Pinewood Derby

A Cub Scout Tradition of Creativity, Fun, and Friendly Competition

The Basics

• The Pinewood Derby is one of Cub Scouting’s most exciting and memorable events! Scouts (with help from their families) design, build, and race their very own miniature wooden cars. Each Scout receives a kit with a wooden block, wheels, and axles—the rest is up to their imagination!.

🏎️ Building the Car🏎️ 

• Cars must be made from the official BSA Pinewood Derby kit.

• Scouts sand, shape, paint, and decorate their car any way they’d like.

• Adults are encouraged to guide, but Scouts should do as much of the work as possible—this is their project!

• Cars must meet official rules for weight, size, and design to race fairly. (Your Pack will provide the specific rules sheet.)

🏁 Race Day

• Cars compete on a sloped wooden track with multiple lanes.

• The race is powered by gravity only—no motors or batteries allowed!

• Every Scout gets the chance to race their car.

• Awards are often given for speed, creativity, craftsmanship, and Scout spirit.

🌟 Why It Matters- The Pinewood Derby is about much more than racing cars:

• Creativity – Scouts design a car that shows their personality.

• Problem-Solving – They learn how weight, shape, and wheels affect speed.

• Family Fun – A great opportunity for families to work on a project together.

• Sportsmanship – Scouts cheer on others and celebrate everyone’s efforts.

Tips for Naming Your Car: 

1. Speedy Names: Does your car go really fast? Try names like “Lightning Racer,” “Turbo Zoom,” or “Flash Speed.”

2. Fun Names: If you want something silly or fun, name your car something like “Speedy McZoom,” “Race Rocket,” or “Blazing Buddy.”

3. Creative Themes: You could name your car after something you love, like a superhero (e.g., “SuperSpeed”), a favorite animal (e.g., “Cheetah Racer”), or something from space (e.g., “Astro Zoom”).

4. Personal Touches: If your car has a cool design or color, use that in your name! For example, if your car is red and fast, you could name it “Red Rocket” or “Flame Fury.”

Car Design Checklist

• Write your name on your car design paper.

• Give your car a fun name and write it on your paper.

• Look at the choices on the next page and pick your favorite design.

• Cut out your design.

• Trace your design onto your planning paper.

• Color your car and make it awesome!

Tips for Designing Your Car: 

• Shape: What shape do you want your car to be? A sleek race car, a rocket ship, or maybe even a funny animal? Think about the shape that will make your car look cool and go fast!

• Weight: Cars need to be the right weight to race well. Make sure your car isn’t too heavy or too light. 

• Wheels: Do you want to make your wheels stand out or keep them simple? 

• Paint and Decorations: Pick bright colors or cool designs to make your car look awesome! Do you want it to have flames, stripes, or a fun pattern? 

• Aerodynamics: A sleek, smooth car can go faster! 

✅ Parent Tips

• The packs host build workshops to help with cutting and drilling.

• Let your Scout make the design choices, even if they’re a little “imperfect.”

Focus on fun and teamwork, not just winning.