2022 Thunderbird & Williamson Road District

Black-Light Pinewood Derby

United Steel Workers Union Hall

The Pinewood Derby has been a part of the Cub Scout Program since 1953. As its popularity has grown over the last 64 years, the Pinewood Derby has evolved and different Councils have adopted different rules for competition. To offer the greatest opportunities to Scouts in the Thunderbird & Williamson Road District (WRD), we have chosen to follow the rules of the World Championship Pinewood Derby Rules. Competition in the Thunderbird & Williamson Road District Derby is open to all 2021 Cub Scouts. The youth must be a registered Cub Scout since January 1st, 2021. Boys and Girls that began the calendar year as a Webelos Scout and have since transitioned to a Troop are eligible to compete.

Please remember, while you work with your Cub, that the essence of the Pinewood Derby is to maintain a level of competition of which most boys are capable of achieving, with minimal adult intervention, and a sense of fair play.

Race Times:

• 10am - Lions
• 10:15am - Tigers
• 10:45am - Wolves
• 11:15am - Bears
• 11:30am - Webelos
• 12pm - Scouts BSA
• 12:15pm - Adults

Check-in: (15 min before race time)

Each car entered in a championship race must pass through inspection by the WRD Pinewood Derby Inspection Committee on race day, where it will be evaluated for basic specifications. Participants will have the opportunity to make adjustments to bring their car into compliance prior to the start of the race should modifications be needed. Modifications must be completed 15 minutes prior to the start of the first race or the car cannot run. Any lubrication must be applied prior to final inspection.

After a car has passed inspection, it will be placed in a designated staging location. It will remain there until all races have been completed. Only Race Officials will handle the car until the final Award Ceremony has been completed. If a racer arrives too late to race at their scheduled competition, they will be disqualified.

Officials have the Right to disqualify any car, which does not meet all of the stated rules and specifications. The Officials decision is final. If a Race Official makes a ruling and you wish to appeal it, a majority of Officials will be assembled and based on majority rule the decision will be upheld or overturned.

Car Specifications:

• Maximum Width (including wheels and axles):                    2.750”            69.85mm
• Maximum Length:                                                                7.000”          177.80mm
• Maximum Weight:                                                                5.000 Oz      141.75 g
• Minimum Width Between Wheels:                                       1.750”            44.45mm
• Minimum Bottom Clearance Of Car Body To Track:            0.375”              9.53mm
• Minimum Front Nose Width:                                                0.500”            12.70mm
• Minimum Wheel Diameter: 1.170” 29.72mm
• Minimum Wheel Weight: 0.086 Oz 2.45 g

All measurements will be taken using the official scales and calipers when the car is registered. The scale is accurate to at least 0.10 oz (2.83 g). Overweight cars must be reduced to running weight or below before they can be entered. The official race scale and calipers shall be considered final.

Rules:

General:

1. Cars must have been built during 2021-2022 Pinewood Derby racing season using an Official BSA Pinewood Derby Kit.
2. Each car must pass inspection, during registration, before it may compete.
3. All cars will be impounded, when registered, and will be returned at the end of the race.
4. Repairs will be limited to only replacing axels/wheels that are broken or lost during the race.
5. Repairs are limited to five (5) minutes.
6. If a car jumps off the track or jumps lane, the heat will be run again. If the same car jumps off the track a second time, it will automatically lose the heat.
7. There is no designated front or back to the supplied body: either end may be the front
8. Only Official Cub Scout/BSA Pinewood Derby Wheels and Axels permitted – No solid axels
9. Official Cub Scout/BSA wheels must be used, you may remove the seams and imperfections from the wheels
10. The axles may be polished and lubricated only
11. Only dry lubricant is permitted – Dry Graphite is the only approved lubricant
12. Car wheelbase may not be altered –Cubs can use slots provided on block for axel wheel pins or you can drill your own holes but, distance cannot be any longer than 4 3/8”
13. Details, such as steering wheel and driver are allowed as long as these details, do not exceed the maximum length, width, or weight specifications and are attached firmly
14. The car must be free-wheeling, with no stored energy or movable weights
15. No part of the car may extend past the starting pin!

Lions are highly encouraged to the “Wedge” Car.

Dimensions and Weights:

Cars must clear the center rail of the track, which is 1.625” (41.28mm) wide by 0.25” (6.35mm) tall along the entire length of the car. Minimum clearance between the bottom of the car and the bottom of the wheels shall be 0.375” (9.53mm) to avoid contact with the tracks center guide strip.
No part of the car may protrude beyond the starting pin. The front edge of the car must not be more than 1.00” (25.40mm) above the wheel lane of the track and be at least 0.50” (12.7mm) wide at the center of the car.
Any details added must be within length, width, and weight limits.
All cars must have a wheel base no less than 4.00” (101.60 mm), with the two rear wheels being positioned directly across the body from one another and the two front wheels being positioned directly across the body from one another. Maximum allowable wheelbase shall not allow any portion of the wheels to extend beyond the front or rear of the car.
No part of the car or any attachment to the car may be capable of coming into contact with the track other than the wheels.

Prohibited Items: Items which CANNOT be used 

1. Magnets, springs or suspension systems of any type. 
2. Starting devices, finish line devices, propellants, or propulsion systems 
3. Wet paint, or Sticky substances 
4. Glass or excessively fragile parts 
5. Electronic or lighting devices (if lights are on the car they must be turned off) 
6. Bearings, Bushings, Washers or Solid one-piece rod style axles 
7. Axles and wheels attached to any device that mechanically alters rotation or spin. 
8. Loose objects on car. All weight must be securely fastened or embedded in the car. 
9. Any liquid lubricants. 

Axles: 

1. BSA axles may be polished, deburred and lubricated but must be left otherwise untouched – period. No lubricating oil or liquid lubricant of any kind may be used. Only powdered graphite is permitted. Inspectors may use magnets to ensure BSA factory axles are present. 
2. Factory axle slots may be used, with the factory standard 4 & 3/8 inch wheelbase. Axles are positioned 1 inch from one end (usually the front bumper), and 1 & 5/8 inches from the other (usually the rear bumper). Slots may be trued or straightened. The body can be drilled for placement of axles, but may not exceed 4 3/8”. The tip of the nail axle must be visible to allow inspectors to verify nail axles are being used. 
3. Nail type axles are to be used. You may or may not choose to use those found in the Official Pinewood Derby kit. 
4. Modifications to the Axles are allowed that include straightening, sanding, polishing, canting, grooving, beveling and tapering of axle head as long as the Diameter of the Axle is not reduced. The Diameter may not be less than 0.084 inches (2.13mm). 
5. Axles can be mounted by drilling axle holes or inserted into the factory or custom slots on car. If axle holes are drilled, a ••• inch ‘visibility hole” should be drilled from the bottom of the car at the tip of the nail axle. This will allow inspectors to verify nail axles are being used. 
6. Graphite is the only lubricant allowed at the Pinewood Derby. 

Wheels: 

Please Note: There are after-market modified wheels available that have been LIGHTENED. This is usually done by turning the wheels on a lathe and removing material from the inside of the wheel. These wheels are NOT allowed and can be EASILY RECOGNIZED at inspection. Cars with third party manufactured or modified wheels will not be permitted to race. 

1. Use only Official BSA Wheels; colored wheels are permitted. 
2. All lettering and numbering, both inside and outside, must remain complete and be visible. No wheel covers, inside or outside, may be used.
3. The fluting and other BSA markings on the outside wheel area must remain visible.