Pinewood Derby

2023 Details

The 2023 Pack 42 Pinewood Derby will be hosted again in an outdoor parking lot setting

Location: Economy Plumbing & Heating Supply, 875 Morton Street, Boston, MA 02126

Time: 11am

Date: Sunday, May 21, 2023 (rain plan is indoors at a very large garage bay at the same location)

Car Impound: Cars must be turned in BEFORE the race at a Workshop or the May 16 Pack meeting.

Derby Workshops

There will be several opportunities to mold and shape the block of pinewood into a mean lean well-decorated racing machine.

The scouts are not permitted to use power tools but they are encouraged to design the shape of their cars, sand them, and decorate them accordingly. Parents are encouraged to assist the child but they should let the child do most of the work.

Pinewood Derby 2023 Workshop Dates:

Saturday, April 23 – 10am – 3pm

Saturday, May 13 – 10am – 3pm

Friday, May 19 – 4pm – 7pm

Location: Sammons Garage

***To participate in the main race, cars must be weighed, measured, and impounded prior to race day at the May 16 Pack meeting or at any of the Workshops.

We will put number stickers on the cars to use as identifiers during the races and the year will be written on the bottom of your car.

Once all adjustments are made and your car meets the requirements, it will be checked in for the race and will then be returned to you after the race. You may not touch, play with, or adjust the car once it is checked in.

Equal Ground

All entries in the derby will start with the “Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit” which includes the body, 4 axles, and 4 wheels.

All Scouts will be given a PWD kit at the March 2023 Pack Meeting. They will also be available for pick up at a later date if you miss the meeting. Contact your Den Leader for more information.

Additional kits may be purchased from the Pack at the March Pack meeting or at the Pack Build Days. Cars may not exceed 5 ounces in weight and must conform to certain size restrictions and specifications. Decorating the cars are up to the imagination of the children. The complete set of rules will be available at the Derby Workshops.

Day Of Race Set Up

Official Rules and day of race info will be updated here by early April.

Scouts must race the car they built in 2023. (You may bring previous cars to race on the practice track.)

Format of the race is to be determined. A Friends & Family race will be held at the end of the competition.

Winners will be determined by the lights on the track with all results being final.

If a car is damaged during a race, repairs will be limited to immediate wheel and axle replacements. If a car can’t finish the current heat, it will be scored as coming in third place.

We are here to have some fun competition as a Pack and families. Your presence is requested for the entire competition.

*** On race day, please bring your own chairs, sunscreen and any supplies you checked out.

How to Build Your Car

Cars MUST meet these standards:

The overall length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches (this is the length of the block when you receive it).
The overall width of the car shall not exceed 2 ¾ inches, including wheels (this allows you to add width to the original block).
The height of the car cannot exceed the height of the track gate – 5 inches
The width between wheels must be 1 ¾” (this is the width of the original block).
The car must have 3/8” clearance underneath the body so it does not rub on the center guide rail.
The car must not weigh more than 5 ounces. (Weights will be provided at clinics and on race day.)

Cars should be built by the Cub Scouts with some adult guidance. At least two cuts on the car must be made by the Scout with a handsaw.

Building instructions are included in your kit. Read them thoroughly!

**Pack 42 leaders will apply dry graphite lubricant to all cars after check-in and prior to the start of the race. We will not be applying more during the race or between heats.

Check back soon for more updates.

“Pinewood Derby Is Life”
Proverb