BH Pinewood Derby

Event Details

Big Horn District

Pinewood Derby

Race of Champions

The Big Horn District Pinewood Derby “Race of Champions” will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024, starting at 8:00 a.m. for car inspection, 9:45 a.m. opening ceremony, and Best of Show Presentation. First race will start at 10:00 a.m. The Pinewood Derby will be held at the Horseheads American Legion. The Pinewood Derby is open to all Lion Cubs and all Pack Champions – Top 3 racers from each division (Tiger, Wolves, Bears, Webelos) and 1 craftsmanship entry. The Cubs with some adult guidance should build cars. Any technical assistance should be fully explained to the Cub so that he/she can use that knowledge on future projects. The cost to participate in the Pinewood Derby is $9.00 per Cub. This will cover the cost of Trophies, Patches, and event supplies. There is NO registration after May 13, 2024. Registration forms can be turned in at the Scout Shop or Registration is also available online for this event. Additionally, please email your roster to Mike @ djmxpress@hotmail.com .

All cars racing in the Pinewood Derby must meet the following specifications.

All cars must be made from the kits provided by BSA and are available through your Pack or local Scout Shop. Pre-cut kits that are available on-line and at local craft stores are NOT permissible to be used for district races.

Wheels:

Customized purchased wheels are not allowed.
Wheels will be allowed to be lightly sanded and polished. The nubs on the wheels must be visible.
Wheel lathing, shaving, or trimming is not permissible. If it is suspected, a wheel will be measured and if not in tolerance the car will be disqualified from racing.
Wheels can be purchased as long as they are not shaved, thinned, trimmed, and must be the official BSA wheels.
No oil, grease, or silicone spray may be used on the axles or wheels. Only powdered graphite is allowed.
Wheel hubs are allowed to be polished only.
The car must be freewheeling with no starting devices

Axles:

Customized purchased axles are not allowed.
Axles are to be either the ones in the kit or official BSA axles(nails).
Axles are allowed to have the crimp marks filed off and can be sanded and polished.
Axles are allowed to be bent as long as there are at least 2 wheels touching and all other car dimensions are met.
Every effort must be made to use the pre-cut axle slots in the car. Drilling holes for axles is permissible as long as the back axle is no closer than 15/16” from the back edge of the rear of the block, the wheelbase is between 4 ¼” and 4 3/8” of an inch, and the undercar clearance is at least 3/8”.
Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are not permitted.

Weight:

Total Finished car maximum weight is not to exceed 5 oz.
If weight is added to the bottom of the car, it must be Recessed up into the body of the car as not to interfere with the bottom clearance of the car.
Lion Cubs:
Lion Cubs will follow the same standards as all other Cub Scouts except for their car.
Their car must be the official wedge car that is not to be cut in any way.
It may be painted, and weight may be added to the top of the car.

All Lion Cubs are invited to participate in the District race, not just the top finishers of the Pack race.

Official Finished Car Dimensions:

Max car length – 7 inches

Max car width – 2 ¾ inches

Max Car Height – 2 ¾ inches

Minimum width between wheels – 1 ¾ inches

Min Underbody Car Clearance 3/8 inches

Wheelbase – between 4 ¼” and 4 3/8” of an inch

Weight – Finished car weight – 5 oz.

Pre-Race and Race Day:

The Cubmaster must confiscate the Champion cars from the pack races and brings them to the district run off race in a sealed carton. This is to ensure that there are no physical alterations to the cars before the race except for graphite application.

Only cars preregistered by May 13th. will be allowed to race and each car’s builder must be present at any heat that the car is to be raced in – absence of the driver will result in the car being disqualified for that heat. No cars will be registered the day of the race.

The car’s builder needs not be present for the car to be eligible for a Best in Show award, providing there is an acceptable excuse for the Scout.

Details such as weights, steering wheel, driver, and paint are permitted if they are firmly attached. Taped items are not permitted.

Cars are to be unboxed only in the designated Area. This will be done by the Cubmaster of the pack. Once cars are unboxed there will be no adjustments allowed except governed by rule infractions.

Each car must pass inspection by the official inspection team before it may compete. The inspectors have the right to disqualify those cars, which do not meet the specifications. If any car does not pass inspection, technical assistance will be available to help correct the problem. Re-inspection is possible if changes can be made before the start of the race. Cars are to be handled only by race officials after passing inspection. In case of disputes the decision of the judges is final.

Awards for Best of Show will be presented prior to the first race. All other awards will be presented after the completion of each category race.

The Scout Oath and Law govern this race.

All participants must bring a Health Form A & B. Please bring a copy of part A, as you will not get that part back.