The cars can be whittled, ground, rasped, carved with a Dremmel, cut with a bandsaw, cut with a coping saw or shaped in many other ways. You can sand the wood, prime, paint, decorate and generally turn this simple pine block into a custom car. The nails go through the wheel hubs and into the slots you see – this gives them a fairly straight connection. I highly recommend not using a hammer to insert the nails – we get lots of broken pine this way, followed by tears. WE CAN HELP AT THE BUILD DAYS!!

How the Race Works

Every January, Pack 556 gears up for the Pinewood Derby race. This is an exciting (and chaotic) pack meeting where every scout (and interested siblings) race their beloved Pinewood Derby car creation. It generally takes 90 minutes to run the race, depending on the size of the pack and how many scouts make cars.

The Pinewood derby cars race 3 at a time down a straight slope and then along a flat section. We have a very nice state-of-the-art aluminum track and a top of the line timing system. The average run-time is < 3 seconds for one car. The cars are “set” onto the track by our crack team of “car setters” who are very careful to get the cars started out straight.

In Pack 556 we use a really precise timing computer. When the release gate drops, three timers “start”. At the end of the track is a scoring mechanism that measures the time interval from the trip of the electric eye at the top to the moment each car passes under the finish line. This time is stored in a computer program. Each car runs three times, once in each lane of the track. In this manner, each car gets three chances (sometimes cars have a slow run) and if one of the lanes seems slow, then the car will surely run faster in one of the other lanes.

Each car has three runs and the car’s fastest time is the time that counts. If a car has 1.7s, 1.9s and 2.1s run times, the official time for that car will be 1.7 seconds. We determine the fastest car based on times, not on which cars appear to beat which cars. In this way, each car gets the best chance of a fair outcome.

The cars stay on the track because the track has a strip that stands up above the track surface. The car’s wheels go on either side of this strip, so they tend to touch the strip on the inside of the wheels. If the car runs fairly straight, it goes faster.

The race course has a specific layout to minimize the chaos and many helpers. There is typically one parent assigned to set cars on the track to start each heat. There are 3 parents assigned to sorting cars laid out on several tables, and getting future heats prepared. There is 1 parent checking the results against the car numbers to ensure everything is on track. There is 1 parent manning the computer program and enabling each heat to “go!”. There is a panel of 3 “judges” that award the cars based on the Award Categories. Webelos II scouts carry the cars from the finish line to the starting end in carefully designed boxes (to prevent any damage). There are ropes holding the crowd back and many parents are asked to keep an eye on scooting scouts (everyone wants to lean over and get closer to the track!).

As the race carries on, the top two Tiger cars and the top two Pack cars are displayed on the screen at all times. Those four scouts are welcome to sit in special chairs on stage until they are kicked off by faster cars that come through.

Rules - All rules are ultimately based on the District Rules (linked below in the next section)

The process to build a Pinewood Derby car can be tricky and full of gotchas. But if you read through all the rules and place ahead (spend more time in design than implementation!), you’ll be successful.

Intent
The purpose of this event is for the Scout to build and race a wooden car. The Scout should do as much of the work as is appropriate for their age. It is expected that a Tiger Scout will have quite a bit of help, but a Arrow of LIght Scout should be doing almost all of the work themself. Buying premade parts is not the goal of this event and will likely result in disqualification! Each Scout is expected to build a new car each year.
The Kit
The car shall be built from the Cub Scout “Official Pinewood Derby Car Kit” (https://www.scoutshop.org/official-pinewood-derby-car-kit-17006.html). The Kit contains a one-piece wood block for the car body with plated nails for wheel axles and wide tread plastic wheels. Only official BSA wheels and axles may be used as replacements (https://www.scoutshop.org/catalogsearch/result/?q=pinewood+derby+wheel+%26+axles). Unofficial kits, bodies, wheels, or axles will not be accepted. The “PineCar”, “Revell”, or any other pre-cut bodies are prohibited from the District Race. The one exception is that Lions can use the pre-cut wedge kit available from the Scout Shop (https://www.scoutshop.org/pinewood-derby-pre-cut-wedge-kit-656989.html.
The Car Body
You must start with the wood block provided in the kit and, as a minimum, the axle slots and some amount of continuous wood between the slots must remain from the original block. The axles must be inserted into the pre-cut grooves that are already cut in the car body. However, the grooves may be pre-drilled to make it easier to insert the axles. The wheel-base (distance between the axles) must not be changed. You may add weights and other decorations if you wish. Decorative parts may be from any source.
Wheels
All cars must have four official BSA wheels. Different color wheels may be purchased from the Scout Shop, if desired, but they must still be official BSA wheels. The shape and form of the wheels must not be modified or reshaped. Wheels may be cleaned up to remove molding burrs and/or polished, but only a minimal amount of material may be removed. Wheels cannot be shaved down.
The embossed “tread” marks on the outer rim and the rest of the embossed lettering and decorative detail on both inside and outside of the wheel must be present and visible. You may not remove material from the inside of the wheel. Wheel covers (stickers or other material that covers any part of the wheel) are prohibited because it prevents inspection.
All four wheels must be in contact with a flat surface when the car is placed on it (i.e. all four wheels must turn when the car is rolled on a flat surface).
Axles
The official kit provides nails for the axles, and you must use the official BSA axles. The axles may be smoothed and polished if desired, but purchased pre-shaped/-polished axles are not allowed.
The axles must be installed in the pre-cut slots, but the slots may be drilled out to allow easier insertion of the axles.
The axles may be glued or clamped to hold them in place in the slots.
Wheel bearings, washers, bushings, and axle sleeves are prohibited.
Physical Dimensions
Maximum overall dimensions are: 3” wide by 7” long by 3” high. Some kits come with blocks longer than 7” and must be trimmed. Note that these rules allow a 3” width vs. the 2 ¾” width specified in the kits.
The width between the wheels must be greater than 1 ¾”, inside measurement in order to fit on the track.
No part of the car can extend forward of the starting post.
Track Clearance
Cars must have a minimum ¼” of track clearance, i.e., the distance from the track to the lowest part of the body between the wheels.
(In prior years, ⅜” was required, but we are loosening that requirement to allow for flat weights to be attached to the bottom of the car. The district’s aluminum track has enough clearance to accommodate.)
Weight
The car weight shall not exceed 5.000 ounces (141.75 grams).
No loose material of any kind is permitted in or on the car. The car may be hollowed out and built up to the maximum weight by the addition of solid materials such as wood or metal provided it is securely attached or built into the body.
Weights must not be taped on. Tape is usually not secure enough to ensure that the weights remain attached to the car.
No liquid weights are permitted inside or attached to the outside of the car body.
No weights may be added after the car has raced in the Pack race.
Lead weights should be avoided due to the toxicity of lead. The premade metal weights, or steel, brass or tungsten should be used instead. If lead is used it must be under the surface, sealed from touch.
Note: many low-cost scales and most post office scales are not very accurate, and your car may be overweight if you rely on them. For the district race, a certified 5 oz weight is used as the reference, and all cars must not weigh more than it does.
Springs and Magnets
The car shall not run on any type of springs or use magnets. The car must be freewheeling with no starting devices.
Lubrication
The wheels and axles may be lubricated with any lubricant desired. However, a car that is dripping excessive amounts of lubricant on the track will be disqualified.

Common Problems

About 50% of our participants run into at least one of these issues, so pay attention! Even if you’ve done the Pinewood Derby before, it’s helpful to remember these common problems:

To insert the (axles) nails into the grooves, some people may resort to using a hammer.
Please don’t! A hammer is too forceful and usually ends up chipping the delicate pieces of wood right around the groove. Tears and plenty of glue typically follow.
Wheels touching: all four wheels must turn when the car moves on a flat surface.
Length: we have a wooden box and the car has to fit inside of it. The pine block starts out the correct length. (You cannot add weights made to look like ‘exhaust pipes’ coming out the back — your car will be too long!)
Width: if you mount the wheels with about 1mm of space between the inside of the wheel hub and the car body, you will be fine.
Clearance (a very common problem!!!): The clearance under the car must be a minimum of 3/8″, otherwise the car will “bottom out” (scrape) on the center wood strip of the track. If you use the slots already cut in the car you will be fine. But if you add weights to the bottom of the car, it may scrape.
The weight must be < = 5 oz, as measured by the pack’s magical scale. Because 5 oz is the maximum, many, many, far too many Scouts and parents focus on getting the weight right to 5.00000 oz. It turns out that the fastest car has never weighed exactly 5 oz — it’s always been less.

Pre-Race Check-in

Pack 556 car check-in is in the days prior to the race Pack meeting. Check the calendar for the date. Once the cars are checked in, we hold them (this reduces the tendency to fall off a table or get stepped on)

We check to make sure all four wheels touch the table.
We check the weight.
We check the clearance.
We check the height, length and width of the car.
We put a sticker on the bottom of the car with a number – this number links the car to the computer system.
We keep the car until race day. Once these wonderful little cars have wheels on them tend to crash easily and they are not all that durable. We take serious care of the cars (for this reason, we won’t let you “have a look over the cars” once they are checked in until race night).

Award Categories

It is not always about speed! Your scout might not be that interested in speed. The fascination might come from the tools used to shape the creation, about the paint (or the painting), about the graphite (you can put graphite on the wheels to make then run faster) or about being creative with what to do with the pine block. For this reason, we have trophies for a few non-speed award categories.

Slickest (Best Paint Job)
Most Original
"Keepin’ it Real" (Most realistic)
Most Patriotic
Judges Favorite (Pack Choice to race in Districts)

District Race Info

2026 District Race Rules and Event Link

Every scouting district runs a “championship” Pinewood Derby race. Our Pioneer District offers 5 slots to our scout pack. Specifically, the first and second place cars for the Pack (Wolf and older) and the first and second place Tiger and Lion cars (4 in total) get to go to the District race, as well as one "Pack Choice" or Judge's favorite. The District is very careful about “qualifying” cars that are checked in. As a result, when cars are checked in, we apply the same criteria to our cars as the District does. There are a lot of rules, summarized in the Rules section.

The District race is typically run on a Saturday in February (in 2024 it is February 3rd). The Tigers typically race first (~9am) and the Wolves and older race second (~1pm). You MUST check in your car for the district race the week prior to the race. Dates and details are updated on the SVMBC website. Call their office if the information is outdated.

If your scout qualifies for the district race, one parent (from the 5 qualifiers) will be asked to take the cars home (and store in a safe place, out of reach). This parent will then need to check in the cars and collect the nominal race fees from each qualifier (typically < $10).

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