Pack 398 – Annual Pinewood Car Derby
The Pinewood Derby is one of the most popular events in Cub Scouting. Every year more than a million boys and parents team up to carve, decorate, weigh, adjust, fret over, and finally race a Pinewood Derby Car, the purpose of the Pinewood Derby is to help the Cub Scout build a team relationship with their parent or helper, experience the sense of accomplishment and the the excitement of competition, learn good sportsmanship, and to have fun.
So What Is Pinewood Derby?
The pinewood derby is one of the most popular and successful family activities in Cub Scouting. Pinewood derby cars are small wooden models that Cub Scouts make with help from their families. Then they race the cars in competition. The cars are powered by gravity and run down a track. Most packs have a pinewood derby every year. It can be run indoors or outdoors. Every boy can design and build his own "grand prix" car to enter in the race.
What Will Happen? Two Days, Two Events.
Friday Night Open Class! DATE
Registration starts at 630 pm. Racing starts at 7 pm.
On Friday Night, the pack will set up the track and host an Open Class Competition. This means that everyone can run their cars - parents, siblings, Boy Scouts, friends, other family members. We will have two Classes for the Open Class Night. Class I – 12 yrs and Younger. Class II - 13 and Older. To participate in the Friday night event there is a $5 race fee.
Open class will follow the same set up rules as the Pack race with only the authorized Pinewood Derby kits allowed. You can purchase a kit from the pack for $5 or you can purchase them from the Scout Shop. Each car will race 4 times, once in each lane. The top 3 fastest average from each class will advance to a final round competing for a 1st and 2nd place award.
Official Pinewood Derby Race Saturday.
This is the Scouts Race Day! DATE
Registration starts at 8 am. Racing starts at 9 am.
Each scout will register their cars at the registration table. At that time, they will surrender their car for weight and inspection. Their cars will be given to them at their designated racing time. Registration officials will assign a race number for the car. We will run the races by Den. (It’s going to be a long morning, so bring activities to keep the kids busy till their turn comes up) Each Scout's car will race 4 times, once in each lane.
The fastest two cars from each Den will race in the Pack overall competition. Each Den will have a trophy award for top 3 winners *, and each participant will receive a participation ribbon.
There will also be a top 3 award trophies for the Pack Overall.
* note: If Scout wins in the Top 3 of the Pack Overall, they forfeit their Den award and get the Pack Overall award, and the next place finisher in the Den moves up.
How Races will run both days.
1) Register Car. Once car passes inspection, it will be placed on Pit Road. No modifications can be made after they are registered and placed in Pit Road. (Note: Cub Scouts are required to help with their cars. Please!)
2) Racers will be called to Pit Road to pick up their cars. They will walk to starting line and place their cars in the assigned lane.
3) Official starter will release the cars. Once cars complete race, the racers will walk to end of track and WAIT.
4) Once the Official Scorer states they have their info, each racer will return with their cars back to the starting line in new lanes.
5) Each Racer will run each lane. Once Complete. Cars will be returned to Pit Road. After each class is completed, the next class will be called up.
6) Please stay outside of the control area. Unless called their by an official.
7) Once All Official Races are completed for both days, we will open the track for open challenges. Siblings paring up against parents, open class versus Den Class, etc.. This will be for fun.
8) Please follow all rules as stated on the next page and or explained by official.
9) Last but not least. We are here to have some fun. Please help with making this a fun occasion. Everyone is a winner !!!