How To Pinewood Derby Info

"How to" run a race, build a track and car stand

How to Run a Pinewood Derby Race

Planning Guide


When I ran the Pinewood Derby for my son's Cub Scout Pack 468, in Trumbull, Connecticut, I found it easier to keep track of activites by creating an activities list. This led to creating a little How To Organize and Run a Pinewood Derby planning guide. My How to run a pinewood derby race helped me manage our pinewood derby event and I passed it along to the next Race Manager who has been using it ever since.

Instead of trying to manage every task yourself, I used the divide and conquer method. Activities were broken up into sub-tasks and then I asked for parents to volunteer to be the leader for each sub-team. For example, I had a “track team”, a “food team”, a “Pit team” and an “activities team”.


This short race planning guide includes:

  • List Activites
  • Race Preparation and rough timeline
  • Race Management Tips
  • Tips to help run your race smoothly

How to build a Pinewood Derby Car Stand

Pinewood Pro's logo car on stand


Completed pinewood derby car stand with Pinewood Pro "logo car"


This plan shows you how to build your own pinewood derby car stand to show off your cool car and keep them from rolling off your desk. In my son't Pack, we built car stands every year to keep the kids busy while the cars were racing. You can also build these car stands at a Den meeting in preparation for your pinewood derby race.


Get complete details


How To Make a Pinewood Derby Car Stand


How to Build a Pinewood Derby Race Track

If you are handy with wood, you can build your own Pinewood Derby track. You can make your own personal track to speed test your cars. With a little more effort, you can build a new track for your Scout Pack.

There are a few things to keep in mind before you being building your track:


  • Size
  • Material - Lightweight vs. Durable
  • Starting Height
  • Slope of the Track
  • Base Height
  • Portability

Pinewood Derby Track Plans

Pinewood Derby Track

Pinewood Derby Race Rules

Pinewood Derby rules are set at the local level so every group can customize their rules to their own liking. Some groups keep their rules basic and simple, while other races are highly restrictive.

Download one of our set of Pinewood Derby rules for your race.


Pinewood Derby Rules


Pinewood Pro Winner's Circle

PINEWOOD PRO

Winning Tips and Hints

Pinewood Derby
Tips & Hints

If you are using 3/8" round weights, drill your 3/8" weight holes before cutting out the rest of the car because it is easier to hold the full block. Always use a clamp to hold your block before drilling or cutting. Safety First!

Pinewood Derby
Wheels Tip

Lighter wheels turn easier (they require less inertia). Lighten your wheels, as much as your Rules allow, which will give you a fast start out of the gate and faster speed down the track.

Pinewood Derby
Winning Hint

Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets contains all the tips you need to win your race. Updated annually with the latest tips and speed products, our book has proven results with 1000's of winners... but don't take our word for it! Read over 90 Customer Reviews and check out our Winners Gallery!