Chili Cook-off & Pine Car Races
Welcome Race and Chili Fans!
Please join us for our Chili Cook-off and Pine Car Races.
There will be an entry fee of $5 for each chili entered into the contest (prizes will be awarded).
Date: Sunday, November 16th, 2025 @ Noon (right after church service).
Location: Erskine Presbyterian Church in Hamilton.
Come eat Chili or compete while we race Pine Cars:
Welcome to the friendly Erskine Chili Cook-off competition. Where you will be bringing your best chili and putting it against the best chili the other Erskine Chili Masters have to offer. Do you have what it takes? Put your chili in front of Erskine's Chili judges and hope you win!
Instructions for the Chili Masters:
If you are bringing a chili the drop off time is 9:30-10:30am, November 10th, 2024, at that time you will fill out a card with basic ingredients for people with allergies and special diets. Please provide Crock Pots or some kind of insulation to help keep the Chili warm until we can eat at Noon along with our Pine Car Races. Also consider filling out a registration form to let us know how many are bringing chili (optional). There will be an entry fee of $5 for each chili entered into the contest (prizes will be awarded).
What is the Pine Car Derby?
The Pine Car Derby is a race where Children and Adults build cars to race them down a track and see who's fastest. The idea is simple but the trick is building the car in the right way to maximize it's speed. Erskine has a brand new aluminum track with four lanes where four cars can race head to head.
You might need to do further reading if you want to win!
https://www.wired.com/2010/12/pinewood-derby-physics/
How Can You Build your Dream Car?
We are pleased to offer workshops at the Erskine Pine Car Workshop to assist our racers in building their Dream Car. Building the Pine Cars requires tools such as a saw, a drill and sandpaper which Erskine will provide during the workshop. The workshop also includes includes: patterns, paint, glue, decals & more. These workshops are optional as you may choose to work on them independently at home. For more information, click the button below.
(coming soon)
How do we get a Pine Car Kit?
(coming soon)
How much does it cost?
New Kits - $7.00/kit. Kits include a block of wood for the car body and wheels. Weights are not included.
Entry Fee - $5.00/car
Anyone entering or reentering a car into the race will be subject to the entry fee.
What are the Race Divisions/Classes (and why do we have them)?
Race divisions are a way we divide the different cars into separate divisions so that everyone can race and have a chance to win!
Every division will be split up between Adult and Youth.
Street Class
Weighing no more than 4 ounces. A special competition for those who didn't pack enough weight into their pine car.
Muscle Class
Weighted and no more than 5 ounces. This is the standard race division and requires some precision engineering if you want to stand a chance to win.
Funny Car Class
Anything goes and let your imagination go wild (includes cars weighing more than 5 ounces). The goal could be to make a Christmas Float Car or maybe you just don't like the constraints of 5 ounces. Making it through the finish gate is not required nor is the wheels staying on for that matter.
Are there other ways to win?
You are a winner just for coming! But also we have some other competitions based on the Cars appearance. There are four categories which everyone will vote on including: Most Colourful, Most Realistic, Most Intimidating, and Most Imaginative. The cars are on display before the race, come check them out!
