Cub Scout, Pack 83
Eastlake, Ohio
Pinewood Derby Rules
Inspection Rules
| 1. Each car must pass inspection before it will allowed to compete. |
| 2. The car weight shall not exceed 5.0 ounces. Modifications may be made at the inspection until an acceptable weight is achieved. The official race scale shall be considered final. |
| 3. The overall length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches. |
| 4. The overall width of the car shall not exceed 2 3/4 inches. |
| 5. The car must have 1 3/4" clearance between the wheels. |
| 6. The car must have 3/8" clearance underneath the body. |
| 7. The wood provided in the kit must be used. The block may be shaped any way that is desired. Precut kits defeat the point of the derby. |
| 8. The wheels supplied with the kit must be used. The wheels may not be cut, drilled, beveled or rounded. You may remove the seam from the wheels. |
| 9. The axles supplied with the kit must be used. They may be polished or lubricated. |
| 10. Only dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered Teflon "white lube" will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Lubricants may not foul the track. |
| 11. Wheel bearings, washers or bushings are prohibited. |
| 12. The car must not ride on any type of springs. |
| 13. The car must be freewheeling, with no starting devices. |
| 14. Aside from wheels, no moving parts of any kind, such as lead shot, may be used. |
| 15. Once the car has been officially checked in, it will be boxed and sealed until race day. On race day no modifications can be made except for lubrication or minor repairs. |
Race Day Rules
| 1. If a car leaves the track of its own fault it shall be considered to have ended its heat at that point. If it interferes with any other cars the race judge(s) may order the race to be rerun with the other cars only. |
| 2. If a car leaves the track, at his sole discretion, the race judge(s) may inspect the track and, if a track fault is found which caused the inital violation, he/she may order the race to be rerun after the track is repaired. |
| 3. If no car reaches the finish line on the track, the car which went the farthest in its lane shall be declared as the heat winner. |
| 4. Only one car may be registered by any person in the Pinewood Derby. |
| 5. Cars can only be handled by race officials and the scout who built it. All others, HANDS OFF! This is to avoid any accidental damage and eventual fights between scouts and parents. |
| 6. Any interference with races or intentional violation of the rules will mean disqualification at the discretion of the race judge(s). |
| 7. Any situations not covered above will be handled on an individual basis. All decisions by the race judge(s) are final |
Most Important Tips
1. The boys and adult should make the car together as a project! It is not the intent that the parent show the Scout the garage door then walk away; nor is it the intent that the boy play video games while the adult cuts and sands. Parents should shape with the power tools and then direct the rest of the action while showing the boy each step in building a car. 2. Have fun! After all, this is what it is all about. 3. Know the rules. Being disqualified can be very embarrassing. 4. Safety first. Lets not lose any fingers. 5. If you need help or need to borrow a tool, ask other parents. You might have something they need too. 6. Open racing will be held after the official races if any non-scout wants to run a car. This is the perfect time for cars from previous years, younger brothers and sisters, or "experimental cars" from Dads laboratory.
Desing Tips
| 1. Have your son draw a design on paper then cut it out and use it as a template. |
| 2. Keep the car a full seven inches. It has to do wtih the physics of velocity and length of travel of the weights. |
| 3. Use the full 2 3/4" inches (outside wheel to outside wheel) that the rules give you. This will allow the wheels to travel farther before hitting the center strip. |
| 4. Leave enough wood in the back to put in weights. Get the cars weight as close to 5 oz. as possible. Keep the weight low on the car and in the center (left/right of the car). Put the weight in front of the rear wheels or you will pop a wheelie and go careening off the track. You can use anything from store bought weights to old bolts but, the weights cannot move! |
| 5. Use the groove closed to the end of the block of wood as the rear axle. Trust me, it helps. |
| 6. Do not make the front of the car pointed. It is hard to set up against the starting dowels. A narrow or pointed nose may not stage correctly on the starting mechanism (bad news!) |
| 7. Children love decals. Sometimes the more.....the better. |
| 8. Use your imagination. Be creative. Some ideeas: Banana, Shark, Dragster, Rocket Car, Batmobile, Police Car, Tow Truck, Coffin Ridden by a Skeleton, Train Engine, Ambulance with Lights. |
Friction Is Your Enemy
| 1. De-bur the wheels with a 600 grit or better sandpaper. Sand any bumps off the wheel but don't sand too much or you'll create a flat spot. |
| 2. Polish the axles and remove any burs. |
| 3. Use only dry lubricant like graphite or Teflon powder. |
| 4. Break in the wheels by spinning them with lots of graphite. |
Go Straight!
| 1. Axles must be in straight front to back. That is square to the body. True the axles, don't trust the slots! |
| 2. After pressing in the axles, test the car for crooked wheels...roll it on the floor. If the wheels are on straight, the car should roll 8-10 feet in a fairly straight line. Should the car turn left or right, you need to tinker with the axle placement without removing them from the car body, until it rolls straight. |
| 3. Glue the axles in place. Nothing is worse than having the wheel fall off as you cross the finish line. |
Race Day-Be Prepared
| 1. Be careful with your car. Dropped and broken cars are unfortunately a common experience. |
| 2. Add lots of graphite right before check in. |
| 3. Explain to your son that running the car along the floor prior to the race will cause it to lose! |
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Nov 11 at 7:00 pm
Thursday, Nov 12 at 7:00 pm
Thursday, Nov 12 at 7:00 pm
Thursday, Nov 12 at 7:00 pm
