Pack 261 Official Pinewood Derby Rules
1. LENGTH, WIDTH, HEIGHT, & CLEARANCE
a. Maximum overall width (including wheels, axles or other parts) shall not exceed 2- 3/4″.
b. Minimum width between wheels shall be 1-3/4″ so the car will clear the center guide strip.
c. Maximum height shall not exceed 4-1/2″ in order to clear the race timer. d. Minimum clearance between bottom of car and track shall be 3/8″ so the car will clear the center guide strip.
e. Maximum length shall not exceed 7″.
2. WEIGHT AND APPEARNCE
a. Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces. The readings of the Official Race Scale will be considered final. The car may be hollowed out and built up to the maximum weight by the addition of wood or metal only, provide it is securely built into the body or firmly affixed to it. No loose materials of any kind are permitted in or on the car. b. Details such as steering wheel, driver, spoiler, decals, painting and interior details are permissible as long as these details do not cause the car to exceed the maximum length, width, height, and clearance specifications.
c. Cars with wet paint will not be accepted.
3. WHEELS AND AXLES
a. Only the official Scout Grand Prix wheels and axles can be used. Wheels must have “Official B.S.A.” stamped on the inside of the wheel rim.
b. Wheels can be sanded to remove surface imperfections, but the surface that touches the track must be left flat and at least 1/4 wide”.
c. Wheel bearings, washers or bushings are prohibited.
d. The car shall not ride on any type of springs.
e. The car must be free-wheeling with no starting device or other propulsion. f. The wheel base location of the car may be adjusted as long as you still meet the maximum length, width, height, and clearance specifications. If you modify the wheel base, your car may not be eligible to race in the District or Council championship races.
g. Hubcaps or similar items used to keep the wheels lubricated are prohibited. h. Spoke Wheels and/or modified wheels are prohibited.
i. The car must have a minimum of 4 wheels and at least 3 wheels must make contact with the track while racing. If a car has more than 4 wheels for aesthetics, the additional wheels must be raised as to not make contact with the track
4. LUBRICATION
a. Only dry lubricants may be used, ex. graphite, or other lubricants that dry after application. Regular oils and silicone sprays may often soften the plastic wheels. b. Cars must be lubricated before registration. No further lubricants will be permitted.
5. GROUND RULES
a. The race is open to all Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts of Pack 261. The Open Division bracket is open to registered Cub Scouts, any family members of these Scouts, Scout leaders from Pack 261, and race officials. Only one Open Division entry per participant.
b. Cars must have been made for this race with all the work on all the parts being done since the completion of last year’s race. Cars made for previous derby are not permitted except in the Open Division race.
c. After meeting weight and inspection requirements the cars are registered with your car number being attached to the back or bottom of your car. It will then be placed on the table by a race official for competition. No car can be handled by the boy, leader, and/or parent after registration prior to the race. When the race starts, the scout will retrieve their car when on deck and hand it to the official starter. The scout is responsible for letting the starter know which end is the front of the car if it is not apparent. There are no reruns if the car was not placed correctly on the track.
d. All cars will race two to four times in each lane with the times being recorded. Partial Perfect (N) race charts generated using a computer program using the Grand Prix Derby Manager Software.
e. Overall winners will be based upon the total of the four to eight race times recorded with the lowest time being ranked first. The slowest heat of the four to eight races will not be counted in the total to allow for any irregularities in the race.
f. Cars that do not cross the finish line and register a time for a race will automatically be timed as 9.999 seconds for the race by the race software.
g. If a car jumps off the track prior to the timer, loses an axle, or breaks a wheel it can be repaired if possible and rerun by itself on the same lane after all the races are completed. If they choose to rerun then the original time must be replaced by the rerun time. If the car cannot be repaired, the car must forfeit from the competition. The car must be repaired within 5 minutes or by the time the car is called for its next race, whichever is longer. If a car jumps from the track loses an axle, or breaks a wheel a second time it must forfeit from the competition.
h. If a car (or parts of it) leaves its lane and interferes with another car, the car interfered with has the option to rerun by itself on the same lane after all the races are completed. If they choose to rerun then the original time must be replaced by the rerun time. i. Only Race Officials and Scouts involved in the current heat(s) are permitted in the track area.
j. Cars racing in the Open Division must meet all the above requirements except section 5 (b).
k. Cars entered in the Wolf River District pinewood derby race must be the car that won at the pack level. New cars will not be allowed.
6. INSPECTION AND DISPUTES
a. Each car must pass inspection by the Official Inspection Team before it may compete. The inspection team has the right to disqualify those cars, which do not meet these rules. Car owners will be informed of the violations and given an opportunity to modify the car to meet these rules.
b. Any participant (including the parent of the participant) has the right of appeal to the Race Committee for an interpretation of these rules. The Race Committee, by majority vote, will be the final judge of these rules. In case of a tie vote, the decision of the Race Committee Chairperson will be final.
c. GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP AND BEHAVIOR IS EXPECTED. Ungentlemanly or unsportsmanlike conduct by any participant or member of the audience will be grounds for expulsion from the competition and/ or grounds.