON THE ROAD ]
A peek into the trash cans, above, at the "Junkyard Wars" exhibition at Pearlridge Center Uptown reveals a chaotic array of wire, plastic, metal, tubes and pipe cleaners.
Junk on wheels
Trash becomes a tool for racing
and learning in a traveling exhibit
The old saying goes, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Many people are fascinated by the idea of creating something of beauty out of what appears to be junk.
The inexperienced junker peering into the trash cans at the "Junkyard Wars" exhibit in Pearlridge's Uptown Center Court will see nothing but an abundance of the mundane: broken pipes, sockets, paint rollers, old batteries and flashlights, among other items. But for those who like to tinker, those trash cans are treasure chests filled with objects that simply need to be re-purposed -- in this case, as race cars.
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays, through July 25. Where: Pearlridge, Uptown Center Court.
Admission: Free.
Call: 488-0981.
Nearly 120 families a day have flocked to the exhibit since it opened on July 3 to design cars that will compete with others' creations. Three teams, of no more than four people, are given 10 minutes to build their own gravity racers out of nothing but the heaps of junk before them. They even get to choose a car name and team name prior to racing.
The interactive exhibition presents a unique and fun way to learn the effects of physics, engineering and aerodynamics. The real test begins when the vehicles are released on the "Gravity Crash Course."
It doesn't matter if you win or lose -- except for the blow or boost to one's ego. Everyone gets a prize following races.
At left, the husband and wife team of Martin and Rose Schiano work on their hand-built entry into one of the junkyard race car heats Tuesday night.
FOR THE Wheeler family, building a winning car was a "collaborative effort."
"It has nothing to do with aerodynamics -- it is all about the weight," explained dad John Wheeler, whose family had watched to see what worked best a day prior to testing their own skills.
"It also helped that we're crafters. We're always trying to create things," added Nadine Wheeler, who described the experience as awesome. "It makes the kids think, instead of playing video games that make them brain-dead. We were kind of surprised that it was free."
Dad was responsible for the weight distribution, and everyone else helped to design the body. Flares made out of pipe cleaners represented flames coming out of the back of the vehicle. The Wheelers' son Sean and his friend Ben Bongolan, both 10, were also part of the team. Both were eager to come back another day to beat Hawaii's record score of 4.22 seconds, made by the team of Darren Moniz, Joreen Maru, and Jaysa and Precious Bona. The Wheeler team's score was 4.70 seconds.
If at first you don't succeed ... "Junkyard Wars" pit crew member Chris Kurihara recycles parts for retooling race cars to win.
THE TRAVELING "Junkyard Wars" exhibit -- a promotional event based on the Learning Channel TV program -- stopped in nine major cities from Boston to Los Angeles before making its final stop at Pearlridge.
Competitive spirit frequently causes prospective builders and racers to scout out the exhibition before trying it themselves, according to "Junkyard Wars" road manager Sheldon Lane.
"Teenagers spend all afternoon studying the track," Lane said.
People familiar with the TLC program are normally the first ones to jump in to test their theories firsthand, Lane said.
Ten-year-old Benjamin Borque was one of the more cautious onlookers, who kept track of the materials being used and winning times.
"The only reason I'm going is to try to beat the world record. I really want the Razor (pocket bike)," he said, sharing his observations. "I'm going to use square batteries. The lower and heavier things are, the faster they go. If it is too tall, it may flip over."
After spending a Saturday afternoon in observation, he plans to return to build his own race car. Hopefully, his observations will pay off.
"Things get pretty intense," said "Junkyard Wars" host Kevin Brennan. "Growing up, kids love to play with junk. As you get older, the fascination fades away."
The competition allows people to relive the fascination for building and playing. "Most people are in it to win. ... They are all business," he said.
Winning form:
What it takesThe idea of building a winning race car with junk appealed to me as I approached a pile of trash with an adult partner.
We taped batteries and pipes down and stuck a small paint roller on the front for added pizazz, while asking the pit crew for instructions on how to attach the wheels to a basic frame that was the base of the race car. A few washers and a clip did the trick.
There was no hiding from the large video screens used to allow onlookers a view of all the action, and the audience surrounding the building and racing arena made the competition intense. No one likes to lose in front of a crowd.
"The most valuable item is batteries because of their weight," said Chris Kurihara, a member of the pit crew. So, of course, we piled them on.
Donald Yanagi of Waipahu works on his entry, but his 3-year-old son Michael Yanagi will share the glory if dad's "Junkyard Wars" racer proves victorious.
We ended up winning with a score of 5.23 seconds. I was amazed that our car managed to make its way down the track. But my thoughts went from being worried about getting down the track to how we had just claimed victory over two kids who were probably not even a quarter of our age."Junkyard Wars" host Kevin Brennan had explained the car's configuration figures into the odds of winning, but "luck is definitely a factor."
For me, luck was definitely a factor.
Here are a few conditions to avoid when building your own junkyard racer:
» Hub friction: Caused by the axle hub rubbing against the wheel.
» Body or wheel friction: The inside edge of the wheel rubs against the body.
» Drift: Any motion across track is wasted work.
» Wheel vibration: Caused by wobbly wheels.
» Impact on the lane median: Up to 1 percent of the car's energy can be lost with any contact.
Nancy Arcayna, Star-Bulletin
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