General Rules

Attendance: The Cub Scout MUST enter his own car and be present for the race. Exceptions from this rule may be made by the Derby Committee, based upon a showing of good cause for the Scouts absence and based upon a majority vote of the Committee.

"New Work": Construction of ALL entries MUST have begun AFTER last year's (1999) Pack 255 Pinewood Derby Race. This means that cars that were raced in prior races are not eligible for the Cub Scout Race. Judges will be provided pictures of cars raced in previous years.

Single Entry per Scout: Each Cub Scout may register only one car in the Cub Scout Race.

Inspection and Registration: Each car must pass a technical inspection before it may compete. 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 modified and may be re-submitted up until the time that inspection and registration closes.

Impound: No car may be altered in any way after it has been registered. After a car passes registration, it will be impounded by the Pinewood Derby Race Committee until the Cub Scout is called to race the car. The Cub Scouts will be given the opportunity to apply additional lubrication prior to their Den's heat and prior to the overall competition.

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. All questions of rules interpretations and procedures must be promptly submitted to the Pinewood Derby Chairman or Race Officials promptly. Decisions of Race Officials on questions of rule interpretation and procedure may be appealed to the Pinewood Derby Chairman. All decisions of the Pinewood Derby Chairman are final. Questions of fact (i.e. the result of a specific race) may not be appealed beyond the Trackmaster and/or Finish Line Judges.

Note: Unsportsmanlike conduct by any participant or spectator will be grounds for expulsion from the competition and/or the race area.

SPEED COMPETITION CAR DESIGN STANDARDS

Materials: Only the nail axles and wheels from the "Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit" [referred to below as "the kit"] may be used. However, the body can be constructed from a block of wood obtained from any kit, so long as the block of wood used to construct cars for the Speed Competition is essentially the same as the one that comes with the official kit, including the length, width, and position of the axle slots. Items such as windshields, pipes, decals, or people may be added, so long as they are affixed to the car and not loose and so long as they do not cause the car to exceed the dimensions otherwise specified in these rules. Cars constructed from pre-cut kits shall be allowed to enter the Speed Competition, but will not be eligible for the Best of Show Competition.

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 wooden block supplied with the kit. If a kit other than the official kit is used, the substituted block must contain axle slots that match the slots contained on the block supplied with the official kit. For appearance, the grooves may be filled with glue or plastic wood and painted.

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. 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 (i.e., anything other than the block of wood, axles, and wheels). 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. 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. All four wheels must touch the surface of the track.

Unacceptable Construction: The following may NOT be used in conjunction with the wheels or axles: hubcaps, washers, inserts, sleeves, bearings, bushings.

Gravity Powered: The car must be free wheeling, and it shall not ride on any kind of spring nor utilize any type of starting device. The 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. No lubricating oil may be used. Lubricants may not foul the track. There will be a lubrication table set up at the race. In the interest of fairness, only one lubrication is allowed before the beginning of each Den's race and then once again before the beginning of the Overall Speed Competion.

Procedure for the Cub Scout Race

Registration: Each car shall be inspected when it is registered. If the car fails to pass inspection, the Cub Scout shall have the opportunity to correct the problem and resubmit the car. The Cub Scout shall also have the opportunity to add additional weight at that time, so long as the car does not ultimately exceed 5 ounces. Once all modifications have been made and the car passes inspection, a number shall be assigned to the car and it shall be impounded by the Pinewood Derby Committee until the race.

Race Categories: Cub Scouts will race against others in their Den. Trophies will be awarded to the top finalists and the top finalists will advance to the Overall Speed Competition. The number of finalists that will be awarded trophies and advance to the overall will be determined once it is know how many Cub Scouts will be racing in each category.

Race Format: Each Dens' race shall consist of a full round robin. A formula will be utilized to assure that each car races once against each other car and that each car races in each lane an equal number of times. The winning car in each two car heat shall be awarded one point, and the finalists shall be based on the total number of points scored by each car. This method shall be used in both the Den races and the Overall Speed Competition.

Car Handling Responsibility: Prior to each Den's heat, each Cub Scout participating in the race shall be allowed to lubricate his car at the Pit Area. Then, the Scouts will be called to the staging area, where they shall be responsible for presenting their car to the Starting Team, at the appropriate time. The Starting Team shall be responsible for staging the cars on the track. Once the car is turned over to the Starting Team, the Scout shall move to the finish line and retrieve the car at the end of the race. When each Den's race is complete, the Cub Scout shall be responsible for returning the car to the Pinewood Derby Committee.

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, the other car will be judged the winner.

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, and the other car shall be declared the winner of that heat.

Car Repair: 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 a Pit Crewmember. The car can run in the next race only if it can be repaired within three minutes. 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 and additional time 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, and anyone who enters the race area may be disqualified from further racing..

Finish Line Judging: Three impartial Finish Line Judges shall be stationed at the finish line to observe each heat and to declare the winner of each heat. In the event of a lack of agreement, the majority will prevail. The time of the car racing in the timed lane will be recorded. In the event of a tie, the cars will be re-staged on different lanes and re-run, with the winner being the car with the fastest speed. In the event both cars have the same speed, the Cub Scouts will receive one point each. In the event the electronic timing device is not functioning and a tie occurs, the cars will be re-staged on the same lane and re-run. If a second tie occurs, the Cub Scouts will receive one point each.

Finish Line Judge Backup: Finish Line Judges will temporarily excuse themselves if they know that one of the heat contestants is a son or relative. Backup Finish Line Judges shall be available in case a judge needs to be excused for any reason.

Open Race

This race shall follow the Cub Scout Race and the presentation of awards for the Cub Scout Race, Best of Show, and Best of Category. The open race shall be open to Cub Scouts currently registered in Pack 255, to former Cub Scouts who were members of Pack 255, and to the parents, guardians and siblings of Cub Scouts currently registered in Pack 255. Unlike the Cub Scout race, there is no requirement that the car be new work, so previously raced cars are eligible. Cub Scouts who entered an extra car in the Best of Show competition can race that car or the car registered in the Cub Scout Race in the Open Race. However, cars entered in the Cub Scout Speed Competition are not eligible for this race. No one can register more than one car for the Open Race.

Registration: Cars that are to be raced in the open race shall be inspected and registered at the same time that the all other cars are inspected and registered. If a Cub Scout intends to race a car that he has registered only in the Best of Show competition, he must announce that intention during registration.

General Rules: The general rules described above for the Cub Scout race shall be applied to the Open Race, with the exception that the car does not have to be newly built.

Design Specification Rules:

• Maximum car size, including wheels, is 7" long, 2 3/4" inches wide.
• Maximum weight is 5 oz.
• No wheel bearings, bushings, springs, starting devices, loose or moving weights or parts, or hubcaps are allowed.

Other than these specifications, none of the design specifications applicable to the Cub Scout Race will be applied.

Procedure: The procedure described for the Cub Scout Race shall be followed for the Open Classification Race. However, depending on the number of cars registered and other extenuating circumstances, the Pinewood Derby Committee may establish alternate procedures and rules on the day of the race.

Awards: This race is strictly for fun, and awards may or may not be given.