Pine car racers pop from blocks

It's the third year for Myrtle Lake Baptist Church's "Rally.''

By MICHELLE JONES
Published June 28, 2007

Nathan Szmall of Lutz watches as the car he designed is cut out during a June 19 garage night at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church.
	[Zach Boyden-Holmes | Times]

LAND O'LAKES - The usual command to begin a car race is "Drivers, start your engines."

But in this race, there are no engines to start.

The Third Annual Pine Car Rally at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church on Saturday features cars made out of a blocks of wood and rolling on plastic wheels.

The speed, and ultimately the winner, come from the style and weight of the car, plus a lot of ingenuity and determination.

John Berti, the race director, came to the church at 2017 Riegler Road off State Road 54, four years ago from Chicopee, Mass.

"The Tabernacle Baptist Church had (Pine Car Grand Prix) and I brought the idea here, " said Berti.

For Land O'Lakes, Berti chose the name Pine Car Rally.

There will be four lanes of aluminum track, 18 inches wide and approximately 40 feet long, set up in the church's fellowship hall early Saturday morning. Registration, open to anyone with a wooden car, either a new car or a car from the past, that meets the requirements, begins at 8 a.m.

The race should start at 9 a.m. depending on how long it takes to register the entries.

"The first year we had 20 entries and last year we had 40, and the competition was heads and shoulders above the first year, " he said.

"I have no idea how many cars we will have because we have opened the race up to anyone who wants to compete. The interest is unbelievable."

People can visit Web sites and learn how to build their cars or buy packages that are available from a number of companies.

In addition this year, there will be a real-life race car driver and his car at the event. Jeremy Gerstner, a late-model driver from Wesley Chapel, will serve as grand marshal and will be available for photos and autographs. Gerstner, who participated in 30 races last year, won six of them and had eight second-place finishes in the Open Wheel Modified Division.

There will be two divisions of racing on Saturday with a Kids Division, for first- to fifth-graders, and the Teen-Adult Division, which is open to everyone else. Entry fee is $5 and includes a rally kit, hot dog, chips, soda and dessert.

Spectators pay $2, which includes refreshments.

For the past two years, David Wilkins has been the winner of the adult division.

This year his adult daughter Adora will try to continue the her father's winning tradition.

"She will race her dad's car, " said Berti.

If you go

Third annual Pine Car Rally

Where: Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, 2017 Riegler Road (corner of Collier Parkway and State Road 54) in Land O'Lakes.

When: 8 a.m. to register. The race starts at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Cost: $5 to race, $2 to watch.

Call (813) 949-5516 or visit the church's Web site at www.myrtlelake.org.

[Last modified June 27, 2007, 21:39:19]