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PINEWOOD DERBY

The story of the pinewood derby starts with Don Murphy, Cub Master for Pack 280C in 1952. Don Murphy wanted to create a new father-son Cub Scout activity he could do with his 10 year old son who was too young to race in the Soap Box Derby, which requires the boy to drive a home made car down a hill. Don’s young son couldn’t wait 2 years to race in the Soap Box Derby, so “Dad” Murphy wanted to invent another activity to do with his son and the younger boys in his Cub Scout Pack. The ideas started percolating in Don Murphy’s mind. His dedication to family values and Cub Scouting ideals, drove him, as stated in the quote above, to develop the idea of racing miniature pinewood derby cars down a track. He just needed to figure out a basic kit for these cars and design a track to race them on.

Don had been a model maker all his life, so the idea of racing small cars down a track came natural to him. It would be a fun and safe father-son activity for younger boys. He presented his idea of racing miniature pinewood derby cars to the Management Club at North American Aviation where he worked. They sponsored the Soap Box Derby, so perhaps they would also sponsor the first pinewood derby car race. The Management Club was excited about Don’s new idea and agreed to sponsor the very first Pinewood Derby Car racing event for Pack 280C by donating trophies along with funds to make the car kits.

CORPORATE PINEWOOD DERBY

The Decatur, AL Area Corporate Pinewood Derby started in 2010 and has continued to grow with each event. The funding raised directly benefits the youth of our local area.

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Why Sponsor a Corporate Pinewood Derby Car

Scouting Changes Lives

In short, we believe scouting changes lives of young men in every sphere of life. These young men are tomorrows leaders. Sponsoring a pinewood derby car for your business isn’t just a great way to have fun showing off your corporate logo and gaining community exposure. Sponsoring a pinewood derby car is an investment in the future. Boy Scouts of America IS making  a difference, and this is an opportunity to contribute to the lives of these scouts and make an investment in tomorrow.

Did you know…

  • 181 NASA astronauts were involved in Scouting (57.4% of astronauts). 39 are Eagle Scouts.
  • 35.4 percent of the United States Military Academy (West Point) cadets were involved in Scouting as youth. 14.7 percent of cadets are Eagle Scouts.
  • 23 percent of United States Air Force Academy cadets were involved in Scouting as youth. 12 percent of cadets are Eagle Scouts.
  • 25 percent of United States Naval Academy (Annapolis) midshipmen were involved in Scouting as youth. 11 percent of midshipmen are Eagle Scouts.
  • 206 members of the 112th Congress participated in Scouting as a youth and/or adult leader. 29 are Eagle Scouts.
  • 15 current U.S. governors participated in Scouting as a youth and/or adult volunteer. Four are Eagle Scouts.

 

Rules

RULES

All entrys must follow all of the following rules to race.

STOCK DIVISION RULES:

  • Maximum Vehicle Weight – 5oz.

  • No Liquid Lubricants.

  • Maximum Width – 2.75″

  • Maximum Length – 7″

  • Maximum Height – 3″

  • Vehicles must have a minimum of 3/8″ clearance under the body.

  • Vehicles must have a minimum of 1.75″ clearance between the wheels.

  • No Wet Paint.

  • All 4 Wheels Must Touch The Track.

  • Wheels Can Not Be Altered.

  • No Liquid Weights.

  • No Moving Weights.

Modified Division Rules:

  • Maximum Vehicle Weight – 8oz.

  • No Liquid Lubricants.

  • Maximum Width – 2.75″

  • Maximum Length – 7″

  • Maximum Height – 3″

  • Vehicles must have a minimum of 3/8″ clearance under the body.

  • Vehicles must have a minimum of 1.75″ clearance between the wheels.

  • No Wet Paint.

  • At Least 3 Wheels Must Touch The Track.

  • Vehicle Must Rely On Gravity For Propulsion. No Weight Transfer Allowed.

Tips For A Fast Car:

  • Your car can only weigh 5oz., so make sure it is as close as possible to this weight. Also make sure as much as possible of the 5oz. in the rear of the car so it pushes the car for a longer distance.

  • Extend the wheelbase so the front and rear wheels are even with the front and back of the car body. This helps the car roll straight.

  • Remove any burrs from your axles (the nails) and polish them. You can also taper the axle heads. These steps will cut down on friction.

  • Lightly sand the wheels to remove any abnormalities, taper the wheel hubs and lubricate them with dry graphite. Also, make sure you put the wheels on as straight as possible.

Registration

Register for the Corporate Pinewood Derby!