Pinewood Derby

The Pinewood Derby is fun, but it also teaches so many things to our children.  Father and son/daughter use math skills (fractions, measurements, division, multiplication, addition subtraction) to make their car design to secure optimum acceleration and velocity.  

As the competition is on speed, scientific elements help the children learn how weight, design and gravitation force work together to move the Pinewood car down the tracks as fast as possible.  The kids can learn how to do an instant replay on a computer if they’re interested and/or how to prepare the cars for the track in the final minutes before the race.

The Pinewood Derby is positively distinct.  The Pinewood Derby culminates the excitement, anticipation, cheering, and pride of a sporting event with entire families present, however, it has an intrinsically special feeling as well.  The building of the car helps bond the parent and child together as they create a project with skill, time, attention, and teaching. Indian Guides/Princesses provide many bonding moments for parent-child but the Derby expands upon that and provides street knowledge about how things work. Why does one car go faster than the other? What does it take to be the best?  What can I do better next year? How can I tweak my design for better race results next year?

Prizes will be awarded for placement and design.

Awards from: https://www.crownawards.com/

One entry per person, and the cost is $5/car. Please reach out to your chief for picking up your car(s);

Rules are below:

ALL CARS MUST PASS INSPECTION TO QUALIFY FOR THE RACE

Each car must pass inspection by the official inspection committee before it will be allowed to compete. The Inspection Committee has the responsibility to disqualify those cars that do not meet these specifications:

 

 

• The car weight shall not exceed 5.0 ounces. The official race scale shall be considered final.
• The overall length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches.
• The overall width of the car shall not exceed 2 3/4 inches.
• The car must have 3/8 clearance underneath the body.
• The wood provided in the kit must be used. The block may be shaped any way that is desired.
• The wheels supplied with the kit must be used. The wheels may not be cut, drilled, beveled or rounded.
• The axles supplied with the kit must be used. They may be polished or lubricated.
• Weights must be purchased by each participant (not included in the kit).
• The car must not ride on any type of springs.
• The car must be freewheeling, with no starting devices.
• No loose material of any kind, such as lead shot, may be used.
• After check-in, the cars will remain in Pit Row. Racers are not allowed to carry their cars around during the race (unless they are making repairs or adjustments based on check-in results)

ADDITIONAL RULES

• The car body may have no moving parts.
• If, during a race, a car leaves the track without interfering with its opponent, it shall be considered to have ended its heat at that point.
• If a car leaves its lane, at his sole discretion, the track chairman may inspect the track and, if a track fault is found which probably caused the initial violation, the track chairman 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 the farthest in its lane shall be declared as the heat winner.
• If, during a race, a car leaves its lane and, in so doing, interferes with another racer, then the car at fault shall be declared to have lost the race heat.
• Only one car may be registered by any person in the Pinewood Derby.
• Only dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered Teflon; white lube will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Lubricants may not foul the track.
• Each racer will race 4 times. Each racer will race in every lane. Each racer will have an opportunity to start a race.
• In addition to the award to the fastest car, there will also an award for the best-designed car, so have the sons show their creativity!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awards from: https://www.crownawards.com/

Pinewood with year Patches: https://www.snappylogos.com/ or http://www.advantageemblem.com/