THREE RIVERS DISTRICT 2002 PINEWOOD DERBY INFORMATION PACKET

April 6^th, 2002

Spring Lake Park High School (Directions included on last page)

Contacts: Scott Nordby – 763-785-9128    Joel Burda – 763-755-0827

Each Pack may submit an entry of one scout for each rank – Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos. Trophies will be awarded to the top four finishers in each rank and every participating scout will receive a Three Rivers District 2002 Pinewood Derby patch. Medals will be awarded to the “Best of Show” car in each rank based on votes cast by participating scouts. Scout cars must meet official derby rules and regulations. Every pack should have received a copy of the official derby rules and regulations. They are also  available on the districts web page at www.vikingbsa.org or  call Scott Nordby at 763-785-9128 to have one mailed to you.

There will also be two classes open to any participants. These classes are:

Open Class – This is a modified class. The cars in this class must meet all the same rules and regulations with the one exception that the wheel spacing may be altered. If the wheel spacing is altered the car must still meet the following requirements - • Overall length not to exceed 7”, • Ground Clearance not less than 3/8”, Width not to exceed 2 ¾” (Width between wheels – 1 ¾”). No wheel modification will be allowed. The car must be built with the Derby kit – Body, Wheels, and Axels. The car must be gravity powered with no starting devices.  Entry fee for open class cars is $2.00 ($3.00 if you would like a patch). Please register ahead of time by e-mail (entry form at back of packet). Payment will be due at sign-in to be eligible to race.

Semi-Trucks – The big rigs will be raced to see who can build them. Max weight is 22oz. This is an exhibition class only. Rules for the Semi-Trucks are included in the kits. *At this time the Semi-Truck kit has been discontinued. You can try to make one from scratch buying wheel and axel kits (will require 3 = 18 wheels). Please call Scott Nordby at 763-785-9128 if you have any questions. Entry fee for Semi-Trucks is $2.00 ($3.00 if you would like a patch). Register at the event during the times indicated.

Registration

Complete the registration form and mail it to Viking Council with a Pack check for $35.00. Entries must be submitted by March 12^th. Submitting the entry by March 12^th is important so that we can pre-enter the names in the computer before race day. Along with mailing the form to Viking Council, it would be helpful if you could e-mail the names along with rank and pack info to snordby@isd.net. E-mailing the info is not mandatory but would be helpful. Please note that the cost for this event has gone up to $35. This is needed to cover all the cost needed to run this event.

Note: If you are not going to be able to get your registration in on time because your derby is after the entry deadline, please contact Scott Nordby at 763-785-9128.

Registration for Open and Semi-Truck classes will be by e-mail (preferred) or at the door during the specified times. Entry fee for Open and Semi-Truck class is $2.00 ($3.00 if you would like a patch). Please register ahead of time by e-mail or fax (entry form at back of packet). Payment will be due at sign-in to be eligible to race. There will be a limited supply of patches available and will be on a first register – first serve basis (e-mailed entries that indicate “Patch” will take precedence over entries taken at the door. Participants are not required to be present during races, but if present they should be in uniform.

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to help on race day with check-in and inspection, balloting for Best of Show, and setup and clean-up. Please call Scott Nordby at (763-785-9128) if you can help. If we get enough people to sign up in advance nobody should have to work for more than about an hour.

Sponsors

THREE RIVERS DISTRICT

OFFICIAL PINEWOOD DERBY RULES

District Derby Date April, 6 2002 Location: Spring Lake Park High School (Blue Gym)

Note: No rules are perfect or will satisfy everyone. These rules are being published in order to give all Packs and participants an "up-front" opportunity to know what standards will be applied at the District level. These are the Official rules that have been distributed to each unit at the monthly Roundtable and mailed to the Cubmaster, Committee Chair, and Unit Commissioner of each pack in the district. It is the packs responsibility to make sure every racer understands these rules. Please make sure that all participants fully understand these rules and regulations. They will be enforced to make this as fair for everyone as possible. Each pack must send in a signed entry form to be eligible to race in this event. It is highly suggested you use these rules for your own derby race so the cars will conform from the start.

RULES / SPECIFICATIONS:

1. All racers are expected to be IN UNIFORM 2. The car that won its class at the Pack level, must be the car that races at the District level. Care should be taken with all winning cars from your pack derby. You want them nice to race at district. 3. The District Race will be held on a 48 foot Aluminum Anodized track with electronic computerized timing. The track and computer electronics will be supplied by - Old Guys and a Track. All official scoring will be handled by - Old Guys and a Track, and will be final. 4. After a car passes the entry inspection process, it may not be touched or handled by anyone other than the official race committee. Exception will be damaged cars (Rule #5). 5. Cars are expected to be made to withstand the vigor's of racing (handling by officials, loading at the starting gate, bumping the end stop, etc). If a car gets damaged during the race by falling of the track, falling off the end of the track, or being struck by another car, the owner will be allowed a maximum of 15 minutes to fix the car. The car must again meet all specifications (weight may have to be removed if glue or tape are added) before continuing. If the same car does not hold up to the repairs it will be deemed unfit to race and will be disqualified. Re-lubricating will not be allowed. 6. If a car falls of the track, or crosses lanes during a race before crossing the finish line, the heat will be re-run. If a car falls of the track or crosses lanes 2 times it will be disqualified the next time. 7. Complete Derby Kit #17006 must be used at the District Race. The ONLY MATERIALS, not in the Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit #17006 Copyright 1997 BSA, that are permitted are outlined in racing specifications #4 - "Weight" and #8 - "Details". No other after market parts allowed. Among other things, this rule means that the OFFICIAL WHEELS AND AXLES MUST BE USED without modifications. NO EXECPTIONS!

8. GRAPHITING OF THE AXELS, WILL BE PERMITTED ON CARS RACED AT THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP - PROVIDED THIS IS DONE BEFORE ARRIVING. The institution providing us with a location for our derby does NOT want graphite smudges, etc. Therefore a "DIRT TEST" will be done. All cars will be placed on a white and or black surface and each end individually lifted one inch and tapped to remove excess lubrication. If excess lubrication is present, the owner of the car will be asked to take the car outside and remove the excess. The car will be allowed to test again for excess lubrication. 9. No use of hazardous materials for internal weight mechanisms (mercury, for example). 10. NO LUBRICATION CONTAINERS OF ANY TYPE WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE BUILDING. LUBRICATION MUST BE DONE OFF SITE. DO YOUR LUBRICATING AT HOME!

OTHER REASONS FOR DISQUALIFICATIONS:

1. Exceptions to any of the specifications listed here or on kit information sheet under "Racing Specifications" or "Rules". A drill will be provided to bring weight within specs. 2. Un-scout-like conduct of participants, such as combative behavior, is not permitted. (Body English, whistling, yelling, and groaning are permitted.) (Booing, Trash-talking, Hassling race officials are not permitted.) 3. Presence of non-participants (parents, brothers, sisters, etc.) in the racing area is not permitted. Only the Cub Scouts participating and the Official Race Committee will be permitted in the race area.

OFFICIAL RACING SPECIFICATIONS:

1. WIDTH: Overall width shall not exceed 2-3/4 inches. 2. LEGNTH: Overall length shall not exceed 7 inches. 3. HEIGHT: Overall height shall not exceed 4-5/8 inches (To go under electronic finish) 4. WEIGHT: Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces. All cars weighed by a District scale. No loose materials of any kind are permitted in the car. The car may be hollowed out and built up to the maximum weight by addition of wood, metal, or plastic provided it is securely built into the body. No Hazardous materials are allowed for weight (mercury, toxic liquids, etc.). 5. WHEELBASE: Overall wheelbase shall not change from what is provided with kit #17006. If the axle grooves on the car body are not true or square they may be modified slightly to straighten them out provide the general location and distance between axles does not change. No moving axels out to the edges of the car. Approx values - 4-7/16" wheel spacing, 7/8" and 1-11/16 from ends (these values are approx, as checked on an official derby block). Based on the Scouts car design either end may be the front. If it is not clear on which end is the front of the car, it should be marked so the car does not get loaded incorrectly on the track. The Scout may be asked at weigh-in to specify the front. 6. WHEELS/BEARINGS: Wheels and plated pins (axles) of the type supplied with the Official Car Kit MUST be used. NO SUBSTITUTIONS. The wheelbase (distance between the axles) is not to be changed. Washers and bushings are prohibited. No changes to the shape of the wheels are allowed EXCEPT removal of the seam as shown in the kit instructions. This means no tapering, grooving, crowning, grinding, ridging, or turning down, etc. NO Bearings are allowed. No Hubcaps are allowed. NOTE: Wheels and axels will be checked to make the race fair to everyone.

7. SPRINGING: Cars shall not ride on any type of springs or suspension. 8. DETAILS: Details such as steering wheel, driver, decals, painting, and interior details are permissible as long as those details do not exceed the maximum length, width, height, or weight specifications. All details must be securely fastened. No Loose pieces which may fall off. 9. ATTACHMENTS: The car must be freewheeling with no starting devices. The addition of materials described in #4 (Weight) may be used to help model the car to the desired shape, as long as regulations 1-6 are still met. An example of this might be adding balsa wood for wheel flairs or fenders, providing the width and ground clearance are no compromised. Another example would be wood dowels to hold a spoiler in place. 10. INSPECTION: Each car must pass inspection by the Official Inspection Committee before it may compete. The Inspectors have the right to disqualify cars that do not meet specifications. 11. No starting devices (magnets, motors, or sticky materials on the front or rear of the car). The car must be gravity powered only. 12. No car from a previous year may race this year. Failure to pass any of the listed specifications, or the printed rules that come with each Pinewood Derby Kit, will disqualify the car. You have until the END of your check-in time to adjust the car and get it passed. The last thing the race committee wants is to have a car disqualified. Please make sure you understand and follow these rules and specifications to make this race fair to everyone.

THE DECISIONS OF THE DISTRICT RACE COMMITTEE ARE FINAL!