2013 Pinewood Derby Rules From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
INCLUDEPICTURE “http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Derby_icon.svg/250px-Derby_icon.svg.png” * MERGEFORMATINET
INCLUDEPICTURE “http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Pinewood.jpg/300px-Pinewood.jpg” * MERGEFORMATINET The rules that come in the Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit (BSA Kit 17006) are known as the “Rules in the Box.” Material: Race cars shall be constructed for this event from the parts contained in the Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit (referred to below as the kit) as sold by the Scout Service Center, [for the District in which the race is run]. The main body structure must be made of wood. Cars that were purchased completed may not be used. Size: Race cars may be no longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2 3/4 (2.75) inches, nor taller than 3 inches, as determined by the official gages during race day 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 racetrack. Adequate clearance is the responsibility of the race car builder.) Center Rail Width: Must clear center guide rails, typically no less than 1-3/4 inches minimum. Bottom: No less than 3/8 inches from track surface between center rails. Depending upon the track, the front of the car may rest against a short starting pin. Therefore the front bottom of the car which rests on the pin is no higher than 1” above the track, and the front end must be at least inches wide in the middle. The car shall not ride on springs. 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., tape, or tack spray. Weights shall be passive, i.e. non-movable, non-magnetic, non-electric, non-sticky, etc. Wheels & axles: Only official Cub Scout Pinewood Derby wheels and axles are permitted. The car shall roll on the wheels from the kit. The wheels shall turn about the axle nails from the kit. BSA Nail type axles are required with an overall diameter of no less than .084 inches for each wheel. Some polishing and/or modification is allowed as long as overall diameter is not reduced below .084 requirement. 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. Please note: There are after market modified wheels that are 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 EASILY RECOGNIZED at inspection. Cars with these wheels will not be permitted to race. It must be obvious to the judges that the grooves, wheels, and the nails from the kit are being used. Axles must not be connected to any device that mechanically alters rotation and spin. Axles must be mounted into the wood sections of car. Wheel treatment: (hub and tread smoothing and polishing) may not result in substantial removal of mass nor in reducing the tread (track contact) width from the original kit wheels. Wheel tread surface must be cylindrical. The words “Official B.S.A. Made in U.S.A.” and other lettering on the wheels shall remain intact and clearly visible to the inspector. The fluting and other BSA markings on the outside wheel area must remain visible. Some of the original “tread marks” on the wheel face must be intact, i.e. apparent to the inspector. Wheels may not be machined to a beveled condition and the portion of the wheel surface that contacts the track must remain parallel to the axle. All lettering/numbering, both inside and outside, must remain complete and be visible. Outer wheel surface may be lightly sanded, shaved, or polished to remove surface imperfections and mold casting burrs, but must not be reshaped in any way in an attempt to lighten the wheel, minimize tread contact or alter aerodynamics. Tread surface must be flat and parallel to the wheel bore. Coning the hubs and truing the inside tread edge is allowed. Tread width may not be less than 7.5 mm. You may add material such as glue, fingernail polish, or tape, to the inside of the wheel to aid in balancing of the wheel, but no material may be removed from the inside surfaces. Wheelbase: All cars must have a wheel base no less than 4”, 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. Unacceptable Construction: The following items are PROHIBITED: Springs; starting devices or propellants; electronic or lighting devices that interfere with the race electronics; liquids, wet paint, oil, sticky substance, or powders of any kind (other than axle lubrication); glass or excessively fragile parts; bearings, bushings, washers, sleeves, hubcaps or inserts attached to or in contact with the axle, body or wheels; loose objects on car; magnets Staging: The entire car must stage behind the starting pin. Body: The car body may have no moving parts. Gravity Powered: The car must be free-wheeling, with no starting devices. For example, 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 which may catch on the starting pin.) Lubricants: Over-application of lubricant which results in excessive shedding onto the track is not allowed. Only dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered Teflon “white lube” will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Details: Steering wheels, drivers and other details are permissible as long as these do not exceed the maximum length, width and weight specifications. Each car must pass inspection by the official inspection committee before it may compete. If, at registration., a car does not pass inspection, the owner will be informed of the reason for failure, and will be given time within the official weigh-in time period to make the adjustment. After final approval, cars will not be re-inspected unless the car is damaged in handling or in a race. Other Rules All cars must be built for the current Pinewood Derby Racing Season. NO REPEATS or REPAINTS. Cars must be tuned or aligned with the racer, adult supervision is encouraged. Cars may not be sent to third party facilities for tuning or other performance enhancements. Fender flairs with less clearance are acceptable as long as the center rail width clearance is maintained. Weights are preferred to be inset in the body or on top of the car to aid in a safe stop at the end of the track. No part of the car or attachment to any car, which is metal, pointed, sharp, and/or jagged, may be capable of contacting any part of the track. No part of the car body, wheels or attachments may protrude in front of the starting peg. The following wheel modifications are PROHIBITED: Rounding of tread surface/wheel edges Grooving, H-cutting or V-cutting Altering of wheel profile Narrowing the tread surface, other than truing inside tread edge Drilling sidewalls Hollowing, sanding, or otherwise removing or modifying material from inside the wheel Filling of any wheel surface with any type of material There must be at least four wheels on the car, however, it is not required that all four wheels make contact with the track surface. Each wheel must be mounted on an axle, on the outside of the car, in the vertical position. Each wheel must be attached directly to the wood car body by an axle and spin freely. No part of the wheel may overlap the center guide rail by more than 1/8 inch. The two rear wheels and the two front wheels must be positioned directly across the body from each another. Staggered wheelbases are not allowed. 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. AXLES: Grooves are allowed, the depth of the groove(s) is not limited so long as the journal portion of the axle (the part the wheel rides on) is no less than the stated minimum diameter.