Y-Guides 500Blue Ridge Braves – Tips and Tricks Session
Kevin and Ryan Cook
Dates, Times, and Locations
Workshop – Saturday, January 24th 1:00pm - 5:00pm - Here
Trial Runs – February 1st
2:30 – 4:30 Race Day - February 21st
11:00- 12:00 – Registration 12:00 – 4:00 - Race
Both will be held at Camp Thunderbird in the Mess Hall Travel south on I-77 toward Columbia / Rock Hill.
10 miles south of Charlotte, take Carowinds Boulevard (Exit 90).Right on Carowinds Boulevard toward theme park.After passing theme park on your right, go 2 miles and turn left on Highway 49 South (York Road).Go 6 miles, crossing Lake Wylie, take first left after crossing bridge.Camp Thunderbird is the next left.
1 Thunderbird LaneLake Wylie, SC 29710-8811Toll-free: 1-800-732-3855Local: 704-716-4100
What you get out of the box:
Y-Guides 500 Car Specifications
The following rules on dimensions govern all Pinewood Derby Races as stated in
the Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit and as shown in the figure below:
Official Rules1. The length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches.2. Overall width including accessories shall not exceed 2 ¾ inches.3. The overall height of the car shall not exceed 3 inches.4. The bottom clearance of the car shall be no less than 3/8 inches.5. The inside wheel width (distance between left front and right front
wheels and distance between left rear and right rear wheels) shall be no less than 1 ¾ inches and no more than 2 ¾ inches.
6. Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces.
In addition, the following specificationsmust also be followed:Y-Guides 500 Rules
ALL CARS MUST PASS INSPECTION TO QUALIFY FOR THE RACE
Inspection PointsCar registration number must be on top of car.Car weight shall not exceed 5.0 ounces. The official race scale shall be considered final. Car will be checked for weight before each race in staging area.Overall length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches.Overall width of the car shall not exceed 2 ¾ inches.Car must have 1 ¾" clearance between the wheels.Car must have 3/8" clearance underneath the body.Wood provided in the kit must be used. The block may be shaped any way that is desired. Wheels supplied with the kit must be used. Wheels must retain original shape.Axles supplied with the kit must be used. They may be polished or lubricated.Wheel bearings, washers or bushings are prohibited.Car must not ride on any type of springs.Car must be freewheeling, with no starting devices.No loose material of any kind, such as lead shot, may be used.Car body may have no moving parts.Details such as the steering wheel, driver, decals, painting, and interior detail are permissible as long as these details do not exceed the maximum length, width, and weight specifications.Only dry lubricants such as graphite or powdered Teflon "white lube" will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Car kits must be Official Pinewood Derby kits from The Boy Scouts.
Each car must pass inspection by the official inspection committee before it will be allowed to compete.The Inspection Committee has the responsibility to disqualify those cars that do not meet these specifications . Race Points
Only one car may be registered by any racer.Racers must be accompanied by Dad or stand-in. Racers will be called to staging area 5 minutes before their race. If a racer is not ready at the time of the race, then that racer will forfeit that race.If, during a race, a car leaves the track without interfering with its opponent, it shall be considered to have ended its heat at that point and will be given a time of 4.3 seconds. If a car leaves its lane, at his sole discretion, the track chairman may inspect the track and, if a track fault is found which probably caused the initial violation, the track chairman may order the race for that car to be rerun after the track is repaired. If, during a race, no car reaches the finish line on the track, the car which went the farthest in its lane shall be declared as the heat winner with 4.1 seconds time. Second farthest car will get second place with 4.2 seconds time and the third farthest car will get third place with 4.3 seconds time.If, during a race, a car leaves its lane and, in so doing, interferes with another racer, then the car at fault shall be declared to have lost the race heat. If a racer drops the car on the way from the staging area to the track, the racer may either race that race or opt to repair the car to race at another time on the assigned lane for that race.
The decision of the track chairman is final.If something happens of which the track chairman is not aware, then the track chairman may be told of the problem.No arguing is allowed.There are no protests.Arguing results in instant dismissal from racing and all prior wins will be forfeited.
Car Design
Aerodynamic Shape Not too narrow / pointed in front
(Finish line sensor won’t count you!) Weight in rear
Axles
Stock axles have nicks and burs. Polished axles reduce friction. Grooved axles reduce friction even further and
hold lubricant.
Wheels
Stock wheels have mold marks Trued wheels reduce friction Hubs can be cantered to reduce
friction.
Extended Wheel Base Extending the wheel base will give your car two powerful advantages over other cars:
First: It allows you to place the weight farther to the rear of the car. The farther back you place the weight, the faster your car will go. The reasoning behind this tip is that as you push the weight farther up the track, your car gains potential energy.More Energy = More Speed
Second: A longer wheel base will make your car travel in a straighter line as it rolls down the track.The straighter it rolls, the less likely it will be to weave around and bump into the center guide rail.The shortest distance between the start and finish is a straight line.Fewer Bumps = More Speed
The holes need to be drilled 5/8th inch from either end of the block and 1/8th inch up from the bottom.
The holes should be drilled using a #44 sized drill bit.
Weight
5.0 ounces includes EVERYTHING – Wheels, Axles, Paint, Decals, Accessories…
Rear weight is better
Finishing Touches
Don’t mix spray paint brands Don’t spray lacquer over enamel
Step 1: Design the car. On a piece of white paper, sketch the side and top views of your car. Include in your design where the axles will go, and the locations in which you
will place additional weight. Copy this design onto the wood block. (It's probably best to perform this step while not in the presence of any tools. Many have succumbed to temptation at this time.)
Step 2: Drill the axle holes (or drill out the pre-cut grooves if you are using them.) Get these as straight as you can. Use a #44 drill bit (0.086") for best fit. Step 3: Cut out the car body. You'll probably need a hand saw, jig saw, or coping saw for this, and possibly a chisel and hammer. It's a good idea to cut, chisel, or drill out areas
for additional weight at this time. Step 4: Shape and sand the car body. Sandpaper is a must here, of course. A small wood rasp can also useful. Shaping, smoothing, and detailing can also be done with a Dremel Moto (or
similar) tool. Attach any decorations, such as driver, steering wheel, fins, spoilers, etc., at this time. Step 5: Preliminary length and weight check.
Measure the length of your car and make adjustments if necessary. Weigh the body, axles, and wheels together. Securely attach weight (5-minute epoxy is good for this) to bring total to 5 ounces. Step 6: Paint and detail the car body.
Apply a number of thin coats of paint, followed by a number of thin coats of clear finish. Add decals and/or stickers. Step 7: Prepare the wheels and axles.
Sand away the mold projections from the wheels and wheel hubs, then polish them. Place each axle in a drill. Remove the burrs from underside of the axle heads with a small file. Smooth the axles with wet, fine grit sandpaper, then polish with toothpaste, wet pumice, or jewleler's rouge on a strip of cloth. Step 8: Final length and weight check.
Measure your car's length again and, if needed, make adjustments. Weigh the body, axles, and wheels again. Adjust the weight to as close to 5.0 ounces as you can without going over. Step 9: Install wheels and axles.
Again, the straighter, the better. Your car should be able to roll straight on a level surface for a reasonable distance. Step 10: Lubricate wheels and axles.
Add lots of graphite and work it into the wheels and axles. Do this often, right up until registration on Race Day. Some Miscellaneous Construction Tips Avoid narrow, pointed noses. They are legal, but cars like the one pictured below are difficult to stage at the starting line. Also, cars are detected as
they cross our finish line because the nose of the car blocks an infrared beam. Such a car may not trip the sensor correctly. Check your clearance, Clarence. It is very tempting to simply screw those flat weights to the bottom of a car. But if you do, your car will likely scrape
the center guide strip on the track. You must inlay the flat weights if you're attaching them to the bottom of your car. Drill the axle holes before you cut out the car body. This was stated earlier, but it bears repeating. It's easier to drill a good hole into a squared block
of wood than into a car-shaped block of wood. Don't epoxy the axles to the car body. You'll never get them out if you have to make a last-minute adjustment or an emergency repair. Use wood
glue or something similar instead. Apply many thin coats of paint and finish. Your car will look better if you apply 10 thin coats than if you apply 2 thick coats. Also, my personal
preference is brush-on paints over sprays. They're easier for a Scout to handle and they're less messy. Check your car's length early on. This was also stated earlier and it also bears repeating. Better to trim it sooner than later. Check out your car before Race Day. Have your car nearly complete by Trials Day. On that day, you'll be able to fine-tune your car, weigh it, measure
it, and even race it a few times. By the end of Trials Day, your car should be ready to go!
Width: - 2-3/4 Inches- Length - 7 Inches - Width between wheels - 1-3/4 Inches Bottom clearance between car and track - 3/8 Inch Height of Car: 3 inches
