Pinewood Derby
Pack 116's Pinewood Derby Homepage
Race Day
The Derby will be held each January. Racing typically starts at 10:30 am. Setup begins at 8 AM, please consider coming to help. Snacks, lunch foods, and drinks will be available as a fundraiser. This is a family event so bring the grandparents, uncles, cousins, and anyone else who might enjoy the race.
Weigh In
Weigh In typically takes place on Thursday before the race. Setup will start typically about 30 minutes before. You only need to be there for a few minutes to actually register your car and get it weighed in. If your car is over weight, or outside of dimensions, you can modify your car as needed during this time. Once your car is weighed in, it is then in "parc ferme" and will be held until race time.
"Be Fast... or Look Good Trying"
The pinewood derby is one of the most popular and successful family activities in Cub Scouting. Pinewood derby cars are small wooden models that Cub Scouts make with help from their families. Then they race the cars in competition. The cars are powered by gravity and run down a track. Every boy can design and build his own "grand prix" car to enter in the race.
Race Day Highlights
There will be three divisions...
1) The Scout Derby - with the three fastest cars qualifying for the District Pinewood Derby (if applicable).
2)The Outlaw Derby - with the leaders cheating their way to contested victory again this year. Life is not fair boys. Live with it.
3) The Sibling Derby - Scout brothers and sisters through fifth grade can enter their own cars. Kids in sixth grade or above will be disenfranchised in the parent division. Bring Kleenex.
Prizes and Recognition
The Derby is about doing one's best and having fun, so all child participants will be recognized. But that doesn't mean our race winners won't take home some shiny hardware. Especially the leaders who battle and fudge and manipulate their way to the oh so awesome victory lane for that oh so elusive glass of milk.
Derby Workshops
Most families build their cars at home and unveil them at the weigh in. The boys are not permitted to use power tools but they are encouraged to design the shape of their cars, sand them, and decorate them accordingly. Parents are encouraged to assist the child but they should let the child do most of the work. There may be an opportunity to mold and shape the block of pinewood into a mean lean well-decorated racing machine in a workshop for those who do not have access to tools. We will announce dates and times for the workshops once we get the parents lined up who will be supervising the shop tools.
Equal Ground
All entries in the derby will start with the "Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit" which includes the body, 4 axles, and 4 wheels. All nine pieces MUST be used before the car can race. The kits are sold at the local Scout Shop or online. All active Scouts will receive a kit as a Christmas present in December. Outlaws and siblings can purchase them from the pack at the December pack meeting. Cars may not exceed 5 ounces in weight and must conform to certain size restrictions and specifications. Decorating the cars are up to the imagination of the boys. The complete set of rules will be available below. Please don't worry about the small print specifically worded to exclude the leaders from some or all of the rules.
Prinatable Rules
The rules are available below.