The Pinewood Derby Race is the largest Pack Activity, as the Pudong Girl Scouts are invited to join the Cub Scouts on race day.  Concordia International School Shanghai and Pack 88 sponsor the Pudong Pinewood Derby Race.  Pack 88 hands out Pinewood Derby Car kits in early January, with car cutout days planned in early February and race day in early March.

Although the primary competition is to design, build and race the fastest Pinewood Derby Car, there are many other awards handed out for unique designs.  Each Cub Scout Den (Tigers, Wolves, Bears, Webelos, and AOL) is awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd place medals.  The top four cars from the Pack, advance to the District Championships with the Top 3 winning a beautiful trophy, personally engraved with the scouts name. 



 

                                                                                     
 

Pack 88 Pinewood Derby

Construction and weigh in rules

 

 Regardless of the BSA or the Far East Council Rules,

all cars must follow Pack 88 Rules!!!

Weigh-in Night will be the Wednesday and Thursday night, immediately preceding the race in the Concordia Elementary School Gym.  It is recommended that you come and check out your car, as we want you to have time to make changes if you have a problem with car weight or not running down the track correctly. A track will be setup for testing and help will be available to assist the Scouts. Remember that the scout should build his own car.  Final weighing and tech inspection will be performed at this time.  Vehicle numbers will be assigned.  All cars must be turned in, no later than Thursday.  Once the cars have been weighed and inspected they will not be released until the time for the Scouts race, and then shall be returned to the pit area between races.

 

The Derby will be held on Saturday in the Concordia Elementary School gym.  Please arrive early as Girl Scout Racing will begin at 8am sharp and Cub Scout Racing will start at Noon.  Food and drinks will be available for purchase during the event.

 

Races will be grouped by Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts. 

All of the rules listed below must be met to be eligible to race. 

 

1. The car must be newly built for the current year by the Scout with parental help if needed.
2. You must use the kit provided by the pack.
3. Width: Overall width must not exceed 2-3/4”
4. Length: Overall length must not exceed 7”
5. Ground Clearance: Overall height must not exceed 3-1/2”
6. Weight: Weight must not exceed 142.0 grams (5.0 ounces)
7. No loose materials of any kind are permitted. The car may be hollowed out and built up to the maximum weight by addition of metal, provided it is securely attached to the body.
8. Car Body: Car bodies must use the block of wood supplied in the BSA Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit; Body may be shaped to a custom design within the above specs. Body may be hollowed out and built up to maximum weight, provided all additions are securely attached. The use of altered front ends of cars with "cheater bars"(anything that protrudes in front of the start gate or raises the point of contact to the starting pin) will not be allowed.
9. Details: such as a steering wheels, driver decals, paintings, and exterior details are permissible as long as the inclusion of these details does not exceed the length, width, weight and ground clearance specifications.
10. Propulsion: The car must be freewheeling with no starting devices, Gravity Only
11. Wheelbase:  May be altered. Use of the precut grooves is not required.  
12. Wheels and Axles: No substitution for the kit wheels is allowed. The car is not permitted to ride on springs of any kind. The four (4) wheels and axles must be those supplied by the BSA in their new kits or the BSA approved “Colored” wheels.  No older style wheels with the cashing marks in the tread area.  THE WHEELS CAN NOT BE TRIMMED OR TRUED OR ALTERED IN ANY WAY.  NO OTHER SUBSTITUTIONS! (competition wheels sold by hobby shops and modified wheels that have been altered will be disqualified) Thinning, knife edging, tapering, or changes to the dimensions of the wheels will cause the car to be disqualified.  do not alter your wheels! Axles may not be altered in any way, except for polishing. The axles must be the steel axles supplied with the kits. (They will be checked with a magnet.) Wheel bearings, washers and bushings are prohibited. Note: more people are disqualified for abusing the wheel rules than anything else.
13. Lubrication: Only dry powdered Graphite may be used, Cars with any type of liquid oil, synthetic lubes, etc. will not be allowed to race.  NO GRAPHITE WILL BE ALLOWED IN SCHOOL, NO AXLE LUBRICATION WILL BE ALLOWED DURING COMPETITION.  
14. Inspection: Each car must pass inspection by race officials before competition. Race officials will disqualify those cars, which do not meet these specifications. Once a car is accepted, only race officials may handle it until race day. On race day only the Scout racing or the race officials may handle them. If a car does not meet the above specifications at the time of registration, it may be modified and resubmitted as long as registration is still open.  
15. Car Specifications and inspection decisions: The cars must pass tech inspection to be able to race.  The decision of the tech committee will be final.

 

The scout should build his own racer with guidance and minimal assistance from adults.  Any car that looks like a parent helped too much may be disqualified. Generally, a parent should only cut the car out if using a power saw, final shaping, sanding and painting should be done by the Scout, depending on his abilities.

 

Construction tips

• Paint the car before attaching the wheels
• Remove any burrs from the wheels and axles
• Glue any loose axles to the body
• Try to get close to the maximum weight.  Lead sinkers, washers etc. may be used.
• Check out the vehicle alignment on a smooth flat surface. You can correct the performance by carefully twisting or bending the nail axles.
• Keep the ground clearance of the car to ¼” or greater.