all else being equal. Aerodynamic drag can be minimised by designing a fully enclosed body that reduces the drag coefficient, but given that this can be a highly technical thing to achieve especially for the amateur builder, and given that some aerodynamic drag is inevitable, a heavier cart will always do better than a lighter one with the same drag coefficient - its terminal velocity will be higher. For this reason there are usually class weight limits in most controlled forms of the sport. Since some of the potential energy due to gravity must be converted to the kinetic energy of the rotating wheels, a vehicle with lighter wheels will accelerate faster than one with heavier wheels. If a race is started on some form of ramp, having a tail-heavy car can also improve final acceleration, as the effective height of the centre of gravity of the vehicle is raised. See also Buggy at Carnegie Mellon University Catterline Cartie Challenge Cyclekart Goodwood Festival of Speed (hosted its own soapbox derby between 2000 and 2004) Lotus 119 Pinewood Derby Pushcart derby in Jamaica that uses street vending carts. Soap Box Derby Street luge References External links "The Object at Hand," Smithsonian Magazine, May 1995 Physical activity and dexterity toys Racing vehicles