2009

Pack 165

PINEWOOD DERBY RULES

 

This year’s race will take place on Saturday March 14th at 9:00 AM in the Crestview Cafeteria. Weigh in and practice will be on Friday March 13th from 6:30 – 8:00 PM, also in the Crestview cafeteria.

These rules are based upon the Northeast District rules. Remember the focus of this event is not to win at any cost, but for each Cub Scout to DO HIS BEST!

The Cub Scout should have the fun of racing a car he has built from materials in the Pinewood Derby kit. Adults and others should only guide and help. All scouts will be competing against each other. We will determine the fastest cars for the entire pack, as well as for each den. Adults or other family members of our Cub Scouts who wish to compete may buy their own derby kits and compete in a Non-Scout race bracket. Also, we additionally judge cars for "Best of Show". This is awarded to the car that appears to have been done mostly by the Scout.

  

Race Car Rules

1. WIDTH: Car cannot be more than 2 3/4 inches wide.

2. LENGTH: Car cannot be more than 7 inches long. This is the length of the original block. (This includes any accessories)

3. WEIGHT: Finished car can not weigh more than 5 ounces. The weight shown on the Official Race Scale is final. All car parts and materials must be firmly attached. To increase the car's weight, add wood or metal only. Do not use Mercury to add weight because it's not safe. No loose attachments. No starting devices.

4. WHEEL PLACEMENT: The car body must be at least 1 3/4 inches wide at the axles. It must clear the ground by at least 3/8 inch. (This is the minimum to fit on the track.) Weights glued to the bottom of the car will rub on the track and slow or stop your car!

No modifications to the wheelbase are allowed. The wheelbase must be in the original slots as designed in the BSA Official Grand Prix.

In the Scout division, only BSA Official Grand Prix kits purchased from the Pinewood Committee or from the Scout Shop will be permitted. The unofficial cars (precut or kit form) obtained elsewhere do not qualify in the Scout division. Pre-cut cars are permitted in the Non-Scout division. Our pack provides one official kit to each Scout, so this should not be a problem!

 

5. WHEELS AND AXLES: Use only Official Scout Grand Prix wheels and axles in both the Scout and Non-Scout divisions. You can polish the axles. You may lightly sand the wheels to remove the molding seam on the tread or to true the wheel. No other wheel changes are allowed (no reshaping, excessive sanding). You may not use bearings, washers or bushings. No solid axles!

6. SPRINGING: The car may not ride on any type of springs.

7. DETAILS: Details such as Steering Wheel, Driver, Decals, Painting, and Interior Details are okay. The finished car with details must meet the maximum length, width and weight rules. Cars with wet paint will not be accepted.

8. ATTACHMENTS: The car must be freewheeling with no starting devices.

9. LUBRICATION: Use dry powdered graphite ONLY. You may not use any other lubricant, especially oils and silicone sprays. Graphite may not be added at any time after the car has been submitted to race officials.

INSPECTION: Each car must pass inspection by the Official Inspection Committee before it may compete. The Inspectors will disqualify any car not meeting these rules. Any adult or Scout may appeal the findings of the Inspectors to the Race Committee Chairperson, whose decision is final. However, the Inspectors are usually the Race Committee Chairpersons.

Once a car has been signed in (official weigh in), no further adjustments by the Scout (or his family) is allowed. Emergency repairs may be performed if needed under the strict guidance of a Race Official. The Race Official will determine if the car will have the opportunity for repair. Only one repair will be allowed per car for the entire race day. No lubrication will be allowed during the repair. All cars will be retained by the Racing Officials until after the heat races are complete.

Only ONE car can be entered per person, and it must be this year’s car. You can not race a previous year car (The car may not have raced in any previous official race). However, you may build more than one car and choose which one you want to enter.

 

Race Ground Rules

1. GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP AND BEHAVIOR IS EXPECTED! Race Officials may ask anyone not following this rule to leave. You do not need to be present for your car to run.

2. The Grand Prix Pinewood Derby is open to all Cub Scouts in Pack 165. The Non-Scout bracket is open to any Adult partners or family members of these Scouts.

3. We will be running the "Enhanced Lane Rotation" method. The way this works is that each car will run the same number of races in each lane on the track. Each Scout car will run a set number of heat races in each lane. The Non-Scout cars will also run a set number of heat races in each lane. The Scout cars will typically run more heat races than the Non-Scout cars. The actual number of heat races will depend on the number of entries. A Scout can expect to see his car run a minimum of 6 heat races and a Non-Scout a minimum of 6 heat races, so durability is a key when you are building your cars. The computer randomly selects the entries and lane assignments in each heat race. Points are awarded for the order of finish in that heat race. 1st place =1 point, 2nd place = 2 points, 3rd place = 3 points, 4th place =4 points, 5th place=5 points, 6th place = 6 points. At the end of all heat races, the four cars with the lowest cumulative point totals will be the finalists. These four cars will then compete in a six-race run-off to decide the final order of finish. The winner of the Non-Scout division will be determined by the car with the lowest point total at the end of the heat races. If there is a tie at the end of the heat races for the final spot in the Scout division, those cars involved in the tie will run a one-race run-off. Race Officials will draw random lane assignments. The same format will apply in the event of a tie in the Non-Scout division.

4. A car that jumps off the track or interferes with another car will cause the heat to run again. If it happens again, the car will be awarded 6th place and the other 5 cars will be re-run the heat if interference occurred. Any type of scoring malfunction or human error by the Race Officials will also result in a complete re-run of that heat race.

5. If a car is unable to complete a heat race and it is determined that it did not affect the performance of any other cars in that heat, that car shall be awarded 6th place for that heat and the remaining 5 cars scored as usual. The scout is allowed five minutes to fix the car in preparation for his next heat race. If it is determined, by Race Officials, that the car’s breakdown did affect one or more of the other cars in that heat, then that car is still awarded 6th place, but the other 5 cars will re-run the heat. If debris or accessories fall off of a car during a heat race, and the debris does not affect the performance of any of the other cars in that heat, the final order of finish will be official. If the debris does affect one or more of the other cars, then the entire field will re-run the heat. If the car cannot be fixed in five minutes, it will be awarded 6th place and the other 5 cars will re-run the heat. A car can be repaired only once during the entire race day.

6. Only Race Officials are permitted inside the track area. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

 

Weigh In and Practice

** Friday Evening! **

Check in and practice will be from 6:30 – 8:00 PM. We can not get into the cafeteria and start to set up until 6:00, so please do not come before 6:30!

Any car that is not checked in on Friday evening will not be permitted to race on Saturday!

Each contestant will be given 3 tickets. Each ticket is good for one practice run down the track. This is an opportunity to check out your car. You are not required to use the practice runs. No practice runs are allowed after the car is submitted to Race Officials.

Some tools and weights will be available at the weigh in, but you may want to bring your own to be safe!

Each Scout must bring his car to the Inspection Table. If the car fails to meet any rules, the Inspectors tell the Scout the exact problems. The Scout may change the car to meet the rules.

When the car is submitted to Race Officials, Official Scorers will register the cars. The Official Scorers set-up and maintain the race heats and tell the Official Starters which cars run in each heat.

Contestants may not handle their car again unless a Track Official has determined that the car may be in need of repairs.

 

Race-Day!

The Racer’s Pledge will be read at 9:00 AM and the heat races will start after that. We have a full day of racing planned, so starting on time is a must. You do not have to be present for your car to run!

The car whose nose is first over the finish line is the winner. The Official Race Judge’s opinion is final! This is regardless of what the automatic timer may indicate. The Judges have the option to re-run a heat. The Judges prefer to believe the automatic timer in almost all cases.

 

General Guidance

If you have any parents who have a table saw or other woodworking tools, that would offer to make them available on a Saturday or during a den meeting, that would be great! If any leaders have access to such tools, and want to offer their services, that would be great also. Just reminders to any new leaders, knives of any type are strictly prohibited on Crestview school grounds. Saws are ok, but please make sure you have adequate parental supervision. All clean-up (sawdust, paint, etc.) is the responsibility of the den leaders. All painting should be done in the art room, so if there is another den that meets in there, you may want to coordinate with them for use of the room. Also, we are not to use any of the supplies in the art room. Please make sure you bring your own paint, brushes, etc. If you have any questions concerning our decision, please do not hesitate to ask.

Generally, the expectation is that the older the Scout, the less assistance is needed. Help should not be denied, but the boy should do the majority of the design, work, and painting. We offer Non-Scout races for those fathers (and others) that really want to "do it their way".

Steve Schaefer and Dave Born – Pack 165 2009 Race Officials