Pack 137 Pinewood Derby Rules & Information

Last Update 01/27/2024

The goal of these rules are to ensure that all participants have a fair race using the same set of rules and to ensure that cars that advance to the District and Council Races comply with their associated rules.

Guiding Rules:

The Pinewood Derby is meant to be a family activity with the Cub Scout.  Working together on this project teaches your Cub Scout how to create a plan, shape the car and decorate the finished product.  If you have any questions regarding any rules contact the Pack Pinewood Committee.

Monmouth Council Pinewood Derby Rules

Click here for the Official Rules available on the Monmouth Council Website

These are the Official Rules and they can change from year to year.  You are encouraged to visit the Council site every year to ensure you are building your car to the Council Rules, which are the rules we follow.

Pinewood Derby Tips:

1. If you are going for speed, you want to be as close to 5oz without going over.  This is a gravity track, you need the weight.

2. Use tungsten putty or something similar to micro adjust the weight.

3. Make your car a little light prior to check in, as it is easier to add weight than to take weight off.  This is where the tungsten putty mentioned in 2 comes in handy.

4. All 4 wheels do not need to touch the track.  Raising one wheel will reduce friction and increase speed.

5. No bent axles. You can re-drill the original axle holes, but you can't bend the axles.  You should polish them though. 

6. Don't over sand the wheels. The rules say you can do a light sanding to remove the mold marks.  However, they should not be sanded to the point that they flex.

7. Try to have the car run straight so it doesn't bounce from side to side on the track.

8. Have fun!  The races run so that the Cubs cars run in heats, each car running once in each lane.  Their car will appear faster in some lanes and slower in others.  This helps keep it exciting.  Some races are within 1,000 of a second!

The software we use will discard their cars slowest race time and then average out their remaining time to determine the winner.

Here is Pack 137's Tentative* Race Day Schedule:

9:30am - Siblings

10am - Lions

10:30am - Tigers

11am - Wolves

11:30am - Bears

12:15pm - Webelos/AOL

1pm - Grand Finals - Top 6 Times

2024 PINEWOOD DERBY
VEHICLE INSPECTION CHECKLIST

BODY:   

• Official BSA Pinewood Derby Kit used.

WIDTH & LENGTH:

• Car fits in Official Size Inspection Box - Width must not exceed 2 3/4" - Car must straddle aluminum lane wheel guide - Car must be no taller than 4” in total and have 3/8” clearance underneath - Overall length may not exceed 7" - Starting peg rest no higher than 1 ½”.

WHEELS & AXLES:

• Official wheels and axles used.

• No bent axles.

• No washers, bushings, bearings or springs. 

• No reductions in width or diameter, or changes in wheel shape. (squeeze wheel and compare flex to stock)

• No hubcap covering axle ends or coating on axles.

WEIGHT:

• The weight of the car must not exceed five (5) ounces.

LUBRICANTS:

• Dry graphite or dry graphite/molly lubricant used (no liquid lubricants, waxes, polishes, soap or other lubricants).

OTHER:

• Cars free-wheel with no stored energy, movable weights, or starting device.

• Nothing likely to fall off the car.

• Car built for this year’s race, date on bottom.

• Bottom: Name, Rank, Pack, Year, Front (F).