2026–2027 · Division B · Build
Braking · precision · repeatability
Plan for: a clear, measured test track
2027 · Know before you build
A practical checklist for students, parents and coaches, written from the 2027 Division B manual. Each note points to its source rule.
The complete ready-to-run setup, egg and floor cushion must fit.
Rule 3.b
All propulsion comes from the falling mass; detach it for impound.
Rule 3.c
Distance steps vary by tournament level.
Rule 8.c
Impound is required; wear Category B eyewear.
Rule 1–2; 4.d.i
Source: printed pages B49–B54 · PDF pages 54–59 · Checked September 13, 2026 (manual); October 25, 2026 (published corrections)
Submit one vehicle/launcher system with detached falling mass, spare parts, alignment aids and papers you intend to use. Include the Kit Modification Form if using a kit.
2027 rule 4.a
Purchased and open-source kits need at least two functional modifications, documented on the official form and impounded. A cosmetic change alone is not a functional modification.
2027 rule 3.j
Bring Category B eyewear and the floor-protection cushion. Tools need not be impounded but cannot be electrical or electronic; a standalone Class III calculator is the exception.
2027 rule 2.c; 3.c.iii; 4.a.iv; 8.b
The supervisor supplies the track, terminal barrier, bonus cans, raw large Grade A egg, attachment tape and release pencil.
2027 rule 2.e; 3.f; 4.c.v; 4.d.iii; 7
The target is 7.00–10.00 m: 0.25 m increments for Regionals/Invitationals, 0.10 m for States, 0.01 m for Nationals. It is announced after impound, before the first time slot.
2027 rule 4.b; 8.c
Use a rigid, solid, flat, unpadded wooden backstop, 5.0 ± 0.5 cm wide and high, at least 1.1 cm thick. Balsa is prohibited; plywood is allowed. Fix it rigidly at the front.
2027 rule 3.e.i,iv
Use two round wooden dowels, 1/4–3/8 inch in diameter, projecting 3–4 cm from the backstop and within 1 cm of its bottom. Their undersides must be 5–10 cm above the track.
2027 rule 3.e.ii–iii
The falling mass must never contact the venue floor. Include its cushion within the size envelope. Braking must be entirely on the vehicle and automatic; no remote control or tether.
2027 rule 3.b–d
All propulsive energy comes from the falling mass; other stored energy may operate braking but cannot drive the vehicle. Start with the supervisor's pencil without adding propulsion. No electrical/electronic components other than the allowed calculator.
2027 rule 3.c–d,f,h
Use the supplied tape; keep the front and rear 1 cm of the egg untaped. Its rounded end touches the backstop, and the pointed tip is the vehicle's foremost point. Attaching the mass and egg uses the eight minutes.
2027 rule 4.d.ii–iii
Track rolling requires tournament permission outside competition; during competition, rolling into the launcher solely to load is allowed. Do not follow the vehicle until called or pick it up before measurement.
2027 rule 4.d.vii,viii; 8.h.iii
The supervisor positions the outer can; the team positions the inner one. Every vehicle part must pass between them without changing the measured gap to earn the bonus. A broken egg ends the team's event time.
2027 rule 4.d.i,viii.3,9–10
The better run starts at 100 points, adds 2 points per centimeter of stopping error plus elapsed seconds, then applies the can bonus and penalties. Missing impound adds 5,000 to the final score.
2027 rule 5.a–h
The can bonus subtracts 0.5 × (110 − inside-can gap in cm). One or more competition violations add 150 per run; construction violations add 300. The kit non-modification penalty adds 50.
2027 rule 5.f–g
A failed run receives 2,500 distance points and zero recorded run time, plus applicable penalties and the base score. If the egg breaks on run one, run two is a failed run; the first run may also carry a competition penalty.
2027 rule 5.c–e,g.iv; 4.d.viii.10; 8.h
Confirm the actual surface, impound deadline and any permission to test on the venue track. Obtain the current Kit Modification Form if applicable; the original drawings define holder and track geometry.
2027 rule 3.e,j; 4.a,d.vii; 7
Use these preparation notes alongside the authoritative manual, its diagrams, current corrections and the host’s instructions. They are not a complete rule replacement or a certification of your device. Both partners should be able to explain their design and operate it independently.
September 22 national corrections resolve the glider flight period to six minutes and correct Water Quality organism spellings (Phaeophyta, Eucidaris, Octocorallia). October 12 Scrambler kit guidance and form are linked below. Recheck national clarifications and tournament instructions before competition.
Public seller pages checked October 25, 2026. This is a dated snapshot, not live stock. Prices are advertised USD before shipping/tax; confirm the single-kit option and delivery before paying. An add-to-cart button alone does not establish stock. Kits still need student assembly, testing and rules checks.
Catalog listing only — stock unconfirmed
2027 catalog lists vehicle kit 470365-534 and launcher kit 470365-548 separately. Confirm both contents and stock. A purchased or open-source kit also requires the current modification paperwork.
Availability / restock: No public restock date found. Ask Ward’s for a written estimate using the item numbers below.
Check seller source (opens in a new tab)Build your own
Original club build suggestions. Pair these steps with the rule checklist above; they are not an official design or a guarantee of competition compliance.
Printed wheels, axle carriers, brake fittings or chassis parts are candidates where no material rule overrides them. The egg backstop and support dowels must remain the specified wood. A complete open-source printed design is still a kit for the modification requirement: document two distinct functional modifications, not two copies of one change. Keep CAD provenance and be able to explain every mechanism.
There is no blanket approval of all printed parts. The event’s specific material and construction restrictions take priority. Students should retain file source, license, CAD changes, print settings and test results, and build and explain their own device. Ask an official clarification when a design’s legality is uncertain.
The national general FAQ recognizes modeling a 3D-printed component as part of student design and construction. That answer does not waive an event’s material requirements. Read the national FAQ (opens in a new tab).
Official student-building and mentoring policy (opens in a new tab)Model review: October 27, 2026. Separate from the kit-stock review. File access and contents were checked; no physical print, load test or tournament approval is implied.
The verified download is editable STEP assembly CAD, not ready-to-slice STL. Students must select the printable bodies, export them and keep required wooden parts as wood.
Use the creator’s Files tab or the exact file link below. If a raw STL/STEP opens as text, use Save link as and retain the listed extension. STEP needs CAD export to STL first. For OpenSCAD source, retain included dependencies, render the main part files and export STL. STL has no unit metadata: confirm millimeters in your slicer. Slice the model for your own printer; do not run someone else’s G-code.
Verified file access · adaptation required
By Alfonsoce11 · STEP · 6,748,747 bytes
Verification: Downloaded from the creator’s repository; checked the STEP ISO-10303-21 header and end marker. The creator describes a wingnut brake and adjustable front wheels. Geometry has not been physically tested or certified for 2027.
Links were read directly or confirmed on the national event page. Video playback, vendor checkout and downloadable model fabrication have not been tested. Historical resources are labeled; an older video cannot set 2027 dimensions.
Published October 12. Explains functional changes; repeated instances of the same modification count once. Recommended size differences are recommendations, not new mandatory limits.
Opens in a new tabComplete the current form and impound it when required.
Opens in a new tabOfficial competition-procedure video; useful for rehearsing check-in and runs.
Opens in a new tabSuggested supplies, not a mandatory shopping list. Borrow shared equipment first; confirm every competition item against the rules before purchasing.
Your first practice
Mark a practice track only after confirming the current geometry.
Check alignment and brake repeatability with a coach-approved practice payload.
Compare repeated stopping errors, then rehearse the complete run safely.
Keep every trial, including failures. Record the conditions, one changed variable, what happened and the next decision.
Original club CSV template. Save it in your team’s approved workspace and share it with your coach. It does not upload or sync to student progress, and it does not replace any required official log.
Own the design decisions. Keep a revision record, learn the relevant rules and be ready to explain how your device works and why you changed it.
Help reserve a consistent track, measure it carefully and transport the vehicle without bending axles.
Supervise the energy-release setup, verify the payload / barrier rules and evaluate consistency instead of the best single run.
The official resource page still identifies some 2025/2026 diagrams. Treat those as background, not current track specifications.
Find coaching sessions and recordings. Check each resource’s event, division and season.