Pack 39 Chuluota, FL

Pinewood Derby Rules

The Pinewood Derby is typically held on a Saturday in February.  Racing takes place by den and the top 3 in each den compete for the pack championship

​Pack 39 holds a Traditional Cub Scout Pine Wood Derby each year.  Here are the Pack 39 rules for the derby and links to pictures from previous years.

 ALL CARS MUST PASS INSPECTION TO QUALIFY FOR THE RACE

 The inspection points are: 
  1. The car weight shall not exceed 5.0 ounces. The official race scale shall be considered final.
  2. The overall length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches.
  3. The overall width of the car shall not exceed 2 ¾ inches.
  4. The car must have 1 ¾” clearance between the wheels.
  5. The car must have 3/8” clearance underneath the body.
  6. The wood provided in the kit must be used. The block may be shaped any way that is desired. Aftermarket car bodies are prohibited.
  7. The wheels supplied with the kit must be used. They must have "BSA Pinewood Derby" on them. The car must have 4 wheels attached to the body. The wheels may not be shaved down with the intention or reducing their diameter or weight. You can sand down the flat surface of the wheel to remove any burs or seams that occurred from the molding process and to reduce runout, but this process should not significantly decrease the diameter or weight of the wheels. Aftermarket modified wheels are prohibited, even if they were created from official wheels.
  8. The axles supplied with the kit must be used. They may be modified and lubricated with dry lubricant by you. Aftermarket modified axles are prohibited, even if they were created from official axles.
  9. Wheel bearings, washers or bushings are prohibited.
  10. The car must not ride on any type of springs.
  11. The car must be freewheeling, with no starting devices. No loose material of any kind, such as lead shot, may be used.
  12. The axle slots pre-cut on the car do not have to be used. New holes can be drilled, but the wheels can't extend beyond the front or rear edge of the car.
  13. The car body may have no moving parts.
  14. The front center of the car body must have 3/4" of wood surface from the original block so that it can rest easily against the starting dowel on the track. Wishbone shaped fronts with a wire that rests against the starting dowel or similar designs are prohibited.

Each car must pass inspection by the official inspection committee before it will be allowed to compete. The Inspection Committee has the responsibility to disqualify those cars that do not meet these specifications.

 During the race:  
  1. If, during a race, a car leaves the track without interfering with its opponent, it shall be considered to have ended its heat at that point.
  2. If a car leaves its lane, at his sole discretion, the track chairman may inspect the track and, if a track fault is found which probably caused the initial violation, the track chairman may order the race to be rerun after the track is repaired.
  3. If, during a race, 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.
  4. If, during a race, a car leaves its lane and, in so doing, interferes with another racer, then the car at fault shall be declared to have lost the race heat.
  5. Construction of ALL entries MUST have begun AFTER last year's races.
  6. Only one car may be registered by any person in the Pinewood Derby. 
  7. Only dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered teflon "white lube" will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Lubricants may not foul the track.
  8. Only one lubrication is allowed before the beginning of the first race and then once again before the beginning of the first race of the semi-finals and finals.
  9. Details such as the steering wheel, driver, decals, painting, and interior detail are permissible as long as these details do not exceed the maximum length, width, and weight specifications.