Are you ready to Derby?!!!
MARCH 2019
Pinewood Derby Set-up
What: Set-up for Derby
When: Friday, March 1, 2019, 7:00 PM
Where: Buck Lake Elementary School Cafeteria, 1600 Pedrick Road, Tallahassee, FL 32317
Pinewood Derby
What: 2019 Pack 118 Pinewood Derby!
When: Saturday, March 2, 2019, (Time: 1:00-6:00)
Where: Buck Lake Elementary School Cafeteria, 1600 Pedrick Road, Tallahassee, FL 32317
Below you will find information on the rules, the fun awards categories, and the race day schedule.
An important note: The most important thing about the Pinewood Derby is for it to be fun for the Scouts. Each year, Cub Scouts come up with great cars and fun designs. Building a derby car with your Scout is a great way teach him how to safely use hand tools and is a fun project. You are encouraged to reach out to others in the pack and also research online for some great ideas on how to best design and build your derby cars. Ultimately, this is a great opportunity for each of our boys to showcase their skills and imaginations and, at the same time, an opportunity for the boys and you to work as a team. There will be lots of awards for the creative and fun designs, as well as for fast cars. However, having fun and teaching good sportsmanship are the most important parts of the Pinewood Derby. If you have fun, you’ve already won! We will also be having a separate “sibling race,” so the whole family is encouraged to participate.
Rules
Click here for the Pack 118 Derby Rules. Same as we did the past few years, our pack will be using the same rules and specifications as the Suwannee River Area Council. Also the same as the past few years, we will not be checking whether the cars have all four wheels touching the track. Please give the rules a read and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
The single most important rule: YOU MUST BUILD YOUR CAR FROM A RECTANGULAR WOOD BLOCK FROM AN OFFICIAL BSA PINEWOOD DERBY KIT! If you start with anything other than a rectangular piece of wood from an Official BSA Pinewood Derby kit (just like the one you received from the pack), your Scout’s car will not be eligible to participate at the Council Derby or be eligible to win any of the pack design or speed awards. We want everyone to have fun, and we don’t want any disappointed Scouts, so please no preassembled cars, no precut cars, and no prefabricated car kits, etc.
As long as you start with a BSA rectangular pine block, you can add all kinds of fun things to your car. Colored wheels from the Scout Shop or elsewhere can be used (as long as they are Official BSA wheels), and all kinds of objects can be added to your Scout’s car. You and your Scout can be as creative as you like and add just about any items to your car that you want (such as miniature figures, etc.) as long as the car doesn’t exceed the rules’ maximum dimensions or weight limit of 5 ounces.
If you have questions concerning permitted materials, designs, or rules, please contact our Pinewood Derby Coordinator, Cubmaster Jeff Meli. He is happy to answer any questions and would rather receive a hundred phone calls or emails than have one disappointed Scout. Mr. Meli is happy to speak about the Pinewood Derby at den meetings and he is happy to speak to your den, if desired.
Fun Awards Categories
We will be presenting the following design awards at this year’s Pinewood Derby:
DESIGN “SHOW” AWARDS
- Best Scout Theme
- Most Creative
- Best Sports Theme
- Most Patriotic
- Judges’ Choice (Overall Appearance)
- Funniest Design
- Best Animal Design
- Best Military Design
- Best Paint Job
- Most Futuristic
- Fastest Looking Design
- Safest Design
- Most Radical
- Independent Effort (Scout Made-Unassisted)
- Most Colorful
- Strangest Shape
- Grand Marshal’s Choice
There will be prizes for show and prizes for “go.” In addition to the 17 design awards, Scouts will also win awards for placing in their rank. Scouts will each race in four heats with the other Scouts in their rank (Tiger Cubs, Wolf, Bear, Webelos I, and Webelos II). Trophies will be awarded to the 1st place champion in each rank. Medals will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th place winners in each rank. The Pinewood Derby racing software averages the fastest three of your four race times, and these times will be used to determine how your Scout places in his rank. First, second, and third place winners will then be able to compete in the Council Pinewood Derby on Saturday, April 28, 2019.
Once the awards presentation is concluded and we have the Parish Hall cleaned up, we will have a Sibling-only race (must be under 16 years old to enter) and an Adult race. In the Sibling race, all cars must conform to all rules as the Scout race, except kit cars are allowed. There will be trophies awarded for best design and fastest car. The Adult race requires a $20 entry fee and will award a trophy and 50/50 $$ pot to the fastest car. This is an opportunity for dads, moms, and grandparents to race “illegal” cars that do not conform to the rules. The following rules will apply for the Adult race: 10-ounce weight limit; extended wheel bases allowed; modified or machined wheels and axles allowed; non-BSA wheels and axles allowed; maximum height of 6 inches to ensure that the car will fit under the timer; and all cars must fit into the dimensions box (standard dimensions) to allow that no car will interfere with other cars on the track. No propulsion systems allowed (i.e., rockets, electric fans, springs, motors, etc.) No ball bearings allowed. No liquid lubrications allowed.
Schedule
Check-in/weigh-in is usually around 9:30 am and will be announced as race day draws closer. There will be an excellent hotdog lunch with chips and all the fixings by Mr. Randy, which will be available starting at 11 am for purchase onsite. We will start racing as soon as we can get everyone checked-in. You will receive an email with a more detailed schedule and menu as we get closer to the big Pinewood Derby Day.
Council Pinewood Derby
The Suwannee River Area Council will hold a follow up Pinewood Derby on Saturday, April 28, 2019, for council packs/Scouts to compete against each other. Last year, the council recognized the categories of Best Scout Theme, Most Creative, Best Sports Theme, Most Patriotic, and Judges’ Choice. Winners in these categories were eligible to enter their cars to compete as a show car in these categories. Also, any Scout who wins a medal (1st, 2nd, or 3rd in his rank) is eligible to enter his car to race at the Council Pinewood Derby. The Council awards 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies for each rank. It is anticipated that the same rules will apply this year, but the pack is awaiting clarification from the council.
Volunteers Needed
We will need a few volunteers to help with the following areas:
- Setup on March 1st: We need some volunteers to help with setup. We will be setting up the chairs, tables, and decorations, as well as the track, the night before. This will occur Friday evening of March 1st at around 7pm and will take approximately 1 hour.
- Food Ticket Sales: We need three or four volunteers to take a shift selling the food tickets on race day.
- Race Day: We need a few volunteers to help with various aspects of race day (check-in, helping the Scouts run the track, working the pit area, etc.)
Let’s get ready to Derby!