Pinewood Derby Rules & Links

Rules

Cars must be built to the specifications included with each Pinewood Derby Kit. These specs are:

Pinewood Derby cars participating in the 2000 event are prohibited from entering.

 Only official Cub Scout Grand Prix Pinewood Derby wheels and axles are permitted.   Alterations of official Pinewood Derby wheels is prohibited.   Lubrication and removal of excess plastic is encouraged.   Single piece axles are not permitted.  Wheel bearings, washers and bushings are prohibited. The car shall not ride on springs.  Details, such as steering wheel and driver are permissible as long as details do not exceed the maximum length, width and weight specifications. The car must be freewheeling, with starting devices. Do not make the wheelbase any narrower than the spec. The car will not ride properly on the track.  Please let the Scout complete as much of the car that is safe for them to construct.

 Each car must pass inspection by the Official Inspection Committee before it may compete. If at registration a car does not pass inspection the owner will be informed of the reason for failure and will given the time within the official time period to make the adjustment.

 The Racing Committee, prior to the first race, will apply graphite. Once racing begins, no graphite applications will be permitted. Graphite is the only lubricant allowed to be applied to the car. The white Teflon will not be allowed.

 Races will be conducted by scouting rank. This means the Tigers will race against only against Tigers, Wolves against Wolves, Bears against Bears and Webelos against Webelos.  Staggered starting times for each rank will be posted. Registration and weigh-in will begin approximately 45 minutes prior to racing within each rank. Each Scout will run their cars in four heats. Each heat will be raced in a different lane, which means each car will race in all four lanes over the course of the Derby. The track is equipped with an infrared start and finish gate, which will clock each car to the nearest millisecond.  Each car will be racing against the clock, not others in their heat. After the completion of all heats within a respective scout rank, the computer will compute the average speed for each car.  The three cars with the fastest composite average will advance to the finals. 

 During any given heat, if a car jumps the track, the heat will be repeated.  A second jump within a given heat will result in disqualification of the offending car from that heat. 

 Prizes will be awarded to 1^st place, 2^nd and 3^rd places for each rank. A Pack Champion prize will be awarded. There will also be 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place prizes for the “Coolest Car,” as voted by each Scout entering the race.  Each Scout will receive a Pinewood Derby patch.

Links