- Sibling & Parent Entries — The entry fee is $5 for each sibling/parent entry.
- Each entry will receive a Pinewood Derby car kit (while supplies last).
- Please contact Richard Zamora if you are interested in registering a sibling entry.
This year there will be two Pinewood Derby Workshops available for members of the pack to work on their cars and confirm their weight on the “official” scale. If you need access to tools such as a drill-press and saws—this is the place to be.
The dates for the workshops will be as follows:
- Saturday, February 26 from Noon to 4pm – at the home of Richard Zamora (2803 Ridge Falls, Pearland, Texas, Silvercreek subdivision).
This workshop is open to all scouts with parental supervision. You will have access to all of the necessary tools to build a car along with the official scale for the Pinewood Derby. We will also try to have a section of test-track so that you can test the width of your car.
It is recommended that all racers try to attend one of the two sessions even if they have already built their cars independently. This is a great opportunity to confirm the weight and size of the car on the official scale and help reduce the risk of registration night surprises. Please contact Richard Zamora with any questions or comments.
- Sunday, March 6 from Noon to 4pm – at the home of Richard Zamora (2803 Ridge Falls, Pearland, Texas, Silvercreek subdivision). See details above.
Pinewood Derby will be held on Saturday March 26, 2011 at Epiphany Lutheran Church on FM518. Pinewood Derby Car Kits will be distributed by each of the Den Leaders (some of you may have already received them). Before you and your scout begin building his car, please take a moment to review the following information:
Pinewood Derby Awards will be provided in categories for both speed and design.
The top finishers (based on avg. elapsed time) will receive a trophy. Our races will be conducted on a six-lane track; each car will run in each of the six lanes on the track. The average elapsed time for each car will computed, based on the car's five best runs on the track (the car's worst elapsed time is thrown out).
Certificates will be given out in several design categories. Although we have not yet finalized the categories for this year – here are some likely categories:
- Tigermobile – cars built by Tiger cubs where it is evident that the boy did much of the work himself.
- Batmobile
- Patriotic
- Military
- CubMaster’s choice
- Most Creative
- Best Indy Car/Traditional Racecar
- Best Sibling
Please take note of the attached rules. You must use the wheels and axles that are supplied with the "official" BSA kit. The "Pinecar" kits sold at Craft Stores (such as Michael's and Hobby Lobby) have a solid axle (axle fits across the entire groove cut in the block of wood) - you will not be able to race against the other cars if your car has a solid axle. In our past experience, the solid axle rule has resulted in some disappointed boys. Please don't make this mistake. Use only the wheels and axles supplied with the official BSA kit. Official BSA Kits have been distributed to the dens – extras can be purchased from any of the areas scout shops.
Your car should weigh as close as possible to five (5) ounces without going over. If your car is light (less than 4.7 ounces or so), I can almost guarantee you that it will not be competitive. Hobby stores and the scout shop sell kits for adding weight to the cars. Michael's and Hobby Lobby both have the adhesive-backed weights. You can also improvise using washers, fishing weights, dolls, plastic army men, etc.
For the Adult/Sib class - those cars can weigh (8) ounces, without going over. Adult & Sibling entries will be registered beginning at the December pack meeting.
It is important that you do some work on the axles of your car for optimal performance. The axles contain a "burr" just under the nail head that must be removed. The easiest way to do this is to insert the axle into the chuck of an electric drill and spin it. With a small file, gently remove the burr under the nail head. There are also some raised ridges along the shaft of the axle that should be removed - I do this by sanding the axle (while spinning the drill) with a strip of 400 grit wet-dry sandpaper.
Involve your boy in the process of building his car. If you want to show off your car-building prowess, build a car yourself and enter it in the Adult/Sib division.
Friday, March 25, 2011 — 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm — Car Weigh-in and Check-in at Epiphany Lutheran Church Family Life Center. We will hold the cars overnight after they have passed the check-in process. Cars will be weighed, numbered and KEPT overnight at the FLC. Please come prepared to leave your car at the weigh-in.
Saturday, March 26, 2011 — 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
The Tentative Race Schedule is as follows. Please plan to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to the start of your race:
- Tigers — 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm
- Wolves — 1:45 pm to 2:30 pm
- Siblings — 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm
- Webelos — 3:00 pm to 3:30 pm
- Bears — 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm
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