William Henry Harrison District Pinewood Derby Rules

William Henry Harrison District Pinewood Derby Rules A few words from the WHH Pinewood Derby Committee
We hope this year’s Pinewood Derby Race is the best yet for our district. We will do our best to make this race as fun and enjoyable for our Scouts and their Families as possible. It is our duty as the District Committee to ensure the race is fair and that all boys have an equal chance to do their best to win. Since this is a race there are rules to be followed for fair competition. Please remember the focus of this event is not to win at any cost, but for each Cub Scout to DO HIS BEST and have Fun! The following rules supersede all previous rules for District Pinewood Derby races. Any questions regarding interpretation of the rules must be addressed before or on the day of Registration, Inspection, and Qualification. Please contact anyone from the Derby Committee about the race for explanations or clarification of the rules. If you should wait until inspection to bring up questions regarding the rules it could result in last minute changes being made to a finished car (at best), or elimination from the race for non-‐
compliance of the rules (at worst). In the past last minute changes have caused damage to potentially winning cars. Avoid this at all costs. We, the WHH Pinewood Derby Committee, hope everyone enjoys this year’s race and that it will be memorable for all the participating Scouts. Sincerely, The William Henry Harrison Pinewood Derby Committee Official Race Rules
General
Cars must be newly built since the previous Pinewood derby using the materials in the Official Pinewood Derby
Racing Car Kit (part# 17006) passed out at the pack meeting. 2. Cars must have been built by the Cub Scout entrant. (Some parental or other adult assistance is permitted.
Especially when using power tools, such as portable electric drills, drill presses, band saws, etc.). The scout should
play an active role in the design and construction of the car. It is understandable that a younger scout will need more
assistance from an adult and we encourage this along with explanations for the reason the wheels are sanded, axles
are polished, etc. 3. Remember the focus of this event is not to win at any cost, but for each Cub Scout to DO HIS BEST!
4. The PWD race is a timed race. Each car will run in each of the 4 lanes of the track. Times of the car’s run will be
recorded, not the place numbers of the car in the heat. The worst time is omitted and the cumulative time of the three
remaining heats determines the winning times.
1.
Size and Shape
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5.
The pine wood block may be shaped in any way desired as long as it follows the rest of the rules of construction...
Overall length cannot exceed 7 inches.
Overall width cannot exceed 2¾ (2.75) inches.
Overall height cannot exceed 4 inches (To fit under the top of electronic timer/Finish Line).
Underside clearance of at least 3/8 (0.375) inches and inside wheel-to-wheel clearance of at least 1¾ (1.75) inches is
recommended, so that the car will run on the racetrack. Adequate clearance is the responsibility of builder.
Remember to take into account the addition of any weight to the bottom of the car.
6. The front of the car must have a minimum of a ¼” flat surface in the centerline to be placed against the starting
mechanism (i.e., the car cannot have a cutout notch).
7. The axle slots that are precut into the underbody of the car must be used. They may not be filled and relocated. Holes
may not be drilled into the sides of the car to reposition the axle placement. If a slot is so badly precut return it to the
pack Event Chairperson for replacement.
Weight
1. Cars cannot weigh over 5.0 ounces as determined at the time of registration at weigh-in using the official scale and
judged by a member of the race staff. There will be only one (1) official scale.
2. Weight may be added to the car and will be considered part of the car for purposes of all measurements. "Weight" is
considered to be any material on the car that is not provided in the kit. Added weights must be of a solid material (e.g.,
metal, plastic, wood, etc.).
3. Lead shot or other moveable weights are not permitted unless sealed or embedded within the body of the car.
Caution should be used when using lead weight to avoid possible lead poisoning.
4. All weight must be securely fastened to the car, e.g. by permanent glue, nails or screws, but not by "sticky
substances” such as tape or tack spray. Weights shall be passive, i.e. non-moveable, non-magnetic, non-electric,
non-sticky, etc.
Wheels
1. Wheels must be Official B.S.A. wheels.
2. Removal of any material from the wheel sidewalls or face is not allowed. The outside
wheel sidewalls and face must remain intact. All wheels must have the “BSA” and
“Pinewood Derby” words on the sidewall completely intact. The picture of the wheel to the
right is what the judges will expect to see on the cars. Anything else will result in
disqualification. Do not sand or remove the lettering from your car’s wheels.
3. Removing burrs or other defects left by the molding process by sanding or lathing the
wheels is allowed. Be careful not to reduce the wheel diameter or round the tread face.
4. Wheels must be able to come into direct contact with the painted body of the car. No
spacers may be used between the inner hub face and the car.
5. Coning of the hubs is not allowed. The new 2009 BSA wheels have been rounded over
on the inner hub face. This surface may be polished but the diameter may not be altered.
6. All cars must have four wheels touching the track. The wheels must be placed on official BSA axles. Entrants my not
exchange the official nail style axle for a straight solid axle (see “Axles”).
7. Hubcaps and painting the wheels is not permitted.
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These figures illustrate legal and illegal wheels.
Lightly sanded to smooth the area around the mold mark
Lightly sanded or lathed to flatten high spots.
Some of the original surface remains. Tread marks are clearly visible on the outer
face
The inside rim of the wheel has been slightly smoothed to remove burrs.
All four wheels are from the same mold to match characteristics and improve
performance.
Axles
1. Axles (nails) must be the Official B.S.A. axle style provided in the Pinewood Derby Kit. Solid axles are not
permitted. All 4 wheels must be mounted on individual axles.
2. Bearings, washers or bushings on the wheels or axle are not permitted
3. Springs or suspensions of any kind are prohibited.
4. Axles must be set to allow the complete tread width of four of the wheels to be flat on the track.
5. Axles must be visible when the underside of the car is examined.
6. Removing the pinch marks and mold ridges on the axles by sanding and polishing or lathing the axles is allowed.
7. Only dry-lubricants are allowed. Petroleum-based lubricants are not allowed (these can cause damage to the surface
of the track). Only powdered Graphite is to be used as a lubricant since it is easily cleaned from the track surface.
th
The figure below shows an example of the 4 wheel being misaligned to reduce friction. This is not allowed.
The two pictures below show defects that occur during manufacture of the axles/nails as taken directly from the kit.
Decorations
1. Space must be left on the top rear or rear surface of the car for a numbered sticker to be assigned to the car before
the day of the race. This is the number that determines the heat and lane assignments for the car. This number needs
to be visible to the race officials.
2. Removable (i.e., loose) parts are not permitted. All decorations must be securely glued, attached by screws or
otherwise securely fastened to the body of the car.
3. Added design features are permitted if they comply with all other Car Design and Construction Rules.
4. Cars must be clean and dry. (No wet glue or paint). Cars should also not be covered in graphite lubricant. Be careful
as the graphite can be quite messy.
5. No part of the car may extend beyond the starting mechanism of the racetrack.
Registration, Inspection and Qualification Day
Registration and inspection of cars occurs the day before the race. At the registration make sure that the Scout’s name
and den are correctly recorded. Also note on the form if the car is a Cub Scout theme car. After registering each car must
pass inspection before it may compete. The inspection will consist of the following:
Weighing on the official race scale (calibrated using an official BSA 5 oz weight)
Height, width, length, and ground clearance checked via the “inspection box”
Visual inspection to confirm the following:
o Wheels and axels are Official BSA parts.
o Wheel placement uses pre-cut axel grooves.
o Wheel modification is limited to light sanding and the wheel outside diameter is not compromised...
o Wheels are free to come into contact with body of the car.
o All 4 wheels have tread contact with the surface of the track
o No part of car extends beyond starting gate.
o No loose parts or loose/movable weights.
o No “wet” lubricants were used on the car.
Failure to Pass Inspection: The Inspection Committee shall disqualify cars that do not meet the rules as described
above. If a car does not pass inspection, the owner will be informed of the reason his car did not pass. Cars that fail the
initial inspection may be taken away from the inspection area, modified, and brought back for re-inspection. No car may
be altered in any way after it has passed inspection. After a car passes inspection, it will be placed in an impound area
and may no longer be handled by the Scout. Members of the official derby staff (as delegated by the District Committee)
will move it into the race area, place it on the race track for its races, and return it to the impound area after each race.
Please note: Once cars have passed inspection and have been officially certified by the
inspection staff, the car will be impounded. No scout or member of his family shall touch the
car until the completion of the race and all prizes have been awarded and the race declared
officially over. Scouts who wish to pick up their cars at that time will line up and the car
numbers will be called for pickup.
RACES/RACE DAY
1. All Scouts and parents must stay outside the race area before, during, and after the race. Only Officially Designated
Derby staff will be permitted inside the ropes. There will be no jumping over or stepping on the track by anyone.
2. No one, with the exception of Officially Designated Derby staff, will be allowed to remove, touch, or handle a car in the
impound area. Doing so may be cause for disqualification from the race. We have had cars damaged by spectators
and will not allow this to happen again.
3. The order in which cars are selected to participate in a race heat is determined by a computer generated race
schedule by the computer software used for the race. Everyone will be informed in advance as to the determination of
order.
4. Each car will participate in enough heats to go down each track lane once. For example, if a four lane track is being
used each car will be in four heats; in each of those heats it will go down consecutive lanes.
5. For each heat the names of the Scouts whose cars are racing and the lanes they are in will be projected on a screen.
6. Only Officially Designated Derby staff will remove the cars from the impound area and place them in the correct lanes
for a heat.
7. All races are electronically timed and a car’s final placement in the division (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos1 or 2) will
be determined by its cumulative time of its best 3 completed heats.
8. At the end of each heat the cars will be collected by Officially Designated Derby staff and returned to the impound
area.
9. During any heat, if a car leaves its lane or interferes with another car, or suffers any mechanical problem that affects
its ability to race no times will be recorded and the race will be re-run.
10. If because of interference from another car an entry suffers a mechanical problem, the car’s owner will be given a
chance to repair his car before rerunning the race. Needed repairs must be completed in the pit area and must be
viewed by a race official.
11. In the event the same car causes problems in a re-run heat a second time that car may be disqualified or penalized.
12. Un-sportsman-like conduct by any participant or spectator will be grounds for expulsion from the competition. Good
sportsmanship is stressed in Scouting.
13. The pit area is restricted to race officials and race workers. Anyone taking his or her car out of the pit area without
permission will be disqualified.
14. Trophies will be awarded following the successful completion of all heats.
15. Racers may pick up their cars following the official completion of the Pinewood Derby. If there is a need to leave the
facility before the completion of all derby races your Den Leader will pick up the cars for return at the next pack
meeting or den meeting.
RACE DAY RULES INTERPRETATION
Hopefully all questions regarding interpretation or clarity of the rules will have been addressed before Registration.
However, on Race-Day, if a Cub Scout still has questions of rules interpretations and procedures he must take them to
the Pinewood Derby Committee or Race Officials promptly. Decisions of Race Officials on questions of rules
interpretations and procedure may be appealed to the Pinewood Derby Committee. All decisions of the Pinewood Derby
Committee are final.
Decisions of Race Officials on questions of fact (i.e. the result of a specific race) may not be appealed beyond Race
Control and/or Finish Line Judges.
STAFF AND RACE OFFICIALS
The District Committee will determine from a list of volunteers those chosen to serve as officials and staff members.
AWARDS
Entrants this year will be competing for trophies in the following divisions;
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1st, 2 , and 3 places in the Dens based on cumulative times explained elsewhere.
nd
rd
1st, 2 , and 3 places in their overall based on cumulative time.
Best craftsmanship (not a Cub Scout Theme).
Best Cub Scout Theme design.
Anyone in District can enter a car for the best craftsmanship or Cub Scout Theme.
st
nd
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Entrants may win only one (1) trophy with the exception of Place trophies. A Scout placing 1 , 2 , or 3 in the Den
st
nd
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Division may also take 1 , 2 , or 3 in the Pack Division.

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