Pinewood Derby

Post date: Dec 17, 2016 1:18:37 PM

On behalf of the leadership of Cub Scout Pack 928, I would like to wish you and your family a wonderful and safe holiday season! Please read this email thoroughly to understand the rules of the Pinewood Derby.

Start your engines!!! Our Pack's Pinewood Derby will be held on Monday, January 16TH (MLK Day) in Wesley Hall. Registration and weigh in runs from at 5 to 5:50 PM and racing starts at 6 PM.

There is still plenty of time to put the car together, but I suggest starting soon.

Troop 8 from Bethesda will be back again this year to help facilitate our derby. We will be using the same aluminum track as last year along with computer software to digitally track race times and winners.

* Pizza, Water and Juice will be available for purchase.

* Cars were distributed at the 11/21 meeting. If you did not pick up a car, they will be available at the 12/19 Pack meeting. If you are unable to obtain a car at either of these meetings, please email me by 12/18.

* Please check your car kit to make sure it has the right number of axles and wheels. If your son's kit is missing anything, please let me know by the 12/19 meeting.

* There will be sibling races and parent races. We may have extra cars for sale for $5 each at the end of the 12/19 meeting. If not, you can buy pinewood derby cars at the Bethesda scout store.

* We have a table set up for last minute fixes. This is for minor repairs only.

* Scouts should work on the car jointly with their parents, doing more and more each year. The goal is for the scout to build the whole car himself by the time he is a Webelos 2.

* Ideally scouts should help cutting the car themselves. However, the Woodcuter's Club in Rockville can help you cut your car.

* 5.00 OZ IS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WEIGHT and you should try to get as close to that as possible! You can weigh your car ahead of time at the Rockville Post office. To weigh your car at the Post Office, use the computer as if you were going to send a package, but quit after it tells you the weight of the package. I suggest getting your car to 4.8 or 4.9 ounces at the Post Office, and then using stick on weights to bump up the weight closer to 5.00 ounces during the weigh in process. Many hobby stores and Amazon sell special weights for pinewood derby cars. If you are placing weights under the car, makes sure there is enough clearance.

* We will race by Dens for 1-2-3 place and then we will determine the overall pack winners. We will also be presenting 1-2-3 place trophies for Best in Show so be sure to consider appearance, as well as, speed when constructing your cars. Trophies will also be awarded for top finishers from the Sibling races. All participants will receive a medal or patch for competing regardless of how their cars perform.

* Top finishers in each rank, overall and Best in Show will get to go onto District Pinewood Derby. We had an incident in a prior year where a boy showed up on race day and District would not allow him to race because his car’s wheels were beveled. Therefore, it is important that we adhere to their rules now to avoid similar situations in the future.

DERBY CAR SPECIFICATIONS

1) LENGTH, WIDTH, AND CLEARANCE

* Maximum overall width including wheels and axles = 2.75 inches

* Minimum width between wheels = 1.75 inches

* Minimum clearance between bottom of the car and track = 0.375 inches. If you put weights under your car, you may need to recess them.

* Maximum car length = 7.0 inches. This measurement includes any additional decorations added to the car such as wings and spoilers.

* Wheelbase (distance between front and rear axles) must not be more than 4.5 inches.

* Commercially pre-cut Pinewood Derby car kits may be used if they meet the above specifications. Wheels and axles in the commercial kits may not be used. Only wheels and axles from official Cub Scout Pinewood Derby Kits can be used. The solid metal axles, wheels and end caps found in commercial kits may not be used.

2) WEIGHT AND APPEARANCE

*** MAXIMUM WEIGHT = 5.00 OUNCES. 5.01 IS TOO HEAVY *** The readings of the official race scales by the Inspection Team are final. The car may be hollowed out and built to the maximum weight by the addition of wood, metal, plastic, paint, or decals only, provided 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 .

* Details and additions such as steering wheel, driver, spoiler, and decals are permitted as long as they do not cause the car to exceed the specifications identified in Section 1 of these Rules.

* Cars with wet paint or glue will not be accepted at registration.

* Mercury shall not be used in adding weight to the car.

3) WHEELS, AXLES, AND LUBRICATION

* Wheels - Only the wheels and axles provided with an official Cub Scout Pinewood Derby Car Kit can be used. Official Cub Scout Pinewood Derby wheels that are sold separately (i.e. colored wheels) may also be used.

* Four wheels must be used, one per axle (no more, no less).

* Axles on the car MAY be polished.

* Mold projections on wheel tread - Mold projections on a wheel’s tread may be removed but the wheel should NOT be otherwise sanded or altered in any way.

* Bearings, spacers, etc. prohibited - Use of bearings, bushings, spacers, or the like between the wheel and car body are prohibited. Wheels must come in direct contact with the car.

* Wheel coverings prohibited - A covering placed on a wheel rim that might hold graphite or lubricant around a nail axle head is not permitted.

* No mechanical propulsion - The car must be freewheeling with no starting devices, springs, or other methods of propulsion. No magnets are permitted anywhere on the car.

* ONLY DRY POWDERED LUBRICANTS, such as graphite, may be used. Remember oils and silicone sprays may soften the wheels and are prohibited.

* Wheel alteration prohibited - use of any type of beveled, tapered, thin-sanded, wafered or lathe-turned wheels is PROHIBITED. Any attempt to reduce the running surface of the wheel in this fashion will disqualify the car.

That's it for now. See you all at the Derby!

Let me know if you have any questions. If you and your scout need help building the car, please let me or your Den leader know soon. We can direct you to another parent who can help out.

Yours in Scouting,

Jeff Bloom

Cubmaster, Pack 928