Pinewood Derby
START YOUR ENGINES!
Every year the scouts of East Hanover gear up for our annual Pinewood Derby. This is a highlight of our year, and a Cub Scouting tradition that many of us raced in when we were kids.
The concept is simple, build a car from a "kit" that includes a block of pine, four nails and four wheels. The rest is up to your scout to design and build (with your help).
SHAKEDOWN- SUNDAY JANUARY 21st FROM 2PM-4PM AT KITCHELL CHURCH. The shakedown is an optional test track so your Scout can test our their car.
RACE DAY- SATURDAY JANUARY 27TH AT EAST HANOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL
CHECK IN / INSPECTION - 11:30am-12:15pm
RACING begins at 12:30pm
Building the Car
As for car specifications and rules, we use the ones printed on the instruction sheet in the box. The main thing to remember is that the spirit of the Pinewood Derby is for you to work together with your scout toward building a great car with what's in the box. Note that on the day of the race each car needs to be under the maximum length of 7 inches and weight limit of 5 oz before it can be entered. Note that cars rest on a starting pin, so no pointy-nosed cars. Also, your Scout must be present in order to enter his car in the race. There is no need to give your car a number, each car will receive a race number when they are checked in.
If this is your first time building a car don't worry, we've all been there so feel free to ask experienced parents for help! A few simple tools can help you get the job done, including a coping saw (example), sandpaper and paint. Graphite to lubricate the axles is a good idea. Please make sure your son has an active role in building :-)
Now, if your scout wants to go FAST, then it's worth doing some research. YouTube search for Pinewood Derby and you will find a ton of stuff. Mark Rober has an awesome video you should watch with your son. More tips are here on the Boy's Life site.
Feel free to contact any of the parent volunteer leaders any time with questions and we'll be glad to help you out. We will have an optional "track shakedown" where you can get your car weighed and tested to be sure it passes inspection on race day.
Race Day
This year's race takes place on Saturday, January 27th at the East Hanover Middle School Cafeteria.
Key things to know:
Please arrive on time so that we can check in your car before your race as we will need to lock down the race brackets quickly in order to get all of the racing in. Unfortunately, if your scout's car isn't checked in by then we can't include it in the race, as the brackets can't be modified once we start
If you know that your scout won't be participating in the race, please let your den leader know so that we can make adjustments to the race brackets in advance
Some local stores (Michael's) have stopped carrying pinewood derby supplies or they are out - so if you need weights, etc. it's not too late too order from Amazon but don't wait! The scout store at 1 Saddle Rd. in Cedar Knolls should have everything you need. But there are many creative solutions :-)
We are following the rules in the box - dimensions and weights will be checked on the day of the race.
Race Format:
Scouts will race by Den. Each car will race in 4 heats to determine the Den rankings.
The top finisher in each Den will automatically advance to the finals.
The finals will consist of 8 cars - the Den winners, plus 2-3 wildcards (the next fastest cars from any Den)
The finals race will determine the ranks, including our overall speed champion!
Speed Awards:
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each Den will receive a prize patch
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place overall will receive a trophy
Creativity Awards:
If speed isn't your Scout's thing, there are plenty of awards so they can showcase their creative talents!
Most Creative -Used creative and unexpected approaches to make the car unique and exciting. Novel use of materials, lights, colors, theme etc. “Wow factor.”
Most Futuristic - Looks like it’s from the future. Exciting paint or features that are out of this world. Design that makes you wonder if it can fly off the track!
Most Patriotic - Displays the American colors (red, white, and blue) and/or other patriotic symbols. Makes you want to salute it as it rolls down the track!
Best Bling - The car with the flashiest details and accessories.
Most Cub Scout Pride - Shows the most Scout pride through use of Scouting theme and/or design.
Best Paint - Best paint job on the car based on color scheme, neatness, and details.
Best Workmanship - Highly detailed woodwork showing the skill of the car’s builder.
Best Accessories - Best use of lights, added parts, or other accessories.
Most Likely Made by an Adult - Too much work went into this car to believe that a kid could stay focused that long!
Best Brakes / Most Fuel Efficient (slowest) - Awarded to the slowest car at the end of the race
Cubmaster’s Choice - Cubmaster has the only vote for this. Know your judge!