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The pop up ads above are not endorsed by the Pinewood Derby Committee. Please beware of
materials or construction tips that do not meet this District's Inspection rules.
To extend to our scouts equal, initial potential, specific
construction guidelines are presented below. Each car must pass inspection by the Official Inspection Committee before
competing. The District derby is open to all Scout Pack Units in the Dan Beard District of the Middle
Tennessee Council. Sorry, Webelos that have crossed over to Boy Scouts are no longer eligible. The race is
double elimination.
The Cub & Partner may simply follow the construction rules that
are supplied in each BSA car kit box. However, for teams that desire to get creative beyond the
limits of the "kit" instructions, the following construction rules set the boundaries. It is the responsibility
of the Pack Unit's Committee Chairperson and/or Cubmaster to issue this form to scout parents.
The inspectors have the right to disqualify Pinewood Derby cars which do not meet the Racing Specifications outlined
below. It is the Pinewood Derby Chairman's goal that every car be allowed to race. If a car
does not pass inspection, the adult partner to has the right to alter the car enough to pass inspection. A repair
station "Race Pit" with miscellaneous car materials and tools will be set up at the District Derby.
Click the following link to download a copy of the Construction Rules (PDF format).
click here to download file
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| Free version still available |
| The Official BSA Pinewood Derby Kit |
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Construction Rules
The car must be built from parts of the "Official Cub Scout Grand Prix
Pinewood Derby Kit". This rule will be strictly enforced. The Kit includes 1 block of wood, 4 plastic
tires and 4 nails to and are available from the Jet Potter Scout Shop, Chad's Camping Center, and other official B.S.A. distributors.
Kits from other retailers are not acceptable. Must use B.S.A. materials only. (Additional car accessories, such as weights
and decals, can be purchased at any hobby shop.)
Width: Overall width shall not exceed 2 3/4". The minimum
width between the wheels is 1 3/4". This is to ensure clearance of the lane guides.
Length: Overall
Length is not to exceed 7 inches.
Weight: Total weight is not to exceed 5 ounces. The car
may be built up to a maximum weight by the addition of wood and/or metal, provided it is securely attached to the car body.
Weights fastened to the car held by masking or scotch tape are not acceptable. Loose materials of any kind are
not permitted on or in the car. If a part of the car falls off during the race, it may be disqualified.
Clearance:
Minimum bottom clearance is 3/8". This is to ensure clearance of the lane guides.
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| Design of Wheels |
Wheels: B.S.A. wheels and axles only. Although
each wheel may be sanded to smooth out burs left from the plastic mold, the surface and edges of the wheel tread must remain flat. Curving,
drilling holes or altering the original composition of the wheels is allowed. The
car must be free wheeling with no starting devices or any type of springs. Washers, bushings, & all types
of wheel bearings and connecting axles are prohibited. The B.S.A. axles, which are basically nails, can be smoothed
to remove surface imperfections. The axles should not be deliberately bent in order to tip the wheel tread to an angle.
Axles may be lubricated with a dry powder, such as Graphite. Application of any powder must take place outside the building,
before inspection. Axles cannot be treated after inspection.
Detailing: Details such as
steering wheel, driver, windshield, decals, painting, and other interior/exterior detail are allowed as long as they do not
cause the car to exceed any of the width, length, weight, or clearance specifications.
New Car: Each
year of racing requires a newly built car. Pinewood Derby cars that were built or parts used from previous years are not acceptable.
The Cub Scout must be present to race at the derby, with some exceptions.
Webelos Scouts that have already bridged to a Troop are not eligible. After inspection and approval, cars will be quarantined
in a pre-race staging area.
Inspection Team
The Inspection Team has the right to disqualify those cars that do not meet
the construction guidelines. Car owners will be informed of violations and given an opportunity to modify the car to meet
these rules. Owners may be required to return to the end of the registration line to re-submit cars for check-in. At
the conclusion of the 1st round of the race, all unresolved disqualifications are final. If an appeal is sought, the majority
vote of the Derby Committee is final. Unsportsmanlike conduct may be cause for disqualification.
Once the inspection
and approval process is completed, cars will be quarantined in a pre-race staging area. Participants will not have access
to cars until their car number is called. After a heat, the boys must return there cars to the staging area. (Adding graphite
to the Cars is not permitted after inspection.)
Ground Rules
If a car leaves the lane and interferes with another car, the heat will be run
again. If the same car leaves the track again, it will automatically lose the heat.
If a car suffers a mechanical
problem, and a repair can be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time, before the conclusion of the round, the heat will
be run again. If not, the car will automatically lose the round.
GP 01/18/04
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Inspection Procedures
The Inspection Team may consider any or all of the following during inspeaction of each pinewood derby car.
Have the Cub Scout hold the car upside down for viewing.
- Look at the underside in the vicinity of the wheels.
- Is there any non-dry contamination apparent? Yes? The contaminant must be removed, and the wheel tread and sidewall
area cleaned effectively before proceeding with further inspection. Look at the sides of the wheels.
- Is there anything dripping down the side of the wheel or oozing out from
the hub? Yes? The lubricant
must be removed, and the wheel tread and sidewall area cleaned effectively before proceeding with further inspection.
Have the Cub Scout place the car on the scale.
- Does the weight exceed 5 ounces? (If so, have the car removed, reset the scale, check the scale with the 5 ounce
standard, and repeat the weighing once.) Yes, The car's weight must be reduced.
Have the Cub Scout shake the car gently up and down, then fore and aft. Listen to the sounds the car
makes.
Are there any noises other than the wheels rattling on the axles?Yes? Inspect the car more closely for
moving parts in or on the body. Moving parts (other than the wheels, of course) must be immobilized.
Have the Cub Scout set the car on the track section.
- Look at the ends (nail heads) of the axles. Are they shaped like a regulation axle nail? Normal dome shape,
no indentation, normal texture, normal diameter, ...No? The axles must be replaced.
- Look at the top and sides of the car.
Is there tape or loose material on the car? Yes? Tape must be removed.
Loose material must be removed or affixed firmly.
Look under the car from the end.
- Does the car belly touch the track section? Yes? Advise Cub Scout and his adult partner of possible problem. Tell
them that they may repair or race as-is. Decide before getting the sticker on the car!
Look at the front of the car.
- Is there anything that could catch or stick onto the starting pin?
Yes, The stickiness must be resolved.
Hang a steel (ferrous) paper clip against the front of the car. Then pull t away gently.
- Does the paper clip tend to stick to the front of the car? Yes? The stickiness must be resolved.
Tip the track section so that the front of the car rolls to the pin. From above, look at the front of the
car.
- Does the car body extend past any part of the pin? Yes? The front of the car must be filled or extended
so that no part of the car extends past the starting pin.
Have the Cub Scout set the car upside-down on the pad.
- Look at the wheels
- Are the wheels apparently Official BSA Pinewood Derby wheels? No? The wheels must be replaced.
- Have the wheels been altered in any way from 'out of the kit box'?
No? Skip the next six wheel inspection steps. Remember
that many districts allow the extreme edge of the wheels to be sanded to remove burs. However, 95% of the tread should
be flat.
Look at the wheel treads from the end of the car. Compare width with a fresh wheel of the same type.
- Have the treads been narrowed?
- Yes? The wheels must be replaced. Remember that 95% of the tread must be flat. Sanding the extreme edge
of the wheels is permitted to remove burs.
Look at the inside of the wheels.
- Is the lettering 'Official BSA Made in USA' intact? No? The wheels must be replaced.
- Has the underside of the tread been cut away? Yes? The wheels must be replaced.
Look at the junction between the wheels and axles.
- Is there evidence of washers, bushings, sleeves or bearings? Yes? The washers, bushings, sleeves and bearings
must be removed. The wheels and/or axles may be replaced.
Look at the axle between the wheels and car body.
- Is it really the axle, and not a brass tubing over the axle? No? That is a bushing/washer and must be
removed. The wheels and/or axles may be replaced.
Look at the car body near the axle.
- Does the axle appear to be embedded directly in the wood of the body
(and not into a metal holder, for example)? No?
The axles must be moved or the car body replaced.
Look at the underside of the car.
- Is there tape or loose material on the car? Yes? Tape must be removed. Loose material must be removed
or affixed firmly.
Look at the front of the car.
- Is there anything that could catch or stick onto the starting pin? Yes?The stickiness must be resolved.
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