The below is just a suggestion. Rules should really be up to the Pinewood
Derby Committee (group running the derby)
REQUIRED RULES:
RentMyTrack has some required rules, that must be followed
to prevent damage to the track or car:
Do not have any rockets, or other heat source on your car
Cars must not be over 4-3/4 inches tall (or they will hit the finish
line)
No wet paint, or wet glue!
Aside from the required rules, here are some suggestions:
GENERAL RULES:
Qualification:
All registered Cub Scouts may design, build and enter cars that are eligible
to participate in the "Cub Scout Race" event. Parents or guardians of Cub
Scouts may design, build and enter cars that are eligible to participate in
the "Adult Race" event. Non-Cub Scouts will not be considered for the
RentMyTrack Fastest Times list.
Essential Materials:
All cars entered shall be constructed from the "Official Grand Prix
Pinewood Derby Kit" (referred to below as the kit) as distributed from the
Pack or purchased at the Scout Store. (Kits may be purchased elsewhere if
they are of the exact type manufactured by the BSA as specified above.)
Competitor Categories:
All Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos Scouts that are registered within
the pack, and Parents or guardians with registered sons may enter this
Pinewood Derby. Cub Scouts will all compete together but will be positioned
by Rank in the Race Results Standings. This allows for the awards to be
given by rank. The top 16 cub scout finishers will compete in a final round.
Attendance: The
Cub Scout MUST enter his own car on race day, or
at a pre-arranged pack Inspection night. After submitting the car, the Cub
Scout can not have possession of the car until the race is over. Repairs to
fix racing accidents will be possible, but there will be a 5 minute time
limit on the repairs.
"New Work":
Construction of ALL entries MUST have begun AFTER last year's Pinewood Derby
Race for this pack.
Single Entry per Person:
Only one car may be registered by any person in the Pinewood Derby.
Inspection and
Registration: Each car must pass a technical inspection before it
may compete. Technical inspection and registration of cars
will occur on a pre-arranged time, to be declared by
the Pinewood Derby Committee.
Failure to Pass
Inspection: The Inspection Committee shall disqualify cars which do
not meet the rules as described herein. If a car does not pass inspection,
the owner will be informed of the reason his car did not pass. Cars which
fail the initial inspection may be taken for modifications and resubmitted
for inspection so long as there is time before race start. After race start,
the car can not be submitted.
Impound: No car
may be altered in any way after it has been registered. After a car passes
registration, it will be stored by the Pinewood Derby Race Committee until
race day. Repairs during the race are allowed so the Cub Scout can continue
racing, but this does not include applying graphite to the axels, or adding
weight to the car.
Car Design Rules
Interpretation: Interpretation of the rules described in this
document are at the sole discretion of the Inspection Committee Judges
present during the Registration and Inspection process.
Race-Day Rules
Interpretation: On Race-Day, the Cub Scout must make all questions
of rules interpretations and procedures to the Pinewood Derby Chairman or
Race Officials promptly. Decisions of Race Officials on questions of rules
interpretations and procedure may be appealed to the Pinewood Derby
Chairman. All decisions of the Pinewood Derby Chairman are final. Decisions
of Race Officials on questions of fact (i.e. the result of a specific race)
may not be appealed beyond the RentMyTrack engineer. Note:
Unsportsmanlike conduct by any participant or spectator will be grounds for
expulsion from the competition and/or the race area.
RACE CAR DESIGN
STANDARDS:
Material: Race
cars shall be constructed for this event from the parts contained in the
Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit (referred to below as the kit) as
sold by the Scout Service Center. Materials from the kit may be supplemented
but not replaced.
Weight: Race cars
may weigh no more than five (5) ounces (total weight) as determined on the
official scales during the pre-race check-in.
Wheels and Axles:
The car shall roll on the wheels from the kit. The wheels shall turn about
the axle nails from the kit. The axle nails shall be firmly affixed to the
wood of the car body, and MUST be placed in the original 'axle grooves' in
the supplied wooden block. It must be obvious to the judges that the
grooves, wheels, and the nails from the kit are being used.
Size: Race cars
may be no longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2-3/4 (2.75) inches, as
determined by the official gages during the Registration and Inspection.
Underside clearance of at least 3/8 (0.375) inches and inside wheel to wheel
clearance of at least 1-3/4 (1.75) inches is recommended, so that the car
will run on the race track. Height should not exceed 4-3/4 inches or car
will hit the finish line. Adequate clearance is the responsibility of the
race car builder.
Weights and Attachment:
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. All weight must be
securely fastened to the car, e.g. by permanent glue, nails or screws, but
not by "sticky substances", e.g. tape, or tack spray. Weights shall be
passive, i.e. non-moveable, non-magnetic, non-electric, non-sticky, etc.
Wheel Treatment:
Wheel treatment (hub and tread smoothing and polishing) may not result in
substantial removal of mass nor in reducing the wheel width from the
original kit wheels. Some of the original "tread marks" on the wheel face
must remain intact, i.e. apparent to the inspector. Wheels may not be
machined to a beveled condition and the portion of the wheel surface that
contacts the track must remain parallel to the axle.
Unacceptable Construction:
The following may NOT be used in conjunction with the wheels or
axles: hubcaps, washers, inserts, sleeves, bearings.
Gravity Powered:
The race car may not be constructed or treated in such a way that the
track's starting mechanism imparts momentum to the car. (For instance, this
provision disqualifies cars with sticky substances on the front of the car
and protrusions which may catch on the starting pin.)
Lubricants: Only
dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered teflon "white lube" will be
allowed for lubricating the wheels. Lubricants may not foul the track. In
the interest of fairness, only one lubrication is allowed before the
beginning of the first heat race and then once again before the beginning of
the first race of the finals.
Car Nose: The center of the nose must be the furthest out,
allowing it to hit the start peg. If edges protrude past the start pin, the
car will either be run backwards, or tape will be placed in the front,
giving a flat surface to hit the start peg. The choice will be left up to
the car builder if available.
CONDUCT OF THE RACES:
Track officials (as assigned by the
Pinewood Derby Race Committee) are responsible for the proper conduct of the
races.
Inspection Gages:
The race-day "Pit Stop" area will have the official scale and length box.
That check-in equipment will be the official equipment for the race.
Participants should be prepared to make adjustments to their cars if
necessary.
Car Handling
Responsibility: Once the car has been
turned in, the Cub Scout is not permitted to touch the car, unless repairs
are needed. In the case of repairs, one of the judges will be present to
watch the repairs to make sure no lubricant or extra weight is added.
Lane Assignment: To equalize differences among track
lanes, each heat will consist of a number of races equal to the number of
cars running in that heat.
Cars will run 4 times, once in each lane during a round.
RentMyTrack uses an N-Perfect racing schedule, which attempts to
randomize cars so the race against other opponents.
Car Leaves Lane :
If, during a race heat, a car leaves its lane but proceeds down the track in
a manner that does not interfere with its opponent, then the race will be
called normally. If the car leaves it's lane and interferes with another
car, the race will be re-staged and re-run. If the same car again leaves
it's lane and interferes with another car, that car will be judged last
place, and the race will be re-staged and re-run without that car.
Car Leaves Track:
If, during a race heat, a car leaves the track without interfering with its
opponent, it shall be considered to have ended its heat at that point.
Car Repair (Without
Fault): If, during the race, a wheel falls off or the car becomes
otherwise damaged, then the SCOUT may, to the best of his ability perform
repairs with the assistance of his adult partner or Pit Crewmember. He will
have 5 minutes for the repair, or what ever time the judge allows.
Car Repair (With Fault):
If a car is damaged due to track fault, or damage caused by another
car or person, then the Trackmaster, at his sole discretion, may allow
additional repair assistance to the Cub.
No Finishers: If,
during a race heat, no car reaches the finish line on the track, the car
which went the farthest in its lane shall be declared as the heat winner.
Track Fault:
If a car leaves its lane, at his sole discretion, the Trackmaster
may inspect the track and, if a track fault is found which probably caused
the initial violation, the Trackmaster may order the race heat to be rerun
after the track is repaired.
The Race Area:
Only race officials may enter the track area. This rule will be strictly
enforced.
Sportsmanship:
Two things the Pinewood Derby requires each participant to learn are 1) the
craft skills necessary to build a car, and 2) the rules that must be followed.
Even more important, though, is how we act and behave while participating in the
Pinewood Derby or any other group activity. This is called sportsmanship.
The first thing to remember about sportsmanship is that everyone's skills are
a little different. You may be good at something like singing or drawing, but
not as good at something else like basketball or computers. Parents have
different skill levels, too. This doesn't mean that you are a good person one
time and not good another time. You can always be a good person, whether or not
you have good car-building skills. Remember, you and your friends are
individuals first and racers second. This idea is often called having respect
for others.
The second thing to remember is to follow the rules. Without rules, there
would be no Pinewood Derby. You will never know if you are really good at doing
something unless you follow the rules. This is often called being honest.
The third thing to remember about good sportsmanship is that there are
winners and losers in every competition. You accept this when you choose to
compete. There may be times when you win and feel happy, and times when you lose
and feel unhappy. Being a winner is easy, and losing is sometimes hard. If you
win, you must not brag or gloat. If you lose, you must not feel jealous or
bitter. To be a good sportsman, you must be able to say "I did my best" and be
satisfied with the results. You must also be able to appreciate and feel happy
for someone else when they run a good race or build a neat car.