PACK 316 AND District Pinewood Derby Rules:

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ OVER THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT. WE WANT YOU TO BE WELL INFORMED ABOUT THE RULES. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ASK!

***There is one additional rule for the District Derby as well as our own Pack 316 Pinewood Derby:

"When resting on a flat, hard surface, ALL FOUR wheels must contact the surface. The entire width of the wheel must contact the surface, not just the inside or outside edge."

Car Specifications:

All cars must pass inspection by the official inspectors to qualify for the race. The inspectors have the right to disqualify any cars that do not meet the specifications. (No argument) Cars not meeting the specifications may be modified in order to comply, but must pass inspection and be ready to race by 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 4th. We would love for EVERYONE to register and enter their cars on Friday, March 3rd. The Fellowship Hall will be open from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. for trial runs Friday night. SCOUTS, when you are satisfied with your car’s performance then we will register your car Friday night so we can get the race started promptly at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Cars must be lubricated and ready to race before it is brought to the inspection /registration table. After inspection is passed, the car will be placed in the pit area and may not be modified in any way until the completion of the derby (with the exception of replacing lost axles/wheels during Saturday’s race.) NO SCOUTS are allowed in the Pit Area, please.

  1. The car must have been made during the current year that the derby is being held (2007). Only the official Scout Grand Prix kit may be used. No precut cars will be allowed. NO SUPER PARTS from a previous year can be used.
  2. The width of the car shall not exceed 2 3/4 inches outside of wheel to outside of wheel and 1 3/4 inches between wheels. No hubcaps may be used as they will not fit the track.
  3. The length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches and must fit inside our official “measure” box.
  4. The total height of the car must freely pass under the electronic eye at the finish end of the track.
  5. The weight of the car shall not exceed 5 ounces. You may NOT use moving weights or mercury. Check web sites regarding how and where weights should be placed on your car. There are many suggestions as to where the weights should be in order to make the car go faster down the track.
  6. The ground clearance of the car must be at least 3/8 inches so the car will not bottom out on the track.
  7. The Axles (nails), wheels, and body wood from the official Cub Scout Grand Prix kit MUST be used and they CANNOT be altered in any way except to remove burrs from the nails or the plastic seam from the wheels. The surface of the wheels must be flat and not rounded, narrowed, or grooved. All cars must use the precut slots for the axle placement. Any deviation from these slots and your car will not be allowed to race. See the instructions in the kit if slots have a defect, then follow those instructions for correcting slot defects. Inspectors must be able to visually inspect the axle to confirm that the correct axle has been used.

    8. It is my understanding that some people purchase EXTRA wheels and axles from the scout store in search of the best wheels. For those of us with limited understanding I’m not sure how you can tell, but I know there are web sites that have tons of information on how to build a Pinewood Derby car. If your son finds this kind of information interesting then have him search these Pinewood Derby sites for tips. Also, ask those Cub Scouts who have won past races their secrets; I’m sure they won’t mind sharing what they’ve learned in exchange for a fun and fast race, and healthy competition.

  8. Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited. Only dry, powdered lubricant/graphite and white Cub Scout lube may be used to lubricate the axles and should be applied before final inspection. No extra lubrication may be applied after final inspection OR before the race begins OR during the race. NO oil, silicone spray, or other lubricants are allowed.
  9. The car shall not ride on any kind of springs.
  10. Any details such as figurines, ladders, windshields, headlights, etc. added must be within the length, width, height, and weight limits and all items should be secured to the car.
  11. The car must be freewheeling, with no starting devices/high powered engines.
  12. No loose materials of any kind are allowed in the car. All weights must be securely attached to the car.
  13. Each car will be given a race number for identification purposes.
  14. And, finally, be CREATIVE. Have fun. Follow the rules.

We will follow-up with race rules for Saturday, but this should get you started on what is allowed and what isn’t.

Parents, please keep in mind, this race is for your Scout’s enjoyment. Learning how to make a pinewood derby car should INVOLVE your scout in every area, at his level of maturity and ability. Our primary goal truly is NOT about winning a race, which is just one result. Our goal here at Pack 316 is to teach our children character in every situation that they are involved in. Integrity, responsibility, creativity, and good sportsmanship are just a few that they can learn during this time.

So let your Scout design and paint his own car the way he wants to. We will do our best to judge cars on the kid’s effort and skill level. Tigers can be taught how to put wheels on. Let him weigh his car to see how close to 5 ounces it is. Let him take responsibility for bringing his car Friday night and checking out how fast it is. If he wants to race it all night and he’s having fun, let him have fun or you can encourage him to save all that fun for Saturday’s race. Wolves and Bears, you can sand your car, put a little more detail into the design and painting. You can start to understand what makes a car go faster by asking adults to tell you tricks they have learned over the years. Webelos, you are at the age, you can actually do everything there is to do with your car now that it’s been cut out by our adult leaders and parents. Ask your parents to pull up web sites and read about what others have learned. Put your own weights on your car, including the wheels and axles. Take your time. Be patient and have fun building your own Pinewood Derby Car. THEN, when your car gets a trophy or ribbon you can be very proud of your hard work and dedication. And, even if your car doesn’t win a trophy or ribbon you can be very proud of your hard work and dedication.

And finally, during race day or even before, let’s remember to show good sportsmanship and encourage our other scouting friends if they should get disappointed at something and their face becomes downcast. Every car has something that could win it a trophy or ribbon if we had 81 trophies and ribbons to give out and/or every scout can be commended in some way for his efforts. The world we live in today puts too much emphasis on the win and not enough on all the effort done before the end result. So let’s be model Scouts, and encourage and praise the efforts of everyone. Let’s hear words like, “Way to go”, “Good Job”, “Great effort”, “Man, that car is a beauty”, “Cool”, “Let’s work on our car together next year”, etc.

Parents, get started on your own car. Let’s have a great parent race. Let us know your thoughts on when we can have this parent race where you can sit back and enjoy watching your car “leav’em in the dust!” or simply “ride the track for its beauty and originality”! We plan to have trophies for you as well. SO, we need to figure out a good time for the parent race (Friday night (late!) or Saturday morning (before the kids’ race or after the race . . .), let us know your thoughts.

This goes without question, THE CUB SCOUT MOTTO, “DO YOUR BEST” WILL BE DEMONSTRATED BY ALL OUR CUB SCOUTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR YEAR AND WE’RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO A FUN TIME.