9 Awesome Pinewood Derby Race Car Designs

January 22, 2017

The Pinewood Derby is a race that brings Cub Scouts together with their Dads to build the fastest piece of pine that gravity has ever met.

Scouts, along with adult assistance, build little cars to sit atop of a sloped race track. Once the gates are lifted, the cars fall with style to the finish line. The rules are simple. All cars should meet with Derby guidelines and then it’s off to the races. Now while size, weight and no springs are regulated, there is no limit to awesomeness. Since the Derby’s beginnings in 1953, there have been so many amazing designs that showcase just how cool a homemade wooden race car can actually be. Here are some favorites.

Image result for pinewood derby

Christian Bale might have his Bat Tumbler to hop around Gotham, but it’s no match for the mean streets of Pinewood. This car is not only a throwback to the days of Adam West, but it’s also a great example of one of fiction’s greatest cars entering the race. Now in case any of our other competitors hit the wall and combustion should ensue, it’s a good thing we have this entry to save the day. While fire trucks aren’t known for racing, this retro design is still hoping that safety comes first.

Image result for pinewood derby

Proving that this is a collaborative effort, here is a car straight out of the pages of Mad Magazine. Let’s be real here, no kid today knows what Mad is. So it’s clear that they had help from Dad with the build. Not only that, but look at Spy and Spy working together to get to the finish line. Although, them sitting on a box of TNT makes it a good thing that the Fire Truck is around.

Image result for pinewood derby

Okay, if your goal is not only to build a cool car, but to also give the other Cub Scouts nightmares, congratulations. Right next to the ‘Spy vs. Spy’ speedster, this Monster of a design belongs on the album cover of a 90’s hard rock band. If success is measured by keeping your eyes on the finish line, then this guy has got an unfair advantage.

Image result for pinewood derby

This might just be the most meta thing anyone has ever seen. A Pinewood Derby Car that is also a Pinewood Derby race. Just try and think about that sentence without making your brain hurt. Somewhere there’s a tortured abstract artist who wishes he was a Cub Scout as a kid.

Image result for pinewood derby

Then we have the $250,000 Pinewood Derby Car:

And no list would be complete without a DeLorean, so dads can go back in time to when they were kids and racing their own Derby cars.

Oh, you thought cars had to be cars? Think again. Sometimes cars can be planes, like this awesome air force model.

And finally, just take a look at Steve Lodefink’s car. It has everything from a classic feel, high quality, a professional driver and yet, still manages to look like an actual race car. Believe it or not, this masterpiece is a Pinewood racer, not a photo of a classic automobile. It could be as slow as molasses on the track and it would still be hard to take your eyes off of this beauty. The craftsmanship definitely drives home excellence.

Image result for pinewood derby