Pinewood Derby Rules

NORTH FLORIDA COUNCIL

PINEWOOD DERBY RULES

GENERAL:

G-1. Essential Materials: All cars entered shall be constructed from Official BSA Pinewood Derby Kit material. The car body, wheels and axles must be from an official BSA Pinewood Derby kit. This includes colored wheels and kits sold by Revell® Inc. under license by the Boy Scouts of America. If you purchase bodies, wheels or axles from non-BSA sources, you must ensure that the parts originated from an official BSA kit.

G-2. Competitor Categories: Cub Scouts will compete with others in the same "Cub Scout Year." In most cases this aligns with their year in school: Tiger = 1st grade; Wolf = 2nd grade; Bear = 3rd grade; 1st year Webelos = 4th grade. In those cases which don't match the alignment, reconfirm the information and enter the Cub Scout according to the Cub Scout Year. In cases in which the Cub Scout year is indeterminate, enter the Cub Scout according to his grade in school. If none of these rules apply, contact the Derby Chairman for direction. In these rules the terms "Cub Scout Year", "age group", “class” and “Division” are synonymous.

G-3. Attendance: Only the Cub Scout may enter his car. This means that the Cub Scout must be present to enter his car into competition. An entry by “proxy” will only be allowed for special circumstances. Check with the Derby Chairman for details.

G-4. "New Work": Construction of entries must not have begun before the previous year's NFC Pinewood Derby Races.

G-5. Single Car per Boy per Event: A Scout may enter only one (1) car for the race.

G-6. The Derby Chairman will be the final judge of these rules. The decision of the Derby Chairman will be final, and will be judged in the best interest of the boy, while maintaining a level of fair competition. Un-sportsmanlike conduct by any entrant or member of the audience will be grounds for expulsion from the competition and/or the race area.

Qualification:

Q-1. Qualifying Entrants: Each District is responsible for pre-registering* their qualifying entrants. Each District may enter three (3) Scouts from each Cub Scout Year: Tiger through 1st year Webelos. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place cars of each Scout year from each District’s Pinewood Derby are qualified to enter the NFC Pinewood Derby. Each car must be registered by the Scout who built the car, and must pass inspection by the inspection team before it may be entered in the race (see Technical Standards). In case of an absence, the 4th place Cub Scout from the same District in the same Cub Scout Year may be substituted on the day of the race (this extends to additional placements if the next qualifying Scout is not available to race). The substitute must race his’ own car. No Cub Scout may race two cars. An entry by “proxy” will only be allowed for special circumstances. Check with the Derby Chairman for details.

Q-2. Attire and Appearance: The Scout should be in a neat, clean FIELD uniform, (class “A”).

Technical Standards:

The inspection judges at race-day check-in are responsible to evaluate each car's adherence to the technical standards. Their decision may be appealed to the Inspection Official and the Derby Chairman, who, after consultation with the inspection team, shall render a final, binding decision. Any car not meeting the technical standards will not be permitted to race. The fact that a car passed inspection at the Pack or District competition does not guarantee that it will pass for the Council competition. Any car, at any time, may be subject to additional inspections. Any car discovered to have any violations of the technical standards, even if not previously discovered during check-in, may be subject to disqualification. This decision may be appealed to the Inspection Official and the Derby Chairman, who will consult with any official who discovered or was made aware of any violations. The Track Official and the Derby Chairman will then consult with the SCOUT and his parent/assistant, and shall render a final, binding decision.

T-1. Material: The car body, wheels and axles must be from an Official BSA Pinewood Derby kit. This includes colored wheels and kits sold by Revell® Inc. under license by the Boy Scouts of America. If you purchase bodies, wheels or axles from non-BSA sources, you must ensure that the parts originated from an official BSA kit.

T-2. Weight: Race cars may weigh no more than five (5) ounces (total weight) as determined on the official scales during race day inspection.

T-3. Wheels and Axles: The car must roll on the wheels and axles from an Official BSA Pinewood Derby kit. The wheels must be attached directly to the axle and spin freely. Use of the axle slots is not required. You may drill holes to attach the axles and you may extend the stock wheelbase. There must be at least four wheels on the car, however, it is not required that all four wheels make contact with the track. You may not polish the outside (or the top) of the axle heads, but you may polish the axles (it is recommended that you do). It must be obvious to the judges that the wheels and the nails from the kit are being used.

T-4. Size: Race cars may be no longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2 3/4 (2.75) inches, nor taller than 3 inches, as determined by the official gages during race day 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 racetrack. Adequate clearance is the responsibility of the race car builder.)

T-5. 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, Weights shall be passive, i.e. non-moveable, nonmagnetic, non-electric, non-sticky, etc.

T-6. Wheels/Axle Modifications: You may modify the axle shaft. You may not modify the size, shape, dimensions or weight of the wheels in any way. You may paint or polish any part of the wheel. No additional items may be added to the wheels or axles such as washers, springs, bearings, sleeves, bushings, o-rings, etc. Wheel tread surface must be cylindrical. The words "Official B.S.A." and other lettering on the wheels (inside and outside) shall remain intact and clearly visible to the inspector. All of the original "tread marks" on the wheel face must be intact and apparent to the inspector.

T-7. 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.)

T-8. Lubricants: Graphite lubrication is common. Other lubricants are allowed. ALL lubricants cannot leak or foul the track. ALL excess MUST be removed. All lubricants must be dry at the time of inspection/racing and NOT applied to the exterior of the wheels.

T-9. Staging: The car nose must not be pointed or forked. No part of the car can protrude past the starting pin.

T-10. Body: The car body may have no moving parts.