Cub Scout Pack 457 > Events > Pinewood Derby Hub > Race Weekend

Race Weekend

The Pinewood Derby is conducted over two days.

  • Day One: Registration – During this event (typically held the night before Race Day) Participants will complete the registration process including car inspection, weigh-in and impounding.
  • Day Two: Race Day – This is when the official Pinewood Derby races will be conducted.

The Race Weekend schedule will be communicated via Scoutbook and email at least one week prior to the event.

Table of Contents

Registration

Race Weekend begins with Registration which typically occurs the night before Race Day.  Participants or a designee must bring their cars to Registration Night and complete the following 5-step registration process:

Test Run
Registration
Inspection
Weigh-In
Impound

Step 1: Test Run

Participants may use the designated test track to test their cars prior to registration.

  • Participants may test their cars on the designated two-lane test track.
  • The main four-lane race track may not be used for test runs.
  • There will be no test runs during the Race Day event.

Step 2: Registration

Participants (or a representative) present their car to be photographed, given a name, and a unique race number assigned.  During this step:

  • The Participant’s eligibility to participate in the race will be confirmed.
  • The Participant will be asked to name their car.
  • The car will be assigned a unique number to identify their position in the Impound.
  • The car will be photographed for the purposes of voting for Coolest Car and Most Patriotic.
  • Scouts who cannot attend the Derby because they are sick or quarantining due to COVID-19 guidelines must identify one Scout from their Den who will handle their car during Race Day.
  • Open Invitational Participants who have not paid their registration fee may pay it at this step.

Step 3: Inspection

Each car must pass a technical inspection to ensure compliance with the design rules in the Car Design and Car Construction Rules before it may compete.

Step 4: Weigh-In

Cars will be weighed to ensure they do not exceed the maximum weight outlined in the Weights and Attachment section of the official Rules.  Fully assembled cars with lubricant applied may not exceed 5 oz.

Cars modified after completing Steps 3 or 4 must be reinspected / weighed before impound.

The Inspector shall disqualify cars which do not meet the rules as described herein. If a car does not pass inspection or weigh-in, the Participant will be informed of the reason their car did not pass. Cars which fail the initial inspection may be modified and brought back for final inspection and registration. All registration must be completed during the Registration Event shown in the Pack calendar in Scoutbook.

Step 5: Impound

Participant’s cars are impounded immediately after inspection and weigh-in.  Once impounded, the car cannot be altered in any way and may only be handled by the Participant (or their designee).  Cars will be release to the Participant once it is no longer qualified for additional races.

Race Day

Race Weekend continues with Race Day which typically begins on a Saturday morning. During this event, Participants will race their cars to determine the fastest cars in their Den and the Pack. Winners of Pack races may be eligible to continue on to the District and Council championships.

Tentative Schedule of Events

Our Race Day schedule can be fluid due to the nature of the Race.  Any posted times are estimated based on our anticipated timeline.  Below is our tentative schedule of events for the 2022 Pinewood Derby:

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Live Streaming

First introduced in 2021 as a response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we hope to once again livestream this year’s race on our Pack YouTube channel.  Additional details will be shared on the Pack’s social media accounts and the livestream will be linked from the Pinewood Derby Hub main page.