Pack 490's Pinewood Derby Homepage
We will have our 6th annual Pack derby on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 3:00pm. Car check-in will be at 2:30pm. We will run this as close to the way Council runs theirs for consistency.
Get your car ready to race your fellow Pack 490 scouts and claim the Grand Derby Champion title.
Take the car kit provided by the Pack, modify it (within the rules below), paint it up, and bring it to the Derby on the 26th for an afternoon of FUN!
Parents- some helping your scout is okay, but let the kids do as much as they can. For family members, we will run a “Family Division”. Parents and siblings cars do NOT need to meet the official rules below. If scouts build a second car that does not conform to the rules below and if time permits, we will run an “Open Division”.
ALL CARS MUST PASS INSPECTION TO QUALIFY FOR THE RACE
Each scout’s car must pass inspection by the official inspection committee (TBD) before it will be allowed to race. The committee will disqualify any cars that do not meet the following rules:
1. The derby car cannot weigh more than 5.0 ounces. The official race scale will be the postage scale from the St. Nektarios church office.
2. The overall length of the derby car cannot be longer than 7.0 inches.
3. The overall width of the derby car cannot be wider than 2.75 inches.
4. The derby car must have 1.75 inch clearance between the wheels.
5. The derby car must have .375 (3/8) inch clearance underneath the body.
6. Only the wood provided in the derby car kit can be used. The block may be shaped in any way as long as it meets the measurements above.
7. Only the wheels supplied with the derby car kit can be used. The wheels cannot be cut, drilled, beveled, or rounded. You can, however, remove the seam from the wheels.
8. Only the nails for axles supplied with the derby car kit can be used. They may be polished or lubricated.
9. No wheel bearings, washers, or bushings can be used.
10. The derby car cannot ride on any type of springs.
11. The derby car must be freewheeling, with no starting devices.
12. No loose material of any kind, such as lead shot, can be used.
13. Only dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered Teflon “white lube” are allowed for lubricating the wheels.
14. The derby car body cannot have any moving parts.
15. Details, such as a steering wheel, driver, decals, etc. are allowed as long as they do not cause the derby car to exceed the maximum length, width, and weight rules.
16. All cars submitted (except for Family or Open Division) must be newly constructed for the 2015 derby.
17. Once a derby car passes inspection, no modifications are allowed, except for lubrication.
During the derby the following racing rules will be in place:
• If, during a race, a car leaves the track without interfering with its opponents, it shall be considered to have ended its heat at that point.
• If, during a race, a car leaves it lane the track chairperson (TBD) may inspect the track. If a fault is found which probably caused the violation, the track chairperson may order the race to be rerun after the track is repaired.
• If, during a race, no car reaches the finish line on the track, the car which went farthest in its lane will be declared the heat winner.
• If, during a race, a car leaves its lane and in so doing interferes with its opponent then the car at fault will be declared to have lost the race heat.
• The point of the derby is TO HAVE FUN; good sportsmanship and camaraderie are a must.
The expected race format is three heats for each den, with our lone Lion racing together with the Tigers. (Webelos 1 and 2 will each race separately). The fastest car from each group will advance to a three heat final. (The fastest car from each group will be the car that won at least two heats. If no car wins two heats, a fourth and final “winner take all” heat will determine the group’s fastest car.) Prizes will be awarded for the individual heat results and overall Grand Derby Champion. In addition, a panel of judges (TBD) will select winners for Best Paint Job, Most Patriotic and Most Unique Car Design.