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Powder Puff Derby


 
Girl Scout Troop 453
(Peoria, Arizona)
 
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Derby Information


 


Copper Sky Powder Puff Derby

This years Powder Puff Derby will be held on the morning of Saturday, April 13th.  

Location Peoria Community Center (8335 W Jefferson St, Peoria, AZ 85345).

Please check out these links for rules and regulations:  

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Pinewood_Derby_Official_Rules

http://www.pinewoodpro.com/pinewood-derby-cars-rules.php

You can pick up the derby cars at any MichaelsJoAnn's or other hobby stores.  

You can event get them from BSA!

**PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL MATERIALS ARE BSA APPROVED, AS WE USE A BSA TRACK.  

ANY NON BSA APPROVED CARS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RACE**

Registration Click Here!

 Rank Weigh-in   Race
 Ambassadors  9:00 AM  9:30 AM
 Seniors   9:00 AM  9:30 AM
 Cadettes  9:00 AM  9:30 AM
 Juniors  9:30 AM  10:00 AM
 Brownies  10:00 AM  10:30AM
 Daisies  10:30AM  11:00 AM
 Overall  After all  Rank Races
 Open  After Overall  

Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
Powderpuff2019.pdf Powder Puff Derby registration  

Powder Puff Derby Rules


All cars must pass the following inspection to qualify for the race:

  1. Width shall not exceed 2-3/4 inches.
  2. Length shall not exceed 7 inches.
  3. Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces.
  4. Axles, wheels, and body shall be from the materials provided in the kit.
  5. Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited.
  6. No lubricating oil may be used. Axles may be lubricated with powdered graphite or silicone.
  7. The car shall not ride on any kind of spring.
  8. The car must be free-wheeling, with no starting devices.
  9. No loose materials of any kind are allowed in the car.

Frequently Asked Questions


Where can we get our Pinewood Derby® kit?

You can pick up the derby cars at any MichaelsJoAnn's or Hobby Lobby.  You can event get them from BSA!

Who builds the car?

Participating in a Powderpuff Derby is a team effort for a Scout and an adult mentor. They design the car and build it together, and then enter it in the race. Each participant can work with one or both parents, a guardian, grandparent, or other mentor.

 What are the weight limits for a Pinewood Derby

All cars in a Powderpuff Derby must be of a certain size and weight so they have an equal chance to win. Using the official Pinewood Derby  kit will ensure that you start with the correct size. For most derbies, the finished car can weigh no more than five ounces.

 What are the other rules?

All cars must pass the following inspection to qualify for the race:
  • Width shall not exceed 2-3/4 inches. Length shall not exceed 7 inches. 
  • Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces. 
  • Axles, wheels, and body shall be from the materials provided in the kit. Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited. 
  • No lubricating oil may be used. Axles may be lubricated with powdered graphite or silicone. 
  • The car shall not ride on any kind of spring. 
  • The car must be free-wheeling, with no starting devices. 
  • No loose materials of any kind are allowed in the car.

 Can we substitute our own wheels, axles, or wood block for those from the Pinewood Derby® kit?

No. Starting with identical materials gives every Scout a fair chance in the derby.

 How can we make our car go fast?

Be sure the wheels are straight and check the axles when you start building the car to be sure they fit correctly. Make any adjustments to the axles before your Cub Scout begins sanding and painting the car, then remove the wheels, putting them back when detailing is finished.Heavier cars are often faster than lighter ones. Before painting, adding metal (such as a fishing weight, or securing coins to the bottom of your car) will bring it as close as possible to the five-ounce limit. To add fishing weights, drill a hole in the wood a little larger than the size of the weight and glue the weight in place. Cover with wood putty and sand the area smooth.

 Is it okay to lubricate the axles?

Dry lubricant such as powdered graphite is often allowed. Before you check in. Once the car is checked in, you are not allowed to make adjustments to the vehicle.

 How can we practice before a race?

Pinewood Derby Practice Track for testing the speed and balance of a car is available at www.scoutstuff.org

Cars that are not checked in by the deadline will not be able to race. That seems pretty strict. Why the restriction?

We use a program to administer and run the derby. Once the chart is generated and the racing begun, cars cannot be added without invalidating the previous heats run, regenerating a new chart and starting over. They may be able to run in a later heat at the discretion of the Powderpuff Derby staff.

How does race day work in practice?

There will be two rounds, a rank specific round and an overall finals round. This will be followed by the open class where parents and siblings can race.
  1. Participants arrive, check in their cars, and have them inspected.
  2. When inspection closes, the racing chart for the Main round is generated.
  3. Main round racing begins.
  4. Results of each heat are displayed on the computer screen, along with who’s on deck to race.
  5. Placement is collected automatically by the connected timer and the scoring computer.
  6. Automated scoring, along with the on “deck list” will allow us to run heats faster.
  7. In each heat, cars are ranked 1, 2, & 3, and cumulative round scores are generated based on this rank.
  8. Once the Main round is over, scores are based on points earned by the racers.
  9. Winners are announced 1, 2, or 3 for each Rank level.
  10. The top 3 finishers of each rank will race in the Overall races.
  11. A new chart is generated for the Overall races
  12. Racing will be as described above.
  13. Trophies and awards are presented after each heat.

The Hobby store at the shopping center sells precut car bodies. Can I use those instead of the block from the kit?

As long as they display the BSA logo, or are approved for BSA Races, they will work.