2025 Official 
Stumptown 40
Race Rules

ELIGIBILITY

Anyone 21 years of age or older may enter. To register, sign up at one of Gigantic Brewing Company’s three Portland locations.

Previously raced or entered Pinewood Derby cars from other events (or decades) may be entered provided they use wheels and axles from this year's official kit and must comply with the technical standards set forth by the Stumptown 40 event committee, listed below. The participant must be present at the event to enter his or her car into the event.

FEES

An entry fee of $25 is required for registration. Each registration includes a Pinewood Derby car kit. There’s no limit to the number of cars registered to an individual or business, while supplies last.

AWARDS

First, second and third place trophies will be awarded for the fastest car that meets height/weight/length/width requirements as outlined below. An additional prize will be awarded for “Creative Car,” as determined by event judges. To be considered eligible for “fastest car” awards, cars must meet racing technical standards as outlined below. Cars competing for the “Creative Car” trophy may weigh more than 5 ounces but MUST complete one full “lap” of the track to qualify for the creative trophy, progressing from start to finish in a reasonable amount of time without assistance. 

TECHNICAL SPECS

This ain’t rocket science, but it is racing. Rules will be enforced by a technical committee with a pre-race technical inspection. Play hard, but play fair.

  • MATERIAL. All cars entered shall be constructed from the Pinewood Derby kit that’s purchased from Stumptown40.com or Gigantic Brewing Company (older cars may be entered, but must use NEW wheels and axles from the official kit and meet all other technical standards). The block of wood from the kit, or portions thereof, must be prominent in the design. “Add-ons” of plastic, metal, decorations, small animals, etc. are allowed. Above all, have fun with your design. Be creative. Funny’s good, too. Don't hurt or kill anything, especially yourself.
  • WEIGHT. Cars competing for the speed trophies may weigh no more than five (5) ounces or 142 grams (total weight) as determined on the official scale during race day technical inspection. Weight may be added to the car and will be considered part of the car for purposes of all measurements. Any weight added at the time of technical inspection must be secured to the tech committee’s satisfaction. There is no maximum weight for cars in "Creative Car" class, but judges will use their best judgement to restrict cars that seem as if they may damage the track.
  •  SIZE. Cars competing for speed trophies may be no longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2.75 inches, nor taller than 3 inches, per the official gauges during race day inspection. Underside clearance of 3/8 (0.375) inches is recommended for all cars so your car will run down the racetrack easily. See diagram below. There is no maximum height or width for cars in the "Creative Car" category, but cars which may damage the track or interfere with another lane will be prohibited. “Creative Cars” have a maximum length of 10 inches, which is a limitation of the starting mechanism. All cars must have a minimum width between parallel wheels of 1.75 inches in order to fit on the track.
  • WHEELS AND AXLES. The car must roll on the wheels and axles from the kit. Firmly fix the axles to the car body. Wheel treatment (hub and tread smoothing/polishing) may not result in substantial removal of mass nor in reducing tread (track contact) width from the original kit wheels. The rolling surfaces of all four wheels must touch the track. You can paint the wheels.
  • GRAVITY POWERED. No engines, CO2 cartridges, or leftover fireworks. Just gravity.
  • LUBRICANTS. Only dry/powdered lubricants such as graphite may be used. If you use wet lubricants or oils, you’ll be disqualified, and we’ll make fun of you, too.
  • TECH INSPECTION. All cars will be inspected by a technical committee before racing to ensure compliance with the above rules. Once a car has passed tech, owners will no longer have access to their cars.