Blackhawk Area Council
Update: The official revised rules from Blackhawk Area Council are attached to this notice. Their rules may differ or become more restricted than what is listed below. If you are eligible and wish to race at council, you must adhere to their rules and regulations.
Pinewood Derby Car Regulations
1. The car must be constructed using the materials supplied with regulation Grand Prix Kit #17006 or Kit #17000.
2. The car run in the Council Pinewood Derby shall be the identical car run by the entrant in his own pack derby, and it must have been constructed after April 12, 2016.
3. Length: Overall length shall not exceed 7 inches.
4. Width: Overall width shall not exceed 2¾ inches.
5. Weight: Maximum total weight of car, including driver, trims, weights, etc., shall be 5 ounces.
6. Height: Cars shall not be higher than 3". This is measured from the bottom of the wheels to the top of anything on the car. This is so all Pinewood Derby Cars will clear all timing devices.
7. Wheels: The only wheels allowed, are those from Official Pinewood Derby Car Kits #17006 or #17000 or Official Pinewood Derby Wheels and Axles #17553 thru #17557 (black and colored wheels). Car kits, including wheels and axles from any other source are not allowed. Wheels must be original width, thickness and height and the tread surface must remain flat. Tapering or coning of the outside surface of the inner wheel hub (the inside surface nearest to the car) is allowed. Wheels may not be shaved.
The axle bore of the wheel may not be bushed, sleeved, lined, or otherwise modified to change the basic wheel-to-metal axle interface other than the application of a dry non-permanent spray-on, brushed-on, or dusted lubrication compound. Bushings, sleeves,permanent coatings, thrust washers, and enclosed axles (hub caps) are prohibited. No other modifications to the wheels are allowed. Three wheels must touch the track surface. The remaining wheel must be within 1/16th of an inch or less of the track surface.
8. Axles: The only axles allowed are those axles from Official Pinewood Derby Car Kits #17006 or #17000 or Official Pinewood Derby Wheels and Axles #17553 thru #17557 (black and colored wheels). Burrs on the underside of the axle head and ridges on the axle shaft (if any) may be removed. If the underside of axle head is to be tapered,be careful not to reduce the diameter of the axle head. Polishing of the axle shaft is allowed. The mating surface of the axle may not be bushed, sleeved, or lined. Only a dry non-permanent spray-on, brushed-on, or dusted lubrication compound is allowed. Bushings, sleeves, permanent coatings, thrust washers, and enclosed axles (hub caps) are prohibited. Axles must be mounted on the car body so that wheels are directly opposite of one another.
9. Track Clearance: The car must have an under-body and in-between-wheel clearance which will allow it to travel freely over a track lane strip which is ? inches maximum in height and 1¾ inches maximum in width.
10. Suspension: The car shall have a solid suspension consisting of the wheels and axles rigidly mounted to the car body. No springs, linkages, shock absorbing materials or other constructions which provide a non-rigid or floating-type suspension are permitted.
11. Details: Details such as steering wheel, windshield, driver, exhaust pipes, trim, etc., are permitted as long as they are rigidly mounted to the car body and do not exceed the overall car specifications.
12. Starting Devices: The car may not incorporate any devices which may assist starting. These shall include, but are not be limited to, magnets, liquids, spring mechanisms, etc.There shall be no loose components within the body of the car. The car must also be free-wheeling.
13. Front Edge: The front edge of the car must rest against the starting peg on the track so that the entire car is behind the peg.
14. Numbers: The official numbers of the Pinewood Derby given must be visible on the car.
Race Format
The race format for each category will be a single elimination tournament conducted in heats. No more than 4 cars will race at a time, each car making one run down each of the 4 designated lanes of a multiple lane track. Heat winners will be determined by a total point system for the heat, whereby a car will be assigned 1 point for 1st Place, 2 points for 2nd Place, 3 points for 3rd Place, or 4 points for 4th place after each of the four races.
The car with the least total points at the end of all heats will advance to the finals. The other three cars will be eliminated from the Derby.
Car Inspection
Every car entered will be subjected to and must pass an inspection to the rules and regulations of Grand Prix Kit #17006 or Kit #17000 and the foregoing Blackhawk Area Council Pinewood Derby Car Regulations. If the car does not meet the above specifications, it must be altered by a responsible adult or it will be disqualified. Once a car has passed inspection, it cannot be modified or have maintenance performed unless the vehicle is damaged.
Damaged Vehicles
If a car is damaged to the point where it is unable to race or no longer meets the requirements (i.e.,losing a wheel), the scout will be given 5 minutes to repair the vehicle. After the 5 minutes, the car will be deemed be disqualified. The track judge could give an additional minute at his/her discretion if the car is on the cusp of being repaired.
Inspection Notes
The following are observations from the inspection tables from prior year’s derby’s that will be helpful going through the inspection process.
1. Many cars arrived overweight and had to have weight taken off to pass inspection. For Pack Pinewood Derby Chairmen, it is a must to ensure your Pack scale is checked with a 5.0 oz. weight. For racers, utilizing a small amount of weighted putty or removable weights on the car can make removing weight much easier at check-in.
2. Many cars arrived with illegal wheels. Please note that our Council rules on wheel modifications are relatively strict. Most “speed tips” found on the internet or other sources are not allowed, and nearly all vendor packaged “BSA speed wheels” have modifications that will not pass our inspections.
3. Several cars also arrived with illegal axles. Our Council rules regarding axles (BSA only, etc.)are also relatively strict, and an inspector may ask that you remove a wheel of his choosing in order to further inspect/weigh a wheel or axle. Gluing or embedding axles into your car puts it at risk of breakage or disqualification if wheel removal is required.
4. Because of the excessive use of graphite in past years and the mess it makes on the tracks and especially the floor (extremely difficult to clean up and has left items stained), we feel that it's safer that no graphiting will be allowed on the premises during the Pinewood Derby.