COUNCIL PINEWOOD DERBY RULES & REGULATIONS

Our Council Pinewood Derby this year will be held in conjunction with a community-wide Corporate Pinewood Derby fundraising event on May 11th at the Pasco Red Lion.  There is no cost for Scout car entries, but online registration is still required, as the race will be limited to the first 30 Scouts to register.

Sportsmanship involves both following the rules and doing your best, but no matter how your Scout car performs, you are guaranteed to have an exciting time amid a backdrop of some pretty amazing show cars, including an Indy Lola car, one of Jeff Gordon’s winning stockcars, a 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, among others. 

The purpose of these rules and regulations is to provide a reasonable and level playing field for all racing contestants. Please read and follow the rules.

Cost: FREE

Race Day:

Saturday, March 11th.  Car check-in begins at 12:30pm.
The race will be conducted between 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Pasco Red Lion.
Location Address:  2525 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA 99301

THE RULES

BODY

The body provided with the official BSA Pinewood Derby Kit must be used.  Bodies made from other materials will be disqualified.  The body may be shaped, hollowed out, or built up from the original block, as long as it meets all other specifications.  The nose of the car may NOT be grooved or slotted in any manner which causes it to have the front of the car past the starting peg and that will place the front of the car closer to the finish line.  The nose of the car must have at least ¼” of flat surface in width to rest upon the starting gate.  Any car that cannot be started properly, may be run backwards to allow for a proper start.  Any additions to the original body (drivers, decals, paint, weights, etc) must be firmly attached.

DIMENSIONS

Overall width of the car may not exceed 3”.  Overall length may not exceed 7”, nor be less than 6”.  Front edge of the front wheels may not exceed past the front edge of the car and the back edge of the rear wheels may not exceed past the back edge of the car.  Width between the wheels may not be less 1-3/4”.  Clearance between the bottom of the car and the track may not be less than 3/8”.  Any weight attached to the bottom of the car may have to be recessed to meet this requirement.  The height of the car cannot exceed more than 6 inches from the bottom of the wheels to the top of the car.

WEIGHT

Finished car cannot weigh more than 5 ounces.  Cars will be weighed on the official derby scale by a race committee member.

SPRINGING

The car may not ride on any type of springs, nor be designed as a spring.

DETAILS

Details such as steering wheel, driver, decals, painting, and interior details are okay.The finished car with details must meet the weight rules.

WHEELS AND AXLES

Use only “Official Scout Grand Prix” wheels and axles supplied with the car kit.  The only exception is the colored wheels and axles sold by BSA, which conform to the same specifications as the black wheels in the kit.  ALL OTHER WHEELS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.  You may lightly sand the wheels to remove the molding seam on the tread.  The edge of the wheel MUST remain.  You may not change the wheel dimensions or shape.  Wheels may NOT be rounded, pointed, beveled, concaved, shaved or otherwise modified.  Wheel surface must remain flat with full tread surface.  Wheel covers or hub caps are NOT allowed, the head of the nail must be viewable.  You may NOT use bearings, washers or bushings, the axles (nails) may be polished and stamping imperfections removed, but the shape and size of the head may not be altered.  Maximum distance between the two axles cannot exceed 6 ½ inches and cannot be closer than 3 inches.  If factory slots are used, then either axle slot may be used for the front or rear axle.  Factory slots are not mandatory.  Spacers, fenders or anything else designed to limit friction between the block and the wheel hub is NOT allowed.  WHEELS MUST BE STAMPED ON THE INSIDE OFFICIAL BSA, MADE IN THE USA.

LUBRICATION

Use dry powered graphite ONLY.  You may not use any other lubricant.  You may apply lubrication to your own car prior to arriving at the race, but once the car is presented for inspection, access to the car will not be permitted.  All cars will be lubed with graphite after weigh in.  They will be “lubed” ONLY ONCE during the race day.  This will be done by a race committee member prior to the start of racing.

INSPECTION

Each car must pass inspection by the “Official Inspection Committee” before it may compete.  The inspections will disqualify any car not meeting these rules.  Any car entrant may appeal the findings of the Inspectors to the Race Committee Chairperson, whose decision will be final.

RACING

All cars will race in heats and will race on every lane.  We will attempt to run a full track each race.  Each car will have its time added from all heats by the timer and computer.  The computer software will select the random order and lane for each heat.  If a car jumps the tracks, that race will restart.  If a car breaks down during the race or during transportation to the starting gate, the car owner is allowed five (5) minutes to fix the car, then the Officials will run the heat again.  All car owners will have the same number of heats throughout the event.

RACE RULES

Each car owner must bring his car to the Inspection table.  If the car fails to meet any rules, the Inspectors will inform the car owner of specific issues that need to be addressed.  The car owner may change the car to meet the rules.

Official scorers register all cars.  The Official Scorer will set-up and maintain the race brackets and tell the Official starters which cars run in each heat.