Pack 6 PWD FAQ

Pack 6 "gifts" a pinewood derby car kit to each scout (paid for as part of the scouts' pack dues), usually at the Thanksgiving or Christmas party events. If you're unable to make these events, please reach out to a leader to get your kit!

Additional kits (and some cool accessories) can also be purchased from the Scout Shop, Amazon, or Hobby Lobby (among other places). Be sure to use a BSA-branded kit in order to adhere to the rules! (unless you're running in the Outlaw race!)

The official Pack 6 Pinewood Derby is for Pack 6 scouts ONLY. However, if you (as a parent, leader, or sibling) also want to race, or if your scout wants to make a crazy rule-bending alternate car, join us in our OUTLAW race! This race has fewer rules but does have a $20 entry fee (half of which gets awarded as a prize, and the other half gets donated to the pack)!

Don't worry! While a scout can build a Pinewood Derby car with nothing but a bit of whittling and a hammer (scouts did it this way for -years-), they don't have to! Pack 6 usually hosts at least one (sometimes more) "Build Days", where leaders and parents will graciously volunteer their time (and more importantly - their power tools!) to help scouts make their big/initial cuts. The car can then be finished and painted at home.

We also usually host a "fit and finish" day, a few days before the big race, where your scout can bring their car in and have it weighed by a calibrated scale and measured to ensure it conforms to all the rules. At these "fit and finish" events, we also have some tools and supplies (weights, glue, sandpaper, etc...) available to help tune your car to it's highest potential!

The races are run on Pack 6's own Pinewood Derby track. Our track has 3 lanes, and every car races on every lane (just in case one lane is cleaner/faster/tilted/etc...). At the beginning of each race, three cars will be lined up at the starting gate. The MC for the race will drop the gate and release the cars from a height of about 5 feet. Dropping the gate sends a signal to the timer, which stops the time and records the position when the car passes under the finish line. The times are recorded on a computer with an app specially built for pinewood derby races (and used by packs and units throughout the world), and the results of the race are immediately avialable for your scouts to see how they did!

Doors to the venue normally open at 8am, and racing starts at 9am. We run races in four "parts"; in the first part, all cars will race, and each car races 3 times (once on each lane). The logistics of who races who and lane assignments are handled by the computer application. We'll then do an "intermission", during which we will run the Outlaw races. Next, all cars will race again, another 3 times (so all cars make a total of 6 runs). Lastly, we'll take the fastest 3 cars (based on an average of all 6 of their races), and we'll race those cars 3 more times (once on each lane). The fastest average time of those three races will determine the pack-level trophy awards, and all races combined will determine the den-level medal awards.

Throughout the day, the voting committee, scouts, and scoutmaster (or cubmaster if the SM isn't available) will be registering their votes for the special award categories. There will also be concessions available for purchase, and various other entertainings and goings-on throughout the day. The event usually wraps up around 12-1pm, after announcing awards.

You don't have to be present to race! You DO have to check your car in; you can do this Friday night, or you can work with someone else to bring your car for you. If you have to do that, be sure the car meets all rules! If it doesn't, it can't race! As long as the car is checked in by Friday night and passes inspection, we'll race it! You don't have to be there. If you win an award, we'll get it to your den leader to deliver to you. We have had cars win awards in the past when the scout couldn't make it because of a family event or a sporting game.

Generally, yes. Your scout will get the most fun and learning from the event by building their own car. Now, as you're probably thinking, it doesn't always work that way, and we want to make sure the field is as fair as possible. There are also several rules to follow in the Guide to Safe Scouting... for example, younger scouts are not allowed to use power tools. With all that in mind, here's what we ask:

• Allow your scout to design their own car. Parents are encouraged to offer guidance, tips, etc..., but if your scout wants to race an uncut block, let them!

• Allow your scout to do as much of the work as safely possible. Ask yourself; "Can my child safely do this drill/cut/screw/paint/glue/etc...?" and if the answer is yes, step back and let them do it! This is another reason we do the build day; to let the leaders help make the big cuts that scouts aren't allowed to do.

• Keep in mind that the goal of this event is to learn about engineering, sportsmanship, and teamwork, and to create an opportunity for a fun project between the scout and their parent(s)/guardian(s). It's not for Mom or Dad to build a winning car ;).

• Remember - A scout is Trustworthy!