Body, Wheels, Axles

MATERIAL: All cars entered shall be constructed from the "Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit" (referred to below as “the kit”, Diagram #1). Additional kits may be purchased from the Baton Rouge Scout Shop, 9644 Brookline Ave., Baton Rouge, LA. (http://www.iac-bsa.org/). Materials from the kit can be supplemented with officially licensed material only and as described below.

SIZE: As determined by the official “box” during the Registration and Inspection, race cars shall not be longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2-3/4 (2.75) inches. Underside ground clearance of at least 3/8 (0.375) inches and inside wheel to wheel clearance of at least 1-3/4 (1.75) inches is mandatory. The overall height of the vehicle shall not exceed 2-3/4 (2.75) inches. Construction of the car should not allow for any part of the vehicle to protrude beyond the starting mechanism.

WEIGHT: Race cars shall weigh no more than five (5.000) ounces total weight as determined on the official scale during the pre-race inspection and registration. Weight can be added to the car and will be considered part of the car for purposes of all measurements. All weight must be securely fastened to the car by permanent glue, nails or screws, and not by "sticky substances", such as tape, or tack spray. Weights shall be passive, meaning non-moveable, non-magnetic, non-electric, non-sticky, etc. All weight mounted to the rear of the car must not exceed below the underside clearance of 3/8. Winning cars are subject to a post-race inspection to verify the car does not weigh more than 5.000 ounces.

WHEELS: The car shall roll on approved BSA Pinewood Derby wheels, only. Alternate colored wheels and “old” or “new” wheels (Diagram #2) will be acceptable. The wheels shall turn about the axle nails. Wheels cannot be altered to a beveled, conical, thinned, edged or knifed condition (Diagram #3). Wheels may be sanded and polished or lathed to remove mold casting burs and surface imperfections. The small detailed marks on the edge of the wheels must remain visible around the entire circumference. Upon truing of the mold cast marks, the wheel cannot weigh less than 2.4 grams. There must be at least four wheels on the car, with wheels mounted on an axle, on the outside of the car, in the vertical position. No part of the car or any attachment to the car may be capable of coming into contact with the track other than the wheels (no guide pins allowed). Winning cars are subject to a post-race inspection to verify the wheels do not weigh less than 2.4 grams.

AXLES: Cars must use axles provided in the "Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit". The axles must be firmly affixed to the wood on each side of the car body. They can be moved forward or back to accommodate different wheel base. Polishing and/or modifications are allowed as long as the overall diameter is not reduced below the 0.084 inch requirements. Grooving of the axles is allowed as long as the non-grooved portion of the axle meets the minimum 0.084 diameter requirement. Winning cars are subject to a post-race inspection to verify the minimum 0.084 diameter requirement.

CANTING and TOE-IN/TOE-OUT (Axles/Wheels):

Canting (camber) is the inward or outward tilting of the top of the wheel from the true vertical of the wheel (Diagram #4a).

Toe-in/out is the inward or outward direction of the wheels (Diagram #4b). Only ONE front wheel may have Canting and/or Toeing for alignment purposes, while the other front wheel may be raised for reduction in friction. Canting and/or Toeing of the rear wheels are prohibited. Canting can be checked by placing the car on a flat surface and providing a light source at the bottom of the wheel. Winning cars are subject to a post-race inspection to verify that the car does not have canted wheels.

LUBRICANTS: Oil, Graphite, and Teflon "white lube" will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Over-application of lubricant which results in excessive shedding onto the track is not allowed. Once the car is impounded after the inspection and weigh-in, it may NOT be re-lubricated. Lubricants may not foul the track!

GRAVITY POWERED: Cars must be powered by gravity only! This means no engines, rubber bands, wind up motors, springs as used for propulsion, rocket motors, CO2 cartridges, thermo-nuclear reactors, plasma boosters, rodents on hamster wheels, or any other thrust generation or enhancement devices.