A Pinewood Derby race is an annual Cub Scouting event in which boys race hand-made wooden cars on a specially designed track. The first Pinewood Derby race, held in 1953, was the brainchild of a Manhattan Beach, California pack Cubmaster named Don Murphy. A year later, the program was adopted by the National Scouting council and the Pinewood Derby race continues to be a Cub Scout tradition to this day. Any boy registered as a Cub Scout with a pack can participate in a Pinewood Derby race.
To prepare for the Pinewood Derby race, each Scout is given a Pinewood Derby kit. Inside this kit is a block of soft pinewood, 4 nails and 4 wheels. With the help of an adult, boys design and cut or carve the wood into a car based on official specifications for length, width and height. The car can be painted, appliqued and detailed, and attachments can be added as long as the final weight of the car does not exceed five ounces. Prior to an official Pinewood Derby race, cars are inspected and weighed by registered leaders to assure the requirements are met.
The Pinewood Derby race is run in heats and the best overall time in each division is declared the winner. Though the design and implementation of the race is simple, the process is quite intricate. Most tracks have four lanes and each car will run in a different lane each heat. The cars are fueled only by gravity and the time from release to finish line is electronically measured. At the center of each lane is a guide strip that keeps the car in its lane.
Over the years, many Cub Scouts and their parent partners have toiled over how to build the fastest car to achieve victory in the Pinewood Derby race. Tricks and tips have been studied and tested to discover what works and what does not. Win or lose, each participant walks away with the satisfaction of having created something all their own and participated in a time-honored Cub Scouting tradition.
What is a Pinewood Derby
How to Build a Car
