Pinewood Derby

GENERAL DERBY INFORMATION

It’s time for one of the premier events of the Cub Scout year, the Pinewood Derby. This all day event will run from 10 AM until around 4 PM with the January pack meeting included. All scouts, their families, and friends are invited.

All Scouts should have received their Pinewood car kits at the December pack meeting along with this newsletter, as well as another old but useful handout describing the basic steps involved in creating a Derby Racer, along with some helpful hints. Books on the subject of Pinewood car building may be purchased at the Scout store and at some bookstores, and other information is available on the Internet. If you have any questions as far as the rules go, contact a member of the Derby Committee for an explanation or a clarification.

The racing schedule allots each group of racers a half-hour of racing time. Please try to arrive 30 to 45 minutes prior to your racing period to give yourself enough time to weigh-in and clearance-check your car. There will be tools and spare parts available in our Pit Area if you need to make any last-minute adjustments. A number will be assigned to your car when you check-in so feel free to use any number you wish (or none) in your decorating. Once your car is officially checked-in you will not be allowed to handle it again until all the races are over OR if your car has a problem.

The track can race three cars at once so we will race three at a time until each car has run once in double elimination format. First and second place winners from each heat will be set aside and raced later for the den championship. A short Pack meeting will take place after all the groups have raced but before the Pack competitions. Please plan to be there!

Every Scout who builds and enters a car will get a participation ribbon and pin.

There will be First Place, Second Place, Third Place, and Best of Show medals for each group, and all cars in the group, even the race winners, will be eligible for the Best of Den award.

For the Pack there will be trophies for First Place, Second Place, and Third Place in the race and for overall Best of Show. All scouts wishing to compete for Best of Den and Show should leave their cars at the Derby until the judging is over. The three Pack Race trophy winners will not be eligible for the Best of Pack competition.

After the Pack Race is over and the trophies have been awarded we will have an Open Race and a Best of Show for adults, siblings, friends, and cars from earlier Derbies. One car per person, but anyone can enter. There will then be free track time for anyone who is interested.

Once again the owners of the Chatham True Value hardware store have agreed to place the Official Pack 48 scale and registration frames in their store. They will be available during normal business hours from January 2 until January 19. Please take advantage of this before race day to make sure your car meets the weight, length, width, and clearance requirements.

Pack volunteers will be handling the concession duties for the day so there will be refreshments available.

GENERAL DERBY RULES
1.	Width: Must NOT exceed 2 3/4 inches, including any attachments.
2.	Length: Must NOT exceed 7 inches, including any attachments.
3.	Track Clearance: Wheels must be at least 1 3/4 inches apart, and bottom of car must sit at least 3/8 inch off the ground.
4.	Weight: Car must not weigh more than 5 ounces.
5.	Car: Only the official Scout Pinewood Derby wood block may be used, and only the official Pinewood wheels and axles. No substitutions allowed. The original block may be cut out or added to as desired, as long as all other requirements are met.
6.	Lubrication: Only powdered graphite is acceptable as a wheel lubricant. Anything else will result in disqualification.
7.	Wheels: No washers or spacers allowed between the wheels and the car body. No motors, no liquid or moving/shifting weights allowed. All parts must be firmly affixed.
NOTE:	Only the official Pack 48 Scale will be used to judge car weight, and only the Pack 48 Size Registration Frames will used to verify car length/width/clearance. Cars which do not meet requirements at time of registration will have as much time as is available to correct the problem, and there will be personnel and equipment at the repair tables to help you (Hot glue is a Wonderful Thing!).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND HINTS

All specifications are as described in the rules included with the Pinewood Derby kit. The Scout should build the car with help from a parent or other adult only as needed. Parents and relatives are urged to build a car for the adult race; this not only gives them the chance to express themselves, but is also a good opportunity to show the Scout the use of tools.

The rules allow the use of stickers and this includes using stickers as hubcaps. These serve two purposes; they can be painted to look cool, and by placing a little graphite under the center (be sure to clean the wheel edge before applying hubcap) they will help keep the wheel away from the car body while lubricating the wheels during the race.

The wheel base may be modified as long as the other rules are not broken. This means you are not limited to using the precut slots to hold the axle nails, although it is fine if you do. Longer wheel base cars tend to go faster.

DERBY ROSTER ( Click on the Dens to get the Breakdown of the Results of the Race )
Tigers	Wolves	Bears
Caleb A. Grant D. Seth I. Tyler L. Mason M. Adam M. Evan S. Brian S. Shawn S.	Taylor D. Erik J. Christopher K. Jonathan K. Michael K. Samuel L. Jordan L. Jason N. Wesley S. Kyle S. Andrew S.	Zackery A. Kory C. Jason K. Justin K. Bernard L. Schuyler M. Alex P. Chris W. Brandon W.

Red Rockets	Dragons	Cobras
Dylan D. Kyle J. Stephen S. Dallas T.	Harrison F. Joe R. Ian T. Jacob V. Zachary W.	Jesse H. Ron S. Bradley S. Tyler T.

RACE DAY SCHEDULE
10:00am	Doors open – Registration, Number Assignment, and Check-in Begins
10:30am	Tiger Races	10:55am	Tiger Championship
11:00am	Wolf Races	11:25am	Wolves Championship
11:30am	Bear Races	11:55am	Bear Championship
12:00pm	Red Rockets Races	12:25pm	Red Rockets Championship
12:30pm	Dragon Races	12:55pm	Dragon Championship
1:00pm	Cobra Races	1:25pm	Cobra Championship
1:30pm	Pack Meeting, Best of Den Awards
1:45pm	Pack Championship Races
2:00pm	Best of Pack Judging Trophy Awarding Open Races and the Open Best of Show.
After	Free Racing Time Close and Clean Up