The 2005 Pack 471 Grand Prix Pinewood Derby race was held at the Gladstone Middle School Cafeteria on Saturday, January 8. Every year more than a million boys and parents team up to participate nationally in Pinewood Derby races. They carve the cars; decorate them; weigh, adjust, readjust and fret over them; and finally race them. This partnership of parent and son has become a symbol of the event's success.
Pinewood Derby cars are carved from a block of pine wood, are gravity powered and race on a regulation track. Pack471 is justifiably proud of its computerized Pinewood Derby track! A digital display registers the time of each racer to within .001 seconds as well as displaying scale miles per hour. Medals were awarded to the three fastest finishers in each division (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos I, Webelos II). These winners will compete in the district-wide races held on Saturday, February 12. Results are also posted below.
The results of the 2005 Pack 471 Pinewood Derby are:
Tigers:
1. 1st place - Rian K.
2. 2nd place - Jackson S.
3. 3rd place - Jacob B.
4. 4th place - Ian F.
5. 5th place - Logan B.
6. 6th place - Paul P.
Wolves:
1. 1st place - Josh W.
2. 2nd place - Martii W.
3. 3rd place - Cooper K.
4. 4th place - Steven N.
5. 5th place - Cody H.
6. 6th place - Andrew O.
7. 7th place - Anthony F.
Bears:
1. 1st place - Christian G.
2. 2nd place - Sam F.
3. 3rd place - Logan K.
Webelos
I:
1. 1st place - Ryan O.
2. 2nd place - Ian M.
3. 3rd place - Nathan B.
Webelos
II:
1. 1st place - Harley M.
2. 2nd place - Tyler D.
3. 3rd place - Chris W.
4. 4th place - Ben F.
5. 5th place - Paul F.
6. 6th place - Jacob H.
7. 7th place - Rick Y.
Pinewood Derby Race Rules
- Once cars have been registered, weighed, and certified, they will remain in the hands of race officials until the end of the competition. Even if cars are no longer in the race competition, they are eligible for the appearance judging.
- Cars will be lubricated at registration. No additional graphite will be allowed after registration
- Because of possible damage to the cars and track, there will be no running, pushing, yelling, etc. in the building. Violators will be disqualified.
- Each heat will be announced and Scouts will be called to the track at the time of their heat. Drivers will report to the starting line and place their cars on the track. All other people must remain behind the barrier. Seats will be set up to allow spectators to see the races.
- The starter will make sure the cars are on the track properly and then will start the race.
- The drivers will then report to the finish line to record the results from the official timer.
- When the results of each heat are recorded, the drivers will take their cars and return to their seats.
Red Buck District Supplemental Rules
In an effort to provide uniformity among the Cub Scout Packs of the Red Buck District for holding Pinewood Derby Races, the following set of guidelines and specifications have been adopted. Since these rules and specifications will be enforced at the DISTRICT PINEWOOD DERBY RACE it is strongly suggested that they be implemented and adhered to at all qualifying Pack Pinewood Derby Races. The District Inspection Committee holds the right to disqualify any car not meeting these rules and specifications. The decision of the District Inspection Committee is FINAL.
Since this race is a fun event, the Cub Scout should be given the satisfaction of building his own car from the kit with guidance and minimal assistance from the parent or other responsible party. Additional information can be obtained by using the specification guidelines enclosed in the OFFICIAL GRAND PRIX PINEWOOD DERBY CAR KIT, the Cub Scout How-TO Book, the Cub Scout Leader Book, and various other sources.
Remember, the purpose of this event is to provide our Cub Scouts with an opportunity to do three things:
1. Design their own racing vehicle to meet certain specifications.
2. Build that same race vehicle from the resources provided in the standard kit.
3. Race that vehicle against other Cub Scouts who have followed the same rules.
Any abuse of these basic rules is considered unworthy of a Cub Scout as unfair and dishonest. Please participate in this spirit.
1. QUALIFYING FOR DISTRICT COMPETITION
A. A Cub Scout may race his car and only his car. Cars must be a newly constructed car for this year. Pinewood cars constructed in previous years or raced in other years are not allowed in this race. Cars raced at the District level must be the same car raced at the Pack level for this year.
B. 3 scouts per rank, (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos 1, and Webelos 2) may represent each Pack. Representatives must have qualified at the Pack level.
C. Each Cub Scout must register his own car in person. Parents will not be allowed to register without the boy present.
2. BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS
A. The car must follow the basic requirements and instructions shown on the directions in the official Cub Scout Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit, BSA Catalog # s17006. Any car not following these rules will be automatically disqualified for District level competition, except for appropriate weight adjustments.
B. Width: Overall width of the car, including wheels, shall not exceed 2 3/4 inches. This assures that your car will not contact another car while racing. Minimum width between wheels shall be 1 3/4 inches so that car will clear the center guide strip.
C. Length: Overall length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches. (It may be necessary to remove some wood from the original block). A portion of the ORIGINAL wooden block must extend beyond the attached front wheels and beyond the attached back wheels, as seen from a side view.
D. Height: The construction of the Pinewood Derby Track is made so that the cars are kept in lanes by a lane strip, which measures 1/4" high. It is recommended that the minimum clearance between bottom of car and track shall be 3/8" so car will clear the center guide strip. As measured from the attached wheels, front or back, a portion of the ORIGINAL wooden block must be higher than the tops of the wheels. The finish line detector limits the overall height of the car to a maximum of 6 inches although building a car that tall is very impractical.
E. Weight: Weight of the car shall not exceed 5.0 ounces (141.75 grams). No loose material or liquid of any kind is permitted in the car. The car may by hollowed out and built up to the maximum weight by the addition of wood or metal provided it is securely built into the body (not taped on). Do not add weight below the bottom level of the car, as it will catch on the lane strips on the track. Once car is officially registered, no additional weight may be added.
F. Special: The front of the car needs to be flat at least 1/4" wide in the center of the vehicle to accommodate the track starter mechanism. Do not make the car come to a point. This also assures that the electronic beam at the finish line will be tripped when the front of the car passes over the top.
G. Wheelbase: The pre-cut grooves in the wood block as received in the Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Car Kit shall determine the wheelbase. If the grooves are not square to the block, they may be remade providing the distance between the grooves remains the same as the original wood block.
H. Axles: Only the official NAIL AXLES and WHEELS contained in each kit or provided as replacements from the BSA shall be used. The wheels cannot be altered in any way, except for the removal of the seam burrs, as explained in the kit directions. Wheel covers, bearings, washers, bushings or springs of any kind are NOT ALLOWED.
I. Details: Details such as steering wheel, driver, decals, painting and other accessories are permissible as long as these details do not exceed the maximum weight, length and width of the car and are permanently attached.
J. Wheels: Wheels may be lightly sanded and polished to remove the mold projection on the tread. This light sanding is the only wheel modification allowed. Beveling, tapering, thin sanding, wafering, or lathe turning of the wheels is prohibited.
3. RACING SPECIFICATIONS
A. Each car will be inspected by the Official Inspection Team prior to registration. Inspection will include weigh-in, measurement of length, width, wheelbase, and axle spacing and an overall look at the car. The Inspection Team has the right to disqualify any car that fails to meet the Building Specifications.
B. Once cars have been registered, they will be impounded until their competition. Once impounded, cars will only be touched by their owner and the boy is the only person that may make repairs to his car.
C. Cars will be lubricated immediately after inspection and prior to being impounded. No further lubrication will be permitted.
i) Only dry powdered lubricants, such as graphite, should be used.
ii) Petroleum based oils and silicone sprays and other similar liquid lubricants may soften the plastic wheels and are not allowed.
D. Only those Cub Scouts who have been called to race and the race officials will be allowed in the race area during the race.
E. During the actual race, if a car jumps off the track, or leaves its lane and interferes with another car, the heat will be run again. If the same car jumps off the track or interferes with another car a second time, it will automatically lose the heat. If a car jumps off the track, or leaves its lane and does not interfere with another car, the heat will not be run again. If a car suffers a mechanical problem, loses an axle, breaks a wheel, etc., and the scout can accomplish a repair in a reasonable time, the heat will be run again. If not, the car will automatically lose the heat.
Please help us make Pinewood Derby competition fun and enjoyable, as well as a learning experience. Each Cubmaster or appointed volunteer leader must make a concerted effort to see that no parent or other adult does all of the work in preparing the car. The Cub Scout must be allowed to do as much of the work as possible. The adult should do any work requiring the use of power tools or any other hazardous hand tools. Any car that is verified as having been done by an adult will be disqualified at all levels.
For more great tips, see Stan Pope's Pinewood Derby Car Design page.
Check out our Computerized Pinewood Derby Track page.
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