What this event is about
A precision vehicle event: store elastic energy and release it so the scrambler travels a target distance and stops accurately.
Study plan
Setup (team of up to 2, ~12 min / 8-min Event Time, Eye Protection B, Impound Yes, Class III calculator; falling mass detached at impound)
- Size: entire Scrambler (vehicle + launcher + egg + ≤2.00 kg falling mass + floor cushion) fits in 100×50×100 cm imaginary box; nothing taped to floor. All propulsion from falling mass GPE (mass never hits floor — cushion counts in size).
- Egg holder: solid rigid flat unpadded wood backstop 5.0±0.5 cm W×H, ≥1.1 cm thick (no balsa); two ¼–⅜” round dowels extending 3–4 cm, within 1 cm of backstop bottom; dowel bottoms 5–10 cm above track; egg foremost, rounded end touching backstop; ES tape (none on front/rear 1 cm of egg).
- Start with ES #2 pencil actuating release without adding energy. Stopping mechanism entirely in Vehicle, automatic; no remote/tether; no electric/electronic parts (calculator OK). Wheels contact floor at launch; falling pieces = construction violation.
- Kits allowed only with ≥2 documented functional mods on Kit Modification Form (impound form); else Non-modification Penalty (+50/run).
- Target Distance announced after impound: 7.00–10.00 m (Regionals intervals per rules). Low Score wins. Run Score = 100 + Distance Score (2.0 pt/cm × Vehicle Distance; Failed Run Distance Score = 2500) + Time Score (Run Time) + Can Bonus (−0.5×(110−Inside Can Distance)) + penalties.
- Optional Can Bonus: navigate between ES outer can and competitor-placed inner can on Bonus Line; all vehicle parts between cans; bonus lost if Inside Can Distance changes.
- Up to 2 runs in 8 minutes; egg break on run 1 ends event. Violations: Competition +150, Construction +300, not impounded +5000 Final. Practice aiming charts for mass drop height vs distance; alignment devices non-electronic.
- Never test-roll on track without permission; load into launcher only. Answer design questions; bring spare parts and floor protection.
Tips
Build a drop-height vs distance chart for your falling mass. Recheck aiming after any mass or string change.