Pinewood Derby
Rules for Car Construction Pinewood Derby
Rules for Car Construction Pack 465 Pinewood Derby Rules Rev. 12/2021
Pinewood Derby
Rules for Car Construction
The Pinewood Derby helps Cub Scouts learn the craft skill necessary to build a car and develop good sportsmanship skills. An exciting race day is guaranteed if everyone follows these rules.
Each Cub Scout can register one car for the Pinewood Derby. All cars must be constructed by the Cub Scout and the adult partner after completion of last year’s Pack 465 Pinewood Derby race. All cars entered in this year’s race should be constructed from the "Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit" distributed at the December Pack meeting.
Each car must pass a technical inspection upon check-in and registration the morning of the race before it may compete. No car may be altered in any way after it has been registered. After a car passes registration, it will be stored by the Pinewood Derby Race Committee until after the race. Competition will consist of heat races within each Rank, and a series of final heats at the Pack level.
Maximum Weight 5.00 ounces Wheelbase (Front to Back) 4.50 inches Wheelbase (side to side) 1.75 inches
Maximum Width (Including Wheels) 2.75 inches Maximum Length 7.0 inches
Underside Clearance 3/8 (0.375) inches Recommended Height <5.0 inches
Weight: Race cars may weigh no more than 5.00 ounces (total weight) as determined on the official scales during the pre-race check-in. The official scale will be available at the workshops scheduled before the race.
Wheels & Axles: Must use the wheels and axles that are in the kit distributed by Pack 465. The axle nails should be firmly affixed to the wood of the car body. It must be obvious to the judges that the wheels and the nails from the kit are being used. The axle nails may be placed either in the original axle grooves of the wooden block or in other holes drilled into the block as long as the original wheelbase is maintained. The distance between the front and rear axles cannot be changed from that of the original kit.
Size: Race cars may be no longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2-3/4 (2.75) inches, as determined by the official gages during the Registration and Inspection. Underside clearance of 3/8 (0.375) inches and inside wheel-to-wheel clearance of 13/4 (1.75) inches is required so the car will run on the racetrack. Adequate clearance is the responsibility of the race car builder.
Weights: Weight may be added to the car and will be considered part of the car for purposes of all measurements. "Weight" is considered to be any material on the car that is not provided in the kit. All weight must be securely fastened to the car, e.g. by permanent glue, nails or screws, but not by "sticky substances", e.g. tape, or tack spray. Weights must be solid, passive, i.e. non-moveable, non-magnetic, non-electric, non-sticky, etc.
Wheel Treatment: Wheel treatment (hub and tread smoothing and polishing) may not result in substantial removal of mass nor in reducing the wheel width from the original kit wheels. Some of the original "tread marks" on the wheel face must remain intact and visible to the inspector. Wheels may not be machined to a beveled condition and the portion of the wheel surface that contacts the track must remain parallel to the axle.
Prohibited Items: The following may NOT be used in conjunction with the wheels or axles: hubcaps, washers, inserts, sleeves, bearings, spacers, bushings, or the like.
Gravity Powered: The race car may not be constructed or treated in such a way that the track's starting mechanism imparts momentum to the car. For instance, this provision disqualifies cars with sticky substances on the front of the car and protrusions which may catch on the starting pin. No methods of propulsion will be allowed.
Lubricants: Only dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered Teflon will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Lubricants that can foul the track will not be allowed. In the interest of fairness, lubrication is only allowed before the beginning of the first heat race and then again before the beginning of the first race of the finals. You must provide your own lubrication. No lubrication is allowed during the race heats.
Starting Mechanism: The starting mechanism on the track consists of a round pin positioned approximately in the center of each lane. The pin rotates down and away from the car to start the race. The front of the car should be capable of resting against the pin without slipping to one side (i.e., avoid a pointed front end). Cars that do not rest against the pin may be altered by the race committee.
Race Format: Each Den/Patrol will compete in their own race in the first stage. Each car runs four times (once on each lane of the track) with lowest cumulative time (i.e. lowest average time) being declared the winner. Winner of the first stage plus the next fastest car advance on to the Pack level competition immediately following the Den/Patrol races.
(2 cars from each Den/Patrol will advance to Finals)
OPEN RACE (... or "Why should the kids have ALL the fun?")
The Open Race is open to all parents, guardians and siblings of a Cub Scout who is registered in Pack 465. The purpose of the Open Race is to have a little fun and to get the adults and siblings involved in the event. It will also help us to focus our competitiveness on our cars and not so much on the scout’s cars. All Open Race contestants are encouraged to build their own cars. The Open Race will be held after the Finals.
Technical standards: All cars entered in the open race must meet same standards as Cub
Scout cars. Pack 465 Pinewood Derby Rules Rev. 12/2021.
Number Of Entries: You may race as many cars as you wish in the open race as long as the other participants have sufficient time to race their cars.
Additional race details and rules will be distributed prior to the race. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the race, please let us know.
Please keep safety in mind when building your car.
For questions, contact the following:
General Questions: Brad Losner [email protected]
Build Assistance: Jason Bay [email protected]
Volunteer Interest: Kristen Bay [email protected]
Rules for Car Construction Pinewood Derby
Rules for Car Construction Pack 465 Pinewood Derby Rules Rev. 12/2021
Pinewood Derby
Rules for Car Construction
The Pinewood Derby helps Cub Scouts learn the craft skill necessary to build a car and develop good sportsmanship skills. An exciting race day is guaranteed if everyone follows these rules.
Each Cub Scout can register one car for the Pinewood Derby. All cars must be constructed by the Cub Scout and the adult partner after completion of last year’s Pack 465 Pinewood Derby race. All cars entered in this year’s race should be constructed from the "Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit" distributed at the December Pack meeting.
Each car must pass a technical inspection upon check-in and registration the morning of the race before it may compete. No car may be altered in any way after it has been registered. After a car passes registration, it will be stored by the Pinewood Derby Race Committee until after the race. Competition will consist of heat races within each Rank, and a series of final heats at the Pack level.
Maximum Weight 5.00 ounces Wheelbase (Front to Back) 4.50 inches Wheelbase (side to side) 1.75 inches
Maximum Width (Including Wheels) 2.75 inches Maximum Length 7.0 inches
Underside Clearance 3/8 (0.375) inches Recommended Height <5.0 inches
Weight: Race cars may weigh no more than 5.00 ounces (total weight) as determined on the official scales during the pre-race check-in. The official scale will be available at the workshops scheduled before the race.
Wheels & Axles: Must use the wheels and axles that are in the kit distributed by Pack 465. The axle nails should be firmly affixed to the wood of the car body. It must be obvious to the judges that the wheels and the nails from the kit are being used. The axle nails may be placed either in the original axle grooves of the wooden block or in other holes drilled into the block as long as the original wheelbase is maintained. The distance between the front and rear axles cannot be changed from that of the original kit.
Size: Race cars may be no longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2-3/4 (2.75) inches, as determined by the official gages during the Registration and Inspection. Underside clearance of 3/8 (0.375) inches and inside wheel-to-wheel clearance of 13/4 (1.75) inches is required so the car will run on the racetrack. Adequate clearance is the responsibility of the race car builder.
Weights: Weight may be added to the car and will be considered part of the car for purposes of all measurements. "Weight" is considered to be any material on the car that is not provided in the kit. All weight must be securely fastened to the car, e.g. by permanent glue, nails or screws, but not by "sticky substances", e.g. tape, or tack spray. Weights must be solid, passive, i.e. non-moveable, non-magnetic, non-electric, non-sticky, etc.
Wheel Treatment: Wheel treatment (hub and tread smoothing and polishing) may not result in substantial removal of mass nor in reducing the wheel width from the original kit wheels. Some of the original "tread marks" on the wheel face must remain intact and visible to the inspector. Wheels may not be machined to a beveled condition and the portion of the wheel surface that contacts the track must remain parallel to the axle.
Prohibited Items: The following may NOT be used in conjunction with the wheels or axles: hubcaps, washers, inserts, sleeves, bearings, spacers, bushings, or the like.
Gravity Powered: The race car may not be constructed or treated in such a way that the track's starting mechanism imparts momentum to the car. For instance, this provision disqualifies cars with sticky substances on the front of the car and protrusions which may catch on the starting pin. No methods of propulsion will be allowed.
Lubricants: Only dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered Teflon will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Lubricants that can foul the track will not be allowed. In the interest of fairness, lubrication is only allowed before the beginning of the first heat race and then again before the beginning of the first race of the finals. You must provide your own lubrication. No lubrication is allowed during the race heats.
Starting Mechanism: The starting mechanism on the track consists of a round pin positioned approximately in the center of each lane. The pin rotates down and away from the car to start the race. The front of the car should be capable of resting against the pin without slipping to one side (i.e., avoid a pointed front end). Cars that do not rest against the pin may be altered by the race committee.
Race Format: Each Den/Patrol will compete in their own race in the first stage. Each car runs four times (once on each lane of the track) with lowest cumulative time (i.e. lowest average time) being declared the winner. Winner of the first stage plus the next fastest car advance on to the Pack level competition immediately following the Den/Patrol races.
(2 cars from each Den/Patrol will advance to Finals)
OPEN RACE (... or "Why should the kids have ALL the fun?")
The Open Race is open to all parents, guardians and siblings of a Cub Scout who is registered in Pack 465. The purpose of the Open Race is to have a little fun and to get the adults and siblings involved in the event. It will also help us to focus our competitiveness on our cars and not so much on the scout’s cars. All Open Race contestants are encouraged to build their own cars. The Open Race will be held after the Finals.
Technical standards: All cars entered in the open race must meet same standards as Cub
Scout cars. Pack 465 Pinewood Derby Rules Rev. 12/2021.
Number Of Entries: You may race as many cars as you wish in the open race as long as the other participants have sufficient time to race their cars.
Additional race details and rules will be distributed prior to the race. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the race, please let us know.
Please keep safety in mind when building your car.
For questions, contact the following:
General Questions: Brad Losner [email protected]
Build Assistance: Jason Bay [email protected]
Volunteer Interest: Kristen Bay [email protected]