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| SD500 HOME | Overview | The Plan | Race Charts | Race Car Standards | Racing Rules | The Track | Pinewood Derby Workshop |
| Pre-Race Check-in | The Race | Static Competition | Forms | Cheating |
This is a guide meant to help those tasked with hosting a Pinewood Derby. It is
organized to help you direct an event from the perspective of the Derby Chairperson. It
does not show you how to build a car or a track but does show you how to insure that the
Cubs and parents enjoy "their" Pinewood Derby. Whether you're an old hand or new
to the business you'll find helpful information, suggestions, examples and opinions in
these pages.
Cub Scout Pinewood derbies originated with races first held in Manhattan Beach, California
with Pack 280C in 1953. They have since been incorporated into many organizations from
religious youth groups and YMCA's to corporate sales competitions in multi-million dollar
companies. Now, over 40 million Cub Scouts have participated in a pinewood derby. Whether
they're called Pinecar, Shape-N-Race, Pinewood Derby or just Derby the basic concept
hasn't changed.
A box of parts including a block of wood, four plastic wheels and four nail-axles can form
the basis of memories that stay with a person through a lifetime. A wooden block, cut and
sanded just right, is carried by 4 wheels down a inclined track guided by a strip of wood
propelled only by gravity. The race is not the finale of the of the experience and shouldn't be
regarded as the only reason the car was built. The whole experience is a lesson in planning,
work and cooperation and patience. Hopefully it will seed fond memories of the time that Dad
or Mom and I built the Pinewood Derby car and we had fun learning together. Your planning
of this event will also shape the experience of many Cub Scouts.
If Pinewood Derbies are new to you or if you need a refresher course then read from the beginning. Those with experience may want to just use this as a reference for rules, charts and procedures.
So you've been elected to coordinate the derby race? Well, this may be the best time
you've ever had or maybe the worst. Most will depend on the time spent before the race.
In fact, the smart organizer will begin months before the race is scheduled. Here's an
outline to review before the day of the race.
Start Planning - (up to 3 to 4 months or more before race).
Designate a Derby Chairperson (maybe this is you)
Set/adopt racing rules and car specifications
Set place and date of race (and maybe an alternate)
Arrange for track and check-in equipment
Select you race staff - judges, registration personnel, score keeper, staging coordinators etc.
Make a checklist of items to have on hand at race-day
Design or select the race chart
The best, most timely, fairest with number of Lanes and racers
The Equipment
Track and electronic lane judge - Buy, borrow, rent, or build it yourself?
Check-in and technical check equipment
Length, Width and Height box
Clearance checker
Scales - balance scales, electronics scales or postal scales
Clipboards, charts etc.
PA system
Derby Workshop/Pre-race Check - (One or Two Weeks Before Race)
Coordinate the time, place and workshop host
Race-day -
Racer and car Check-in
Register all racers and their cars
Attach a number and name to the car
Have the car checked by the "Pit Crew/Judges"
The car judging
Weight test station
Wheels checking
Size Testing
Clearance and misc. testing
Impound/store the car - in a box or a table with towels to prevent rolling
The Race
Staging and pre-staging the racers
Lane selection method - rotation, random draw or single lane
Car handling
In-race Lubrication/Modifications and other no-no's
Recognize the eliminated racers
Awards
The fastest and runners-up
Static Awards
Every successful race will have
been well planned that way. It will start with a designated derby chairperson.
This one person should take the responsibility for coordinating all aspects
of the race and selecting a staff to help accomplish those tasks. The chair
could be the Cubmaster but more often it is better to designate another individual
with fewer other Pack-related jobs. The Pinewood Derby staff will either volunteer
or be designated to particular jobs as they are capable.
Once the staff has been selected
they need to meet to determine the goals for the race. Early in the planning
the following must be set: the racing date/time, the race location, arrangements
for a track, race officials and a checklist of items for race-day.
Among the first considerations will be the racing rules and car specifications. This is
necessary as some Cubs and parents will start building cars early and should have a copy
of the requirements. Your rules may be carried over from previous pack races or borrowed
from other Packs if you are a new pack. Ask around at your roundtable meeting for ideas
and considerations. You should also consider what rules apply to district or council races
in your area. The representative from your pack should not have to modify his car to race
at a higher-level local race. Sample rules for a pack race are included in the appendix.
The car specifications published in the Pinewood derby kits are minimal and don't include
specific information about Pack, district or council rules that may be much more specific.
Publish your rules and regulations early so that everyone has a copy and there no
surprises.
Your race date and location will go hand-in-hand with the time of year, size of pack
and the track size. It may be well to plan on a secondary location especially if you are
scheduling an outside race. Schools and other sponsoring organizations can and often
do preempt commitment dates with little notice. Outside races can be ruined with
either rain or high wind conditions. Consider the track length. Does your sponsor restrict
the use of materials like graphite in the area you would like to use as race area? Is
there their electricity for a power drill at your work table?
Use the pinewood derby organization worksheet to help track assignments with the volunteers that will perform those functions. Insure that everyone is trained in their job position.
Pinewood Derby Organization Worksheet
Pinewood Derby Chair name/phone
Pinewood Derby Race Date/Time Location
Race location confirmed with (name and phone number)
Room/location restrictions? (Graphite, soft drinks, is there electricity, shade/shelter)
Pinewood Derby Workshop Date/Time Location
Pinewood Derby Workshop coordinator/phone
Pinewood Derby Workshop helper #1/phone
Pinewood Derby Workshop helper #2/phone
Pinewood Derby race day Staff:
Master of Ceremonies (Calls racers, announces winners, etc.)
Track-master (procures, sets up and maintains track)
Registration (Records racer/car number at check-in)
Pit Crew Technical Judge #1 (Checks car weight)
Pit Crew Technical Judge #2 (Checks car size & clearance)
Pit Crew Technical Judge #3 (Checks car wheels and axles)
Scorekeeper (Maintains the chart winners & losers)
Finish Line Judge #1 (Reports finish order to Scorekeeper)
Finish Line Judge #2 (Reports finish order to Scorekeeper)
Staging Coordinator #1 (Locates racers for upcoming race)
Staging Coordinator #2 (Positions racers for next race)
Determining the fastest of thirty, eighty or more cars be very difficult because all of
the variables involved. The primary variables will be the number of racers, number of
lanes on the track and the amount of time available to race. Secondary considerations like
track lane differences, physically handicapped racers and race organization can also
effect the race outcome or time required to run the race.
The biggest consideration with larger groups is the time required to run a good race.
No matter what race technique you employ the larger groups naturally take more time. Plan
to complete your race within two hours unless it is a part of a planned day of racing like
a picnic or other events. Young racers can lose their interest quickly and long, drawn-out
sessions can be boring. On the other hand, you need to be fair!
Charts and Types of Tracks
The chart or car elimination method you use will be determined, in part, by the number of lanes you have on your track.
The Single Lane Race
What's a single lane race? As it implies, a single-lane track provides one car the opportunity to race down the track at a time. How does it work? Well actually each car is racing against a clock or electronic timer. When set, the car at the top of the track is released and a timer is automatically started and then stopped when the car passes the finish line. The start and stop timing functions are electronically controlled to eliminate the human factor. This is a less exciting, method of "racing" but it can eliminate the need for a complex racing chart and multi-lane tracks. It requires only a timed single lane track. Each of the racers will run his car three times down the track and takes an average of the three or the fastest single elapsed time. The track must be electronically timed with a resolution of at least 1/1000th of a second. While very scientific, this sort of race takes away the excitement of the cars speeding down the track side by side. Don't try this racing method with a handheld stop watch as you can not be accurate enough to be completely fair.
The racers can run all three races at one time or the entire group can race once followed by heats two and three. The biggest advantage to this method is that everyone is running on the same lane with the lowest elapsed time or summed time determining the winner. On the down side however, is that it a little less exciting when there's no competition in the next lane and it requires special electronic equipment.
Multi-Lane Tracks
The most common racing is on multiple-lane tracks. Two, three and four tracks are the most common in use as they provide side-by-side car races that let the racers cheer their own car to the finish line. Most tracks are of wood construction with wood, laminate or metallic rolling surfaces. Finish-place judging is called by non-biased observers at the end of the track but this is increasingly being replaced by electronic lane judges.
Because each lane on the track and lane cannot be identical every track will have a personality with fast lanes, slow lanes and drift characteristics. The plywood running surface is usually the worst offender in this fast-lane/slow-lane problem. Though more expensive, metal and laminate surfaces (like FormicaŽ) remove a large part of this problem while the balance can be helped with plastic lane guides. An alternate to this approach is use the newer metal surfaces that also have built-in lane guides. See tracks.
Take your time and be certain that you give every Cub the chance to race as much as he can and still complete your elimination process. After all, the Cub Scout and his parents have invested a great deal of time in the car and much emotion can ride down the track with that car. You will not be able to fairly determine the three fastest cars in your pack without using a well thought-out racing elimination chart.
Designing Your Own Chart
If you design your own chart make sure that you provide an opportunity for all racers to run at least twice. Since all track lanes will vary in performance try to insure that the selection of lanes is purely random or insure that a car doesn't always get the same lane (fast or slow) by designing a lane rotation chart. The structure of the racing chart will depend on the size of the Pack and the number of lanes on your track. Of course, it requires much longer to hold a race on a two lane track than a 4 or 5 lane track but it is much easier to follow. You may find it desirable to make the race last longer by restricting the number of racers in each heat but remember you'll have more boys with nothing to do until their next race.
If at all possible at least run a double-run elimination race. This gives the
Cub with the second fastest car an opportunity to prove it. If by chance the two fastest
cars in the Pack race early in the heats of a single elimination race the second
place car would be eliminated and never race again. This is unfair to the Cub Scout and
the Pack wouldn't be recognized as the runner up or Pack alternate to a district or
council race. Technically, the double-elimination race is a contest system where
opponents are tried in pairs as in tennis. The double-run is a system where an
opponent must lose twice before being eliminated.
When you have finished your chart design try it out by doing a "paper race". Assign
a car number and a unique "speed" to all your cars and then see how they would
progress through your chart in a simulated race. The car speed numbers will determine who wins
each race. Your chart should show the fastest and runner-up correctly.
The Stearns Method
In a manner similar to lane rotation the Stearns method insures that each car races
every other car a runs in each lane on the track. The merits of this technique is great
and when used with a smaller size group provides a lot of fun racing and a very fair race.
On the down side however it requires a computer program to generate the racing schedule
and has been reported by many to require too much time. Thirty two racers must complete
over 100 heats on a four lane track to determine a winner. You must be very efficient and
run a pre-staged/staged race. The program is available free on the Internet.
Tracking the Racing Charts
You will want at least one person to do nothing but track the race results on the race
chart. Don't try to run the race and maintain the chart by yourself. It can be confusing
and tends to slow down the race. If possible, make up the chart on large white paper or on
a chalk board where the audience can easily see the progress of the race. Insure that the
Scorekeeper fully understands the chart. The Scorekeeper and staging coordinator can help
the MC call the next boys up for their race and maintain order. Maintain the Cub's
attention and everyone else's interest by keeping the race moving.
The Decision Table
Determine what track you use, buy, rent or borrow and then base your elimination technique on that track. If you are using a track with three or more lanes an electronic lane judge is highly recommended. You will find that even on two lane tracks two closely matched cars can be extremely difficult to call. The following is table of the common elimination techniques grouped with their advantages and disadvantages:
| Elimination Method | Group Size | Best Track Size | Time Efficiency | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Timed | Small to Large | Single | Good | Very Fair, few arguments | No side-by-side competition |
| Table Sort | Any | Specific to Number of Lanes | Slower | Gives racers multiple runs | May be confusing to racers |
| Single Elimination Chart | Any | Two Lane | Very Fast | This can be a quick to find the fastest car | Each car may lose only once to be eliminated |
| Double Elimination Chart | Small to Medium | Two Lane | Fast | Quick racing elimination | Familiar chart to many but limits racing |
| Lane Rotation | Small to medium | Any Size | Slower | Each car runs on every lane to insure fairness | Requires more races to find the winner |
| Point Sum | Any | Any Size | Good | One bad run may not eliminate racer | Requires adding all runs of all racers |
| Stearns method | Any | Track-specific | Very Slow | Insures fairness and maximum racing | Can require a huge number of races to finish |
| "Double-Run" | Any | Any | Good | Gives racers at least two runs | limited racing |
Do's and Don'ts
Do - use a method that lets the participants race as many times as practical.
Do - use a timed or electronic track to avoid arguments or rerun races.
Do - use a lane-rotation or timed single-lane type race when using a track with a fast or slow lane(s).
Don't - use a single-elimination chart if you can avoid it.
Here's some examples of various charts:
Every car will be a little different and in some cases a lot different. It's that very different car that will attract attention, especially if it wins races. Any car that finishes first should remain the winner. Don't go back later scrutinized it for illegal devices, size or weight or other problems. It is too late! Any car design or construction problems should have been detected before the race. This does not include other rules you may have governing race like Unsportsmanlike conduct or cheating.
Avoid the potential problems of post-race conflicts by conducting inspections of the cars by a designated official inspection team before the race. The cars should then impounded until the actual race begins. This inspection may occur days, hours or only minutes before the race which will depend of the number of racers and the time allocated for the check-in process.
You may want to begin drafting your group's car standards by using the basic
construction dimensions from the pinewood derby box and incorporating the ideas
for standards from other groups that have had successful races. The limited
rules in the individual pinewood derby boxes are not complete
enough to cover all the situations you will encounter in a race. They have not
been updated in over 10 years. For instance, they still indicate that dry powered
graphite is the only legal lubricant when the national supply system no longer
carries it. Publish the car standards and racing rules well before the cars
are to be built.
The car design specifications should reflect reasonable control
of the unscrupulous while providing the flexibility for creative deign.
Here are some guidelines to consider:
Encourage parental assistance with the car building but remember the car should
the product of the youth not the adult. Safety is the first concern, so let
mom, dad or experienced adult help with anything that might require use of power
tools. Caution should also be extended to the handling of lead or any lead component.
Use gloves when handling lead and keep it away from the mouth.
Use dimensions and clearance standards from the Grand Prix Derby Kit.
7" length, 2.75" width and limit height to 3 inches. The undercarriage
clearance should be 3/8".
Insure that a weight standard of 5.00 ounces is obvious.
It is possible to modify the plastic wheels of the kit in many ways and there
are also after market wheels that are lathe-turned, narrowed, lightened, and
grooved. These offer special advantages to the cars that use them. Unless everyone
has access to them it provides an unfair advantage to just a few racers. Again
the car should reflect the talents and creativity of the youth not a machine
shop.
In some instances a car that was designed and raced in a previous race did
well and might do well again. Should it be allowed to race again? Make a statement
to indicate if it is permissible to race anything but a newly constructed car.
If nothing is indicated otherwise, a racer may assume that it's okay to race
his brother's winner from last year. Try to encourage the boys to build
a new car each year. They may find the new car is even faster.
Other kits. There are several manufacturers of wood car kits whose parts could
be mixed in with the Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby kit. Parts from these
kits include wheels, wood bodies, body trim, decals, characters, hubs and axles.
While the trim, characters and decorative parts would have little effect on
race speed other parts may. It is recommended that wheels, axles and hubs not
be allowed to be used on the pinewood derby cars.
The wood used in the construction of the pinewood derby car will be difficult
if not impossible to verify as originating from the official BSA kit. Unless
you set rules that limit moving the axle locations it shouldn't really make
much difference. The wood blanks in the official kits are often longer than
seven inches and have axle slots that aren't always square with the body. It
is recommended to permit the builder some flexibility in this area.
Specify that the wheels, axles and body from the official kit must be used
in the construction of the race car.
No steering system, suspension or guidance system may be used with the car.
No propulsion system shall be used with the car. Gravity is the only propelling
force.
No wheel bearing or auxiliary wheel suspension system is to be used.
Wheelbase. The wood car blocks are precut with a pair of 1/4" deep cuts
where the axles can attach. There are some units that require the axles be fixed
at these positions only. It has been proven however that a longer wheelbase
can make for a faster car and many racers know this. It is not a difficult task
to cut or drill a new location for the axles and it is a general recommendation
that it be permitted. The same size requirements still hold true so the wheels
may not exceed the length and width rules.
Wet paint. The last-minute coat of paint or too many coats of thick paint can make the official check-in process a mess and can pose a problem for the track itself. While you may not want to disallow a wet-paint car entry try to reduce wet paint problems by inserting a caution note in your rules. "Please don't submit cars with wet paint"
.
A sample car specification sheet is included later in this text.
Rules and laws are the refining elements that govern our civilized society. Whether they are printed, assumed or verbally promoted rules can either take the fun out of an activity or define reasonable bounds for our fun. Our Pinewood Derby race, Shape N Race Derby or Kub Kar Rally is no exception. Rules are necessary but we don't want too many. We need to always remember the point of this activity is to have fun. Rules are blended in to this activity to provide controls and standards for the racers. While we all would try to minimize the number of rules and dictates that exist there may be a few things that should be established for the control of those folks that will always pop up to take advantage of the situation. This activity is something we all want as a positive memory win or lose.
This is an opportunity to race one-of-a-kind cars and thrill to their finish. Let's state for the record that there is no one set of master rules. Event committees are free to generate whatever set of rules it deems necessary. "THE RULES" will generally apply to that unit alone. This can be good thing in that the rules can be tailored for the participants but can also work to serve as a disadvantage when those rules are different than a set of rules that govern a district, region or large-area events where run-off races occur. Differing rules may cause problems for the racer and his car when local rules don't follow the larger area race rules. The rules must be accurately stated and meaningful. Disagreements occur when a rule can be interrupted in more than one way. Don't assume that something is obvious. Write it down as a rule before the race. So, what's Reasonable? The rules should help to eliminate the temptation to build a 100-ounce car, the rocket-powered mobile and other obviously unfair, dangerous, devious and distasteful cars or techniques. So, how do we convey these simple-minded ideas to the participants? Well, after years of trying to spread the word I have found we still have to spell it out rule-by-rule.First, who qualifies to race? You will define and enforce this as necessary but it is generally all those that are members in good standing, current on dues and desire to compete in a fashion of good sport, win or lose. Hopefully, all members new and old will be included in the competition. Tiger Cubs attached to a Pack are also registered Cub Scouts that should certainly be included. Many Tiger Cubs race at council races every year. The same can follow for other types of organizations as well. Just make it clear before the event.
There seems to be about 10 to 12 rules that eliminate the big loopholes for car design but still provide plenty of freedom for creative and competitive implementation. Here are a few examples of rules that, believe it or not, are not obvious to all.
(additional administrative and conduct rules)
If a challenge to the rules occurs on race day you must a single authority to declare a judgment. This authority is usually the event chairperson. The decision of the chairperson is final. Don't let the situation deteriorate into a long argument over whether a particular design is legal. However, it will usually be better to err on the side of leniency. Regardless, make sure to resolve the ambiguity before the next derby (e.g., during a leaders' debriefing meeting a week or two after the race).
Who handles the cars? It seems logical that the Cub Scout that built the car should also be the racer and as such should be the only one permitted to handle the car. Woe be to the adult that drops or damages a car that he or she was holding. Obviously the inspection team will have to handle the cars but that should be the limit. After inspection it should be placed on a towel (to prevent it from rolling) in the impound area. To those groups that expedite their race by having adults place the cars on the track consider that the car placement on the release gate can effect the race results. You, of course, also risk dropping the car or being blamed for wheels or axles being moved during handling that caused the loss of a race.
Proxy Racing. It is seldom that all Cub Scouts can attend every event, even the pinewood derby. Because of sickness, schedule conflicts or other reasons you may find yourself with a car and no owner on race-night. You should provide a way for that Cub to still have a chance to find out if his car was really the fastest or best-designed (or whatever) on derby night. Most units will allow either a substitute racer, Den leader or other designated Proxy racer to run the car for the absent racer.
The rules should provide a procedure for absentee racers so that it is clear what should be done and when. There have been some serious Pack-Parent conflicts over this issue after the race when a cub was left out or his car forgotten and another was declared the pack champion. Get that car ahead of time, mark it clearly as a "Proxy driver required" car so that it does get a chance to compete.
Car Lubrication and Other Modifications During the Race
When a car has be accepted for racing it should not be changed. To do so should require another inspection to verify that the car still meets the inspection criteria. For that reason, the car must not be allowed to be altered after it has been accepted and before or during the actual race. If your pack race permits re-lubricating during the race then all racers should have access to the lubricant. If nothing else, this practice is extremely messy. When a single car is re-lubricated that car has a possible advantage over other cars. Even worse, if a racer adds weight to a car during a race he has greatly increased his chances of winning. This must be considered cheating.
If you already have a track then most of that battle may be solved. On the other hand, if your track is old or a hand-me-down you should check it out thoroughly long before the race to determine if it needs attention. This attention could be anything from a thorough cleaning to being completely rebuilt. In the case of the latter you might want to read on to see if other options might be less expensive in the long run. If your unit doesn't own a track you need to start early (many months before need) to find a track to borrow, rent, buy or maybe you would like to build one.
Renting or Borrowing a Track
First, let's take a look at borrowing or renting. This an obvious way of getting a track if you don't have a budget for building one. After all, your unit will probably only use a track once or twice a year, they can be awkward to store and even recall who had it last. It also seems they either need paint or a repair and that number three lane is always so S-L-O-W.
If you're going borrow a track make sure you're getting something better than you have. How many lanes does it have? Does it have an electronic lane judge? How long is it? How many sections does it have and what sort of vehicle does it take to transport it? Does it have significantly fast or slow lanes? Can you get it a day or two before you have to use it? Ask these questions.
Some Packs or even councils will finance the maintenance on their tracks with
by renting them out to other units. The idea is that it helps pay for the investment
over a few years and it provides a service to other Packs as well. Let's face
it, a decent FormicaŽ surfaced track with an electronic lane judge can cost
many hundreds of dollars and a pack just can't always justify that expense for
the little use it gets.
Building a Pinewood Derby Track
If you have a large unit with a budget for a track build your own track and you'll always have a it when you decide you want to run your race. As mentioned above, you can also help pay for it's construction and repair by renting it to other units.
Before you tackle this task you had better be warned of the costs and labor involved. A four lane to six lane track that is 32 feet long surfaced with a counter top laminate can cost $150 to $250 depending on its complexity and the materials used. If you include an electronic lane judge that cost could easily double. This cost is also based on 40 or more hours of "free" labor over several weeks.
There is no published standard for a pinewood derby track even though we create exacting standards for the cars that run on them. Generally, the track will be about 30 to 35 feet long (32' is typical), have a three to five foot declined slope and provide a 3 * to 4 inch separation of the cars using a wood, metal or plastic lane guide. The cars are released at the top of the track by a unitized fly-away release mechanism. Avoid drop-type releases as they can cause problems. Design your track with a modular approach so that it may be stored and transported with greater ease. It is common to use plywood as a base for the lanes as it readily available, flexible and easily worked. The 8 foot lengths provide an optimal interval of four (4) lengths to produce a 32 foot long track. The lane guides must be 1/4" high and 1 1/2" wide. There many variations of tracks that provide different slopes, section joints and run-outs for the cars. Check out many other tracks before you starting making sawdust!
Every Cub Scout parent has their first experience with pinewood derby car construction. Too often parents just don't know where to start or have the proper tools. There are often no examples, no guidance or help from the pack. Military families, single parent families often rely on an adult that may not have the background or ability to help their son complete the derby kit. The tool-impaired dads will also appreciate the help, advice and examples of others.
So how about having a Saturday workshop where boys and their parents can get some hands-on experience from other parents and leaders? You can bring completed examples of cars from earlier races or maybe have an example of a car in various stages of completion. Several hours spent on wood shaping techniques, painting and wheel finishing can go a long ways toward making that first pinewood derby an enjoyable experience.
Have on hand the following tools for your derby workshop:
Paper or plastic outline templates
Sandpaper 80, 150 and 220 grits
Sanding blocks
A saw for cutting the basic profile of the car. This can be one of the following:
Dremel Scroll-saw (Requires some supervision)
Electric Scroll saw (Requires Supervision)
Coping saw
Band saw (An Adult should perform this cut)
A drill for opening a hole for weight and/or relocating axles
Hand drill
1/4" or 3/8" electric drill (An adult should help here)
Drill press and vise (Requires supervision)
3/8" Brad point bit
#43 drill bit for new axle holes
Wood rasp or wood file
BondoŽ or wood filler (Bondo cures quickly and lets you sand again in 15 to 20 minutes)
Paint
Fast drying enamel spray paint (and an empty carton to spray in)
or
Cans of water-based enamel paint
Brushes
Fine-cut file to true wheels
Drill motor to turn wheels and axles for truing and polishing
Polishing paste
Lead or other metal for ballast weight
Bench vise
A few days to a week before the big race its a good idea to have a pre-race check of the cars. This preliminary inspection can save a lot time on race-night in weight adjustments alone. Those race teams building cars without the aid of a scale or precision rules may have overweight their car or made it too low to the track surface. A quick check can point out those problems when there's still plenty of time to correct it.
Another really smart thing to do is actually check-in as many of the cars as you can before your race-night. Those that don't pass or can't get to the pre-race check can wait until race-night to officially check-in. It really helps speeds things up when there aren't 63 cars, 62 Cub Scouts (one forgot his car) and a hundred parents standing line waiting to get their sons and cars checked in. When you do early check-ins make certain that the cars are stored safely where no harm can come to them (or you may the one that's harmed later). Store the cars in a shoe boxes or other shallow boxes lined with hand towels or other padding.
Well, this is it. All the cars have been built, everyone's excited and there's still plenty to do but the planning has paid off. Everyone knows their job and you've even arranged to have a standby ready for that staff member that might get sent off to the coast on business at the last minute. That's thinking ahead.
The Setup
An hour or two before the race you'll want the track on site. It should be set up so that there's good visibility for both the parents and the racers. An area around the track should be designated as a buffer zone to separate the racers from the crowd and improve the viewing circle. Checkerboard flagging, available at the local Scout Shop or trading post can make it fit the purpose and enhance the mood. Close to the main entrance the check-in tables have been set up to make sure those arriving area can't miss it. If you've got excited boys then you you'll probably need or appreciate a PA system. Both the boys and their parents won't be more noisy all year.
Check-in/Car Inspection
If even you have just a few racers it is best to insure that each car and racer is tagged with a car number and name. Young folks quickly forget their car number or fail to relate it their name so it's a good idea to boldly mark the car, racer and remind the parents what car number their son will be wearing for the evening. With large numbers of Cubs, the master of ceremonies will be very thankful to know the name of each of the racers by looking at their shirt with a name tag and related car number. So the first step is to register and tag both the car and the racer with name and number. To avoid having to handle the car mark the car number on the top.
Technical Checks
Now that the car and racer are identified it's time to check the car. This is straightforward but must be done in a methodical manner to avoid confusion for the racers and the judging staff. You will probably need two six foot tables to accommodate the registration station and the required technical check stations. The identification tag for the car can also serve as a place to receive a special mark or color brand from each of the inspection stations (for instance, yellow=weight, pink=size, blue=wheels, etc.).
Weigh-in, Scales and Accuracy
It never fails, the weight of the car will always be the most problematic because it has the largest single effect on the performance of the car but is the most difficult to easily adjust. It is the most often changed part of the car during the check-in process. The car may weigh no more than five ounces. To let an overweight car slide-by is to give it an advantage over the rest. On the other side however, the underweight or non-weighted car will have little chance of winning. 'Drivers' of underweight cars should be given the opportunity to add weight, if possible. This is where the worktable will come into use.
The Worktable
The racers worktable will be an area where the repairs, adjustments and last-minute
enhancements can be performed. Rather than assuming that all the racers would
bring their own tools its easier to provide a table with tools. It is common
to provide simple hand tools (screw driver, hammer, pliers, etc.), glue, tape,
sandpaper and an electric drill equipped with a 3/8" drill bit. This should
provide the necessary elements to add or remove weight. Reduce the wood body
length slightly or replace a wheel.
The Wheels Check
You will still find carryover rules that provide a means of correcting for the molding marks and other imperfections that the older wheels exhibited. There are few molding marks or seams to spoil the rolling ability of the newer wheels. However, the builders are generally permitted to correct for minor imperfections as long as it doesn't reduce the wheel diameter or round-off the edges of the wheels. Some enthusiastic dads, however, continue this correction process until the wheel no longer resembles the original. Lathes, milling machines and other machine-shop tools can really do a fine job of improving the wheel's performance but that takes the car-building process out of the hands of the youth It is unreasonable to assume that most Cub Scouts or even their parents will all have access to a machine shop with a lathe, milling machine and CNC routers so it's fair to create a rule to require that states machining of the wheels should not be permitted. The racing advantage of the machined wheel over the standard wheel can be significant and judging how much sanding and machining is permissible can be very subjective. Make your rules very clear as to what is permitted.
Be aware that there are companies that sell after market wheels that are machined
from official BSA wheels to produce special faster versions that may be hard
to detect if you're not prepared to check for them. Be aware of the mail-order
altered wheels. They can be difficult to detect unless you know what to look
for. If you find illegal wheels they should replaced with genuine BSA Grand
Prix wheels before being allowed to race. You may want to purchase extra wheels
so that there will be spares available. This is usually the second largest problem
area. Accepting lathe-turned wheels is not generally regarded
as a good practice since it requires skills and equipment unavailable to most
9 year old boys. If you wish to permit any wheel in your race may sure that
all the racers are aware of this well before the race.
Car Size and Clearance Tester
Fabricate a box that has these precise internal dimensions 7 inches long, 2
3/4 inches wide and 3 inches tall. The car will fit completely into the box
if it is properly constructed. Another test jig can be constructed from a 8
inch section of track and track guide forming a clearance tester. The bottom
of the car must easily clear the track guide or the car may just hang on the
track guide when the release is dropped and the other cars are racing on down
the track. This is embarrassing for the racer and is preventable.
Transfer the Registered Cars to the Race Chart
Now that all the cars have checked-in and all have passed the technical checks
its time to transfer the names and numbers to the race chart(s) where they'll
be used. If you're doing a den race followed by a pack final you'll fill out
several charts.
Each chart or racing method will have unique requirements for racer placement
into the chart. Where there are fewer racers than the chart will normally accommodate
it is generally better to level-load the chart, that is, to add one racer at
a time into each heat until you have a similar number of racers in all primary
heats.
Otherwise, you may end up with a single racer in a heat toward the bottom.
If you have a specially prepared chart and an expected racer doesn't show you
may want to enter a "losing proxy car" in its place.
Well you're finally ready for the first heat. Let's gather the racers and race
cars and go for it! But wait a minute! It took the efforts of many others to
get this far and you'll still need their help to get through the race without
a hitch. Who is your help? Of course, they're the pit crew coordinator, staging
coordinators, score keeper and the finish-line coordinator and/or the finish
line judges. You will be able to scale this down for smaller units and have
fewer people performing tasks or double-up on some jobs. Try to recruit parents
well ahead of time for all the positions and have a few reserved just in case
of an unplanned absence.
Start the race on time. Have the flag ceremony, maybe a song or derby skit and
start the races. Once again, don't try to run a normal pack meeting combined
with a Pinewood Derby. It usually just takes too long.
Staging and Pre-Staging
To get the right racers to the track at the right time you'll need the help
of at least two staging coordinators. They'll look at the chart and determine
who will be racing next and in the following race. The coordinators will find
the racers and place them close to the starting end of the track and insure
they have their car. This is a great job for the Den Leaders as they will know
more of the Cubs by name than most parents.
Pit Crew Coordinator
The cars will have been in the pit area (check-in table) since they were checked
in and may have been inspected for qualification for some of the static awards.
As the race starts, an adult coordinator will allow the racer to withdraw their
car from the pit area for racing. It's a good idea to organize the cars either
by group or car number so that the racers can easily find them. You'd be surprised
to see how many Cubs don't recognize their own car (whether they built it or
not). You may need to read their shirt tag to help them find and verify the
car. Depending on how the staff decides to do it, the cars may returned to the
table after each race or the racers may just hold them until the race is finished.
The Scorekeeper
The elimination chart/score keeping is a very visible and important part of
the race and must be maintained accurately and quickly updated with new results
when they are available. As the Scorekeeper, you will work directly with the
finish line judges to get the results and then forward them to the MC if he
doesn't get them at the same time. The staging coordinators will also be looking
over your shoulders to find out who's racing next. It is very important that
you inform the MC any time a racer is eliminated and mark it on the chart if
possible. You might want to have someone help at this position because it can
be a little intense in big race. If you don't have an easel try an overhead
projector if your race in a large room with lots of people.
Finish Line Judge(s)
There should be at least one adult pinewood staff member at the finish line. If you're not using an electronic finish line you'll need at least two observers at the finish line to call the finish order or tie. You should also help maintain order at the end of the track as the racers are usually close by. Line judges are often adult sponsors or parents with no cubs racing to help reduce the appearance of conflict of interest. As a rule of thumb, the observers should both agree what car was first, second etc. and rerun the race if in doubt. Your interest must focus in the position of the cars as they past the finish line. Avoid making preconceived judgments before the cars arrive at the finish. Sometimes a car can slow down quickly and fool you.
Master of Ceremonies (MC)
This is the person that will glue everything together, presenting the event personality that both the racers and audience will remember. You will announce the names of the racers, the results of the races and keep things moving. You must congratulate the winners and console the 'losers' and maybe even help quell an argument . The Cubmaster may be most comfortable with this role or maybe the Derby chair but the MC will have to be truly up to convey the Pinewood spirit. Try to express the sportsmanship themes and that everyone is a winner even if only one racer is recognized as the fastest. Praise the Cubs efforts for craftsmanship, color style and themes. In fact, during the race is a good time to present static awards. Do a few at a time during the evening so that you can fill the slow moments and keep things interesting.
When a racer's car is eliminated it's a good idea to applaud his effort. Some
packs use that opportunity to offer that racer the participation prize, a ribbon
and brownie or other treat. That can help take the sting out of what they hoped
would be certain victory. Of course, some youngsters can hardly be consoled
for the tears and that can only be tempered with some understanding. Mom and
Dad or the Den Leader can help.
At some point a car design feature or attribute, an action or racer will cross the line from being competitive to cheating. This is, of course why we have rules. THE RULES change from one organization to other. It seems that the less experienced groups have fewer rules until they have their first 'disagreement'. These can be the mild to intense look or maybe a verbal disagreement or perhaps even the physical encounter. First, let's say that cheating is generally an action that takes an unfair advantage of a situation or is an outright broken rule. This said, if you didn't have a printed/posted set of rules you can't go back and make up new rules for race already run. A parent or racer may have seen a way to be more competitive and stay within the stated rules. This was probably smart and everyone else may have been just jealous. Make a rule next year!
1. Adding weight to a car after it has passed the official weigh-in. This often very easy to do with lead or zinc attachments.
2. Interfering with the travel of a rolling car.
3. Installing a bearing hidden in the plastic wheel.
4. Switching cars during the heats.
5. Added propulsion like motors, jets, rubber bands etc.
1. Car designs that employ a "V" or "U" shape in the nose. (This can provide a slight advantage on some tracks)
2. A longer than normal (7 inch) car. Everyone assumes that all cars are no more than 7 inches out of the box. (This provides added tracking stability)
3. Only three of the four wheels are used on the car. (This provides reduced rolling resistance)
4. Cars that use an extended wheelbase. (This often permitted in the rules but few realize the advantage)
5. Hubcaps. Some racers use a round paper sticker over the outside of the wheel that stores extra graphite or other lubrication.
6. Adding more lubrication to the car's wheels during the race.
7. The use of reduced diameter wheels, lathe-turned wheels or other radical modifications to the standard wheel
8. The use of modified axles.
9. Metal car frames, axle tubes and wheel suspension.
10. Cars that use other-than-supplied parts. (Some folks use third-part wheels, axles and bodies)
11. A high and sloped nose. (Some release devices would give an advantage to car that uses odd shaped front-ends)
Well there they are, some of the many things that can help you win or get you in trouble. It cannot be stressed enough that what is acceptable by one group is an absolute no-no in another. I am not suggesting these are good ways to cheat. I am suggesting that these are things you could avoid by ruling ahead of the race.
The static awards provide an opportunity for all the racers to be recognized.
After all, only one car will be the fastest so why not generate certificates
that commemorates some feature of each of the cars? The appendix contains many
examples of ideas for you to consider. You can print these up before the race
and have selected judges match the cars to the certificates.
Awards
Your awards may be simple or grand but the modest approach may be the best.
Scale the Pack-level awards and den-level awards to provide something for everyone
within your budget.
Speed Awards
An elegant 5 foot trophy that cost $400 (it has been done) for your winner
would be nice but obviously overkill, this isn't the Indy 500. The other extreme
would be no recognition at all and this is certainly unacceptable. Depending
on the Pack's budget, it is usually best to provide a small trophy for first,
second and third places. If you run individual Den races then you will want
to consider something a little less substantial like ribbons for those races.
The trophies and ribbons are available at the Scout Shop or area trophy shops.
Other nice touches are flags, T-shirts, car kits or pictures of all the participants
and special shots of the winners. If you have a woodworker in your unit consider
asking him or her to make some wood car stands. These can be really special
and give the Cub a way to show off his car at home where he's always a winner.
Static Awards/Categories
The static awards can be just as nice as the speed awards. There are actually
organizations that have competitions for appearance only. Even if your primary
thrust is the speed contest the static awards can still be significant enough
to be keepsakes for the parent or the Cub.
A well-designed certificate printed on nice paper may be kept for a long time
in a scrap book and hold special meaning. There are special certificate-making
programs and functions built in to graphics, drawing and word-processing programs
that can produce very nice awards. Choose Corel Draw, Word Perfect, Certificate
Maker, Award Maker to make a special but low-cost presentation. Have one of
your staff members check into this. Take a look at the static awards for titles
or categories for your awards.
Name
Den - Circle One:
Tiger Cub Den Number
Wolf Den Number
Bear Den Number
Webelos Den Number
Rabble (Adults, Siblings, etc.)
Color / Identification of Car
Official Car Number
Please take one number label and place it on the racers uniform
shirt.
The other label will be applied to the top of the racer's car
by one of the pit officials.
Car Label Racer Label
Car Specifications:
 |
Car size shall not exceed: Width 2 3/4" (including the wheels) |
1 3/4" (where the wheels contact the body)
Length 7" (some blocks are longer)
Height 3"
(including all trim items)
|
Car weight
shall not exceed: 5.00 ounces |
|
The car must
have at least 3/8" under-clearance from the wheel rolling surface to the bottom of
the car (between the wheels). |
|
Axles, wheels
and body must be from the materials provided in the official BSA pinewood derby car kit. |
|
Additional trim
items are allowed as long total weight doesn't exceed maximum weight and size. |
|
Wheel bearings,
bushings and washers are not permitted. |
|
The car may not
ride on springs or other suspension. |
|
The
car must be freewheeling and gravity powered. No auxiliary form of propulsion
is allowed including motors, rubber bands, rockets or magnetic devices. |
|
No loose
materials (weights, characters or trim) are permitted. Fasten all securely. |
|
Do not alter
the wheel shape or profile. You may eliminate burrs and molding marks. |
|
Only one car
per registered Cub Scout may be entered. |
|
Once inspected
and accepted the car may not be altered in any way. |
|
The car entry
must have been built for this year's race. |
I have read and understand the above rules.
Cub Scout Parent
Car Specifications:
|
Parts from the
official BSA Pinewood Derby kit must be used. |
|
Any trim,
color, theme or decorative items may be used as long they are in good taste. |
|
The car must be
able to roll as originally intended when car is submitted for judging. |
|
All trim and
decorative items must be securely fastened. |
|
Don't submit
cars with wet paint. |
General Rules:
|
Only one car
per registered Cub Scout may be entered. |
|
Once inspected
and accepted the car may not be altered in any way. |
|
The car entry
must have been built for this year's competition. |
|
I have read and
understand the above rules. |
Cub Scout Parent
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