What is a Pinewood Derby?

A bunch of fun! On race day it is a Pack of Cub Scouts racing gravity powered wooden cars of various shapes and colors rolling on plastic wheels down a plywood track. But the actual competition is only a small part of it. The building of the car, from coming up with the design to applying the last coat of paint, is where the real fun is. Each Cub Scout gets a kit with a block of wood, four nails for axles, and four plastic wheels. Always keeping in mind the Pack's rules he shapes and paints his block of wood into a form to race car. This block of wood on wheels may end up looking like a car, a fish, a cartoon character, or even a coffin on wheels! Almost anything!

How Do You Race?

After years of using eye ball method of judging the winner, we now use 'The Fast Track' electronic timer with computer interface. Racing will be on a drag racing computerized time basis. The timing is accurate to .001 seconds. It helps to realize that a tenth of a second equals a couple of inches on the track at the finish. The cars will race once on each of the four lanes. The scoring will be a total time of all 4 runs. This eliminates the 'fast lane syndrome'. The computer will assign the lanes and cars for each heat. Thanks to our electronic finish line, we have completely eliminated the need for reruns! It is amazing how smoothly the race runs without all of the debates at the finish line.

• Read all the instructions before you build the car. Be cautious about applying tips, first make sure they don't violate any rule. For example: many sites suggest using hubcaps to pack graphite in. In our district that car would be disqualified. The owner would be handed a new set of wheel (with the nail still burred) and asked to use those.
• Use a blueprint to help you design the car. Design twice (or more) cut once.
• Build your car as close to the 5 ounces as possible. The Post Office has an accurate scale, which you can use to see what your car weighs.
• Many grocery stores also have accurate scales they will let you use.
• Remove the ribs on the nails with a file.
• Weights can be placed anywhere. Use screws and putty to hold it in place.
• To keep the car stable, make sure all four wheels roll flat on the floor.
• Sand the car so it's nice and smooth.
• Glue the nails in so they don't fall off. Give the glue time to dry before the race

REMEMBER...

The only way to be a sure fire winner is to do everything you can to make sure that all of the Scouts have fun!

Remember that the purpose of the Pinewood Derby is not just to win! It is a fun event, where parents get to assist their sons on a project. Help your son design, cut, build, paint, finish, whatever, his car. There may be a lot of things that he just doesn't have the knowledge or ability to do, help him out! Show him how! But don't build the car for him! The rules that we have for our Pack allow all of the Scouts an equal chance to do their best and have a chance at winning, i.e. we don't allow radical changes like wheel carving or axle moving.
I have seen a more or less box-stock car with a little graphite take a lot of heavily worked cars to the cleaners!
Please, don't show up the day of the race and claim that the rules don't specifically say that you can't use Super-Gravity Magnets^tm (or whatever) in the car!

Don't trust the slots! True the axles

using a drill press, run a drill bit slightly smaller than the axle into the axle slot, ensuring that all of the axles go into the slots at right angles and at the same height. leave only an axle-length of drill bit showing, and go slowly. this allows the bit to cut the wood and not just flex and follow the slot.

Remove axle flash and polish them.

Chuck the axles in a drill, and with a small file, remove any flashing from around the head

slightly bevel the head outwards to the edge

use 600, then 2000 wet/dry sandpaper (wet) to polish the end of the axle and around the head

finish with chrome/metal polish for a mirror finish

Clean the wheels of flash.

spin wheels with a drill, using a small nail or mandrel, and use sandpaper to remove casting flash

finish off with 600+ wet/dry sandpaper (wet) and chrome polish

Lubricate well. Graphite!

start with a fine graphite and work it in

lube before the race with a graphite

Weight just short of max.

just get it close, the 'official' scales may be off

that last little bit of lead really doesn't help, especially if you have to drill it out!

Personal Observations

Don't push the weight limit. Nothing will ruin a good-looking car quicker than having to drill it out at weigh in.

Distribute the mass down the centerline of the car. This helps keep the car pointed straight down the track.

Keep the weight centered (left/right).