2012 Pinewood Derby
What's the Theme this year?
The theme for this year’s derby is "Scouting Adventure".
Where's the Derby being held this year?
When: - Sunday, January 29, 2012, 1:00PM - 5:00PM
* Session 1: First race starts at 1PM
* Session 2: First race starts at 3PM
* PLEASE arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of your session
* Pack Championships will start immediately after second session
* Event setup begins at 10AM
Where:
- Dan Beard Scout Achievement Center, 10078 Reading Rd, Evendale, Ohio 45241
When do I bring my car for the Weigh-In & Turn-In?
Derby staff will be on site to assist with final adjustments, weigh the vehicle, and to impound the car until race day.
When:
- Tuesday, 01/24/2012, 7PM - 9PM
- Wednesday, 01/25/2012, 7PM - 9PM
Where:
- Friendship United Methodist Church
Room TBD
What racing session am I in?
Session 1 | Session 2 |
Den 2, Wolf
Den 5, Bear Dn 12, Webelos 1
Den 4, Webelos 2 | Den 1, Tiger Den 3, Wolf Den 6, Bear Den 7, Bear |
* Session 1: First race starts at 1PM
* Session 2: First race starts at 3PM
* PLEASE arrive at least 15 mins prior to the start of your session
Pack 82 Pinewood Derby Rules
[Get the rules in a PDF]
Essential Materials: All cars entered shall be constructed from the "Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit" (referred to below as the kit) as made available at the local Scout Shops and was handed out during the November 10th 2009 Pack meeting. During car inspection, the Derby committee judges will look for evidence that Official Grand Prix kit materials (especially wheels and axles) have been used.
Weight: The total weight of the race cars may weigh no more than 5 ounces or 141.75 grams, as determined by the official scale during final registration and check in.
Wheels and Axles: The car shall roll on the wheels from the official kit only. The wheels shall turn about the axle nails from the kit. The axle nails shall be firmly affixed to the wood of the car body, and MUST be placed in the original 'axle grooves' in the supplied wooden block. It must be obvious to the judges that the grooves, wheels, and the nails from the kit are being used. Replacement wheels and axles are available as a kit at the local Scout shops.
Size: Race cars may be no longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2 3/4 (2.75) inches, as determined by the official gauges during the Registration and 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 race track. Adequate clearance is the responsibility of the race car builder.
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, but not by "sticky substances", e.g. scotch tape, or tack spray. Weights shall be passive, i.e. non-moveable, non-magnetic, non-sticky, etc.
Wheel Treatment: Wheel treatment (hub and tread smoothing and polishing) may not result in substantial removal of mass nor in reducing the wheel width from the original kit wheels.
Unacceptable Construction: The following may NOT be used in conjunction with the wheels or axles: hubcaps, washers, inserts, sleeves, bearings. 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 that may catch on the starting pin.)
Lubricants: Only dry lubricants such as graphite will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Lubricants may not foul the track. Graphite may not be added after the registrars have received car.
The Racing Competition
The Racing Competition will consist of heat races within each Den/Rank to determine 1st, 2nd and 3rd place Champions for that Rank (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelo I and Webelo II). Also, a series of final heats will be run to determine the Pack Grand Champion. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be determined for the Grand championship. Track officials are responsible for properly conducting the races.
Race Formats: The race format uses the electronic timer to determine the cars that finish in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place of each race. In each race, four points are awarded for first place, three for second, two for third and one for fourth. The winner will be the car with the highest number of points after the final heat. In the case of a tie, between two or more cars, the car with the overall fastest time will be declared the winner. The car with the next fastest time will be declared 2nd place, etc. The decision to conduct the races using any Format other than Format A, will be determined by the Derby Master.
Lane Assignment & Race Format: To equalize differences among track lanes each rank division will consist of a number of heats equal to or more than the number of cars running in that rank. We use sophisticated software to make the racing as fair as possible. The algorithm we use satisfies these conditions:
Each vehicle races the same number of times in each lane (which implies that the number of heats is a multiple of the number of vehicles)
a) In each divisional race, each car will race on each track lane used for that race. For example, a division with four cars would consist of four heats with each car rotating through lanes 1, 2, 3, and 4 on a four lane track. A race with six boys would have six heats, with two cars "sitting out" each heat on a four lane track.
b) From each divisional race, the top car will advance to compete in the Pack Grand Championship heats.
c) The Pack Grand Championship Race will consist of the 1st place cars from each Den & rank (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelo I and Webelo II). Each car will get an opportunity to race on each of the four lanes. The overall Pack Grand Champion will be the car with the lowest total points (not cumalitive time) after the final races are complete.
Car Leaves Lane: If, during a heat, a car leaves its lane but proceeds down the track in a manner that does not interfere with its opponent, then the race will be called normally. If the car leaves it's lane and interferes with another car, the race will be restaged and rerun. If the same car again leaves it's lane and interferes with another car during the same heat, that car will be judged last place in the heat and the race will be restaged and rerun without that car.
Car Repair (Without Fault): If, during the race, a wheel falls off or the car becomes otherwise damaged, then the Scout may, to the best of his ability perform repairs with the assistance of his adult partner or the Pit Crewmember.
Car Repair (With Fault): If a car is damaged due to track fault, or damage caused by another car or person, then the Derby Master, at his/her sole discretion, may
allow additional repair assistance to the Cub scout.
No Finishers: If, during a heat, no car reaches the finish line on the track, the car which went the farthest in its lane shall be declared the heat winner.
Track Grand Champion: The winning car from each Rank will be impounded in the
registration area until the start of the Final Championship Heats. Car inspection and the addition of graphite, if desired, all performed solely by the Cub Scout, will be permitted prior to the start of the Finals.
Track Fault: If a car leaves its lane, at his sole discretion, the District Derby Master may inspect the track and, if a track fault is found which probably caused the initial violation, the Derby Master may order the race heat to be rerun after the track is repaired.
The Race Area: Only race officials may enter the track area. This rule will be strictly enforced.
Judging Categories
Theme: The theme for this year’s derby is “Scouting Adventure". Trophies will be awarded to the 1st place, 2nd place, and 3rd place overall pack winners.
Medals or ribbons will be awarded to the 1st place, 2nd place, and 3rd place den winners and also the winners of the judging categories.
There will be an open division again this year to allow siblings and any friend of a scout to race their cars should they want to build and bring them. These cars also need to be turned into derby officals for proper entry into the race management software. However, they won't be inpected for qualification.
All cars that are entered into the pinewood derby will be judged by the derby master, derby staff, and pack leaders. The people's choice award will be judged by all the adults who attend the derby event.
Theme Categories
For the below, two will be awarded - one for each session
Remember...
the fun is found in building the cars...
racing them is just a bonus.