Pinewood Derby Racing Rules
Pinewood derbies are annual highlights for many Cub Scout packs. Designing and racing their own slot cars helps scouts learn about woodworking and car design while giving them a chance to win awards. The materials for building pinewood derby racers are standard, as are rules about how much a car can weigh and what size it can be. Individual derbies may place additional requirements on cars and competitors, however.
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Basic Materials
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Scouts should design and construct their own pinewood derby race cars from a block of wood, two axles and four wheels. Most hobby stores stock kits for making pinewood derby cars, many of which contain pre-cut car bodies and decorating materials such as wood paint and decals.
Length and Width
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A standard pinewood derby car has a maximum length of 7 inches and is no more than 2.75 inches at its widest point. Race officials inspect each car before the start of a race to make sure no cars exceed the limits for length, width and other dimensions.
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Weight
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Cars can weigh no more than 5 ounces when fully assembled. Scouts may sand or cut down the body of their cars and add metal weights to the nose of their vehicles.
Wheels and Axles
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Cars must have enough clearance to slide down the racetrack, meaning they must sit at least 3/8 of an inch off the ground when the wheels are attached. The lengths of the axles are limited to the overall width of the car. Axles can be polished and lubricated, but the wheels cannot be suspended with springs or attached via bearings, bushings or washers.
Design
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Generally, scouts can sculpt, paint and apply decals in any way they want.
Variations
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Your child's Cub Scout pack or council will probably have additional rules regarding car dimensions (e.g., the distance between wheels on the same axle, how far apart axles can be), race-day modifications to cars and who can handle cars entered into competition. Be sure to check with the adult leaders of a pack to find out if your child's car needs to meet extra specifications.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Joe Mabel
