Pinewood Derby
Things you should know...
Rules/Tips
- All cars MUST weigh in at 5 oz! No more, no less! The block of wood you receive does not weigh in at 5 oz even before it's cut. You will have to add weight to it. Please add at least some weight before weigh in. You can use almost anything for weights. (coins, nuts, bolts, sinkers, nails, screws, etc.) Be creative! Weights must be affixed to the car and cannot move around when the car moves. You can take your car to the Post Office to check the weight, they usually don't mind. You can add/subtract weight at the weigh in night if needed. Keep in mind that the official scale at check in will give your official weight.
- All cars should be new this year! Scouts cannot race last year's derby car!
- Only official Pinewood Derby wheels and axles are allowed! They will say "pinewood derby bsa" right on the tire. There are colored ones available at craft stores and the Council store. Those are fine, but will also say "pinewood derby bsa" on them. The only modification allowed to wheels is a light sanding. The shape should not be altered and washers may not be used on axles.
- Lubricate the car before race day! DRY LUBRICANT ONLY! No oil or grease is allowed! Those will ruin our track. We will have graphite available on weigh in night. If you feel the need to do it on race day, that's fine, but you must show up a 1/2 hour early to do it. After the racing starts, no adjustments can be made to cars (unless they start to fall apart!).
- Please let your boys do as much of the work as possible. We realize that you can't let a Tiger use a band saw or other sharp tools, but designing, painting and sanding are easily done by all boys. It is their race, after all!
- You must use the block of wood that you were given! No precut cars, no “ebay” cars, no cars that have been used in previous years! You can add to it, but it should be the "official" block of wood.
- All cars will be weighed on our “official” scale. The leader at the scale has the final say on the weight of the car. Once weighed, our leader will assign the car it's official race number. We will hold the cars once they have passed inspection so that nothing can happen to them before race day.
- Cars must be able to move on their own. No batteries, remote controls, or other type of propulsion mechanisms are allowed.
- Cars/decorations should not be any taller than 2 uncut cars stacked on top of each other so that it can safely fit under our finish gate. Any pieces prohibiting the car from fitting may have to be removed.
- Our starting gate holds each car back with a thin pin-like mechanism. If the front of the car cannot sit firmly against this pin (in the case of say an arrow shaped car or other car with a pointy front), the race manager has the right to turn the car around and race it backwards. To be safe, try to leave at least a 1/4 inch in the front if you are making it a point.
- The front of the car will be designated during check in. Only the race manager has the right to change this designation once races have begun.
MOST IMPORTANTLY----HAVE FUN!!!!
For our Arrow of Light boys only, they have the option of "jacking up" their cars since it will be their last pinewood derby race. They are pretty much given free reign, but there are a few rules they need to follow...
- Cars cannot weigh over 10 ounces. This is simply because our track cannot handle more weight than that.
- Any lubrication on the wheels MUST be a dry lubrication!
- Cars can't have any loose parts that may fall off and interfere with other racers
Weigh in night will be Friday, March 17 from 6-7:30 pm in the WB Town Hall. Remember that this is just a check in night! It should only take about 10 minutes to do, but saves us a good hour on race day. Simply stop in, have your car officially weighed (fixing it if necessary), officially numbered, and you're good to go. We will hold all cars overnight so they are safe and sound. If you cannot make our check in night, you'll need to arrive at the actual race a 1/2 hour early to be checked in.
Cars that do not adhere to the specifications above will be able to race with the other cars, but will not be eligible for trophies!
These rules apply to all cars...scouts, leaders, parents, and siblings.
Remember that if you have any questions please feel free to call Cubmaster Amy LaRoche any time! (508)867-8367
