PINEWOOD DERBY

Be sure to fully review and understand the rules. Cars which do not meet the requirements may not be accepted or may be ineligible for race standings.

Pinewood Derby Rules: Strict adherence to Pack 529 Official Pinewood Derby Rules & Procedures will be in effect.

Car Specifications & Rules Guide Sheet: A one-page visual Rules & Specifications Guide Sheet is available to assist in clarifying the basic specifications, rules, and restrictions. Please see the above Pack 529 Official Pinewood Derby Rules & Procedures for full details.

Car Templates: Pinewood Derby car designs may be fully original or shaped by the use of templates that are available on our website or online. All specifications outlined in our rules must be adhered to for all cars, whether templated or original.

A special note to all parents and scouts: Together, please read the following article on sportsmanship...

The first thing to remember about sportsmanship is that everyone's skills are a little different. You may be good at something like singing or drawing, but not as good at something else like basketball or computers. Parents have different skill levels, too. This doesn't mean that you are a good person one time and not good another time. You can always be a good person, whether or not you have good car-building skills. Remember, you and your friends are individuals first and racers second. This idea is often called having respect for others. 

The second thing to remember is to follow the rules. Without rules, there would be no Pinewood Derby. You will never know if you are really good at doing something unless you follow the rules. This is often called being honest. 

The third thing to remember about good sportsmanship is that there are winners and losers in every competition. You accept this when you choose to compete. There may be times when you win and feel happy, and times when you lose and feel unhappy. Being a winner is easy, and losing is sometimes hard. If you win, you must not brag or gloat. If you lose, you must not feel jealous or bitter. 

To be a good sportsman, you must be able to say "I did my best" and be satisfied with the results. You must also be able to appreciate and feel happy for someone else when they run a good race or build a neat car.

While everyone will be trying to win, it's always a good idea to start out by remembering the Cub Scout Motto, "Do Your Best," and some of the basic ideas behind good sportsmanship.  Two things the Pinewood Derby requires each participant to learn are 1) the craft skills necessary to build a car, and 2) the rules that must be followed. Even more important, though, is how we act and behave while participating in the Pinewood Derby or any other group activity. This is called sportsmanship.  

The Pinewood Derby is a parent-child project. Please feel free to give guidance and minimal assistance to your Scout as your Scout builds their Pinewood Derby car. This is a chance for your Scout to be part of a team and to enjoy the spirit of friendly competition with peers. Also for your Cub Scout to enjoy the satisfaction of building his own car from the kit provided. 

The most important values in the Pinewood Derby competition are parent/child participation, good sportsmanship, and learning how to follow rules. Everyone is responsible for recognizing and encouraging these qualities in addition to traditional racing awards.

The Derby is about doing one's best and having fun, so all Scout participants will be recognized and winners will receive an award.

• Every participating Scout will receive recognition for their Pinewood Derby participation (e.g., a patch, ribbon, or medal).

• Trophies or medals will be awarded to the first, second, and third-place finishers in the Scout Division.

• Additional awards will be made for various "appearance" categories. 

  • 2026 categories: Best Scout theme, Best non-car theme, Best paint job

It is possible that the three fastest cars may qualify to compete at the District Pinewood Derby (if applicable).