CASE #1:      A scout and his parents go to a local arts and crafts store and purchase a replacement pinewood derby kit. The kit is not an Official Cub Scout Derby Car Kit, and the wheels are not marked as Official CSA wheels. Is this car legal?

RULING – No, a car built with substitute wheels and axles is not legal, and will not be permitted to race.

CASE #2:      On race day, the father of a Cub Scout wants to register his son’s car. The Cub Scout is not present, due to playing in a little league basketball game. Will the car be accepted to race?

RULING – No, the Cub Scout must be present for the official weigh in and race.

CASE #3:     A Tiger Scout wants to officially weigh-in and register his car at the same time as his older brother, who is a Bear Scout.

RULING – This is permissible, and the Tiger Scout may register his car at the same time as his brother.

CASE #4:     A Tiger Scout wants to watch all of the days’ events, and wants to register his car at the time designated for the Webelos II’s.

RULING – This is permissible. The Scout will need to wait until the rest of his rank to register his car.

CASE #5:     At time trials on Thursday, a Wolf Scout’s car weighs in at exactly 141.75 grams (5.0 ounces). On race day, the car weighs in at 141.77 ounces. Will the car pass inspection?

RULING – No, only the race day weigh in is considered official.

CASE #6:     On race day a Bear Scout presents his car for weigh-in and inspection. The car is legal, but only weighs 127.57 grams (4.5 ounces). The scout asks for his car back to make additional modifications. Will the Scout be allowed to make modifications?

RULING – Yes, so long as the Scout has not had his car accepted and impounded, additional modifications may be made up to the time that inspections are closed for that rank.

CASE #7:     On race day, A Webelos I presents his car for weigh-in and inspection. The car is legal and weighs 140.33 grams (4.95 ounces). The scout submits the car for impound. Ten minutes later, the Scout requests that his car be returned to him, so that he can add additional graphite to the car. Will the Scout be allowed to make the modifications?

RULING – No, once a car has been impounded, it will not be returned to the Scout until that car is done racing, unless repairs are mandated.

CASE #8:     A Tiger Scout and his parents go to an arts and crafts store and purchases plastic fenders to add to the body of the car. The modifications do not make the car exceed the maximum length or width as spelled out in rules. Will this be acceptable?

RULING – So long as the car fits in the official inspection box (it does not exceed 7" (inches) in length, 2.75" (inches) in width), and the car does not weigh more than 141.75 grams, this is acceptable.

CASE #9:     Same as in Case 8, except that instead of plastic fenders, the fenders are fashioned out of wood from a second pinewood derby kit.

RULING – So long as the car does not exceed 7" (inches) in length, 2.75" (inches) in width, and 141.75 grams, this is acceptable.

CASE #10:     A Bear Scout wants to decorate his car by adding a Lego man as a driver, and a Lego rear spoiler.

RULING – So long as the add-ons are securely glued onto the car and the car does not exceed 7" (inches) in length, 2.75" (inches) in width, and 141.75 grams, this is acceptable.

CASE #11:     In an effort to make a really neat looking car, a Webelos II scout sands a grove into the front of his car to make it look like the Batmobile. The result is that part of the car will sit in front of the starting mechanism. Will this car be allowed to race?

RULING – No, hollowing or notching the front of the car so that part of the car sits in front of the starting mechanism could give the car an unfair competitive advantage so is not legal.

CASE #12:     In an effort to make a really neat looking car, a Bear scout sands the front of his car to sharp point. The result is that the front of the car will not sit properly on the starting mechanism. Will this car be allowed to race?

RULING – No, sharpening the front of the car so that part of the car sits in front of the starting mechanism could give the car an unfair competitive advantage so is not legal. There needs to be a flat surface on the front of the car of not less than ¼" (inch) so that the car will properly rest against the starting mechanism.

CASE #13:     At time trials on Thursday, a Wolf Scout’s car weighs in at exactly 141.75 grams (5.0 ounces). On race day, the car weighs in at 141.77 ounces. Will the car pass inspection?

RULING – No, only the race day weigh in is considered official.

CASE #14:     A Webelos II Scout and his parents go to an arts and crafts store and buys wheels that are not Official Cub Scout Pinewood Derby wheels. The car is presented for inspection with the unofficial wheels on the car. Will it be allowed to race?

RULING – No, the car will not be allowed to race with the illegal wheels. The Scout will be given an opportunity to replace the wheels with legal wheels and re-present the car for inspection. Remember, only official wheels, which will be stamped with “BSA” and “Pinewood Derby” will be legal.

CASE #15:     A Bear Scout, when gluing in his axles to the car, uses a solid epoxy that complexly fills the axle grove. Consequently, you cannot readily see that the two official axles are used.

RULING – This would not be legal, and the Scout would need to modify his car before it would be allowed to race. There must be a visible gap between the axles, or the glue used to affix the axles must be clear. This is so that the inspection committee can insure that an illegal axle has not been used.

CASE #16:     A Wolf Scout cuts the block of wood into pieces and glues it back together. The result is that the wheelbase of the car is significantly shorter than the original wheelbase as cut into the solid block of wood. Will this car be allowed to race?

RULING – No, a car will not be allowed to race if the wheelbase of the car has been changed.

CASE #17:     During the construction of his car, a Tiger Scout and his parent damage the axle grove in the block of wood he was provided. The Scout cuts a new grove in the block of wood very close to the original grove. Will this car be allowed to race?

RULING – No, the original groves must be used. If this should happen, the Scout should purchase a new car kit and build a new car.

CASE #18:     A Tiger Scout constructs a car that doesn’t have adequate clearance and rubs on the track. When the car is raced, it fails to finish, but does not interfere with any other car. The Scout’s mother complains, and requests that the car be given back to the scout for repairs, and his races re-run.

RULING – The car will not be returned, and the races will not be re-run. All Scouts are encouraged to attend the time trials on the Thursday prior to the race in order to test their cars.

CASE #19:     In order to achieve a weight of exactly 141.75 grams, a Wolf Scout hollows out the body of his car, and fills the hollowed area with a heavy liquid.

RULING – This is not acceptable, and the car will not be allowed to race.

CASE #20:     In order to achieve a weight of exactly 141.75 grams, a Bear Scout tapes several washers to the top of his car.

RULING – This is not acceptable. Added weight must be securely fastened to the car. Taping the weight to the car does not meet this standard, and the car will not be allowed to race.

CASE #21:     A Tiger Scout and his parent polishes the axles by taking apiece of steel wool and lightly sanding them. An insignificant amount of the axle is removed in the process. Is this legal?

RULING – Yes, so long as the polishing does not remove a significant amount of the axle, such polishing is legal.

CASE #22:     A Webelos II Scout spends several hours sanding his axels with steel wool. The result is that the axle is made significantly smaller. Is this legal?

RULING – No, any significant modification to the axle is not legal.

CASE #23:     A Wolf Scout and his parent lightly sands the wheels of his car to remove slight imperfections in the wheel. Is this legal?

RULING – Yes, so long as the thickness of the wheel is not materially altered, and the sanding only results in removing slight imperfections in the wheel or polishing the wheel, this would be legal.

CASE #24:     A Bear Scout sands the inside of his wheels making the inside of the wheel where the axle passes through the wheel cone shaped. Is this legal?

RULING – No, significant modifications to the wheels are not allowed.