Preparing for Pinewood Derby Race Day
- Brian
- Aug 15, 2023
- 3 min read
Key Takeaways:
Keep your car protected before and after check-in to avoid last-minute damage.
Bring extra weight, wheels, axles, tools, and race-approved lubricant.
Know the rules before race day so you can handle inspection questions.
Be ready to make quick repairs if your car is damaged during the event.
A Pinewood Derby race day can get busy fast. Between check-in tables, excited youth racers, and parents, it helps to have a simple plan before you walk through the door.
A race team should discuss what to do with their car on arrival before the race. Other teams will likely be running their cars down the track or across the floor. A spontaneous game of smash-up derby might break out among the kids from different race teams.
Even slight damage to a car can affect its speed, so it’s recommended to keep the car in a safe place until check-in. Afterward, keep an eye on your car to prevent any accidental damage by race officials or other race teams.
Inspection/Weigh in
As mentioned previously, you’ll want to have your car as close as possible to the allowed weight without going over. The official race scale may read differently from the scale used while constructing the car, so be prepared to remove (or add) weight if necessary. Using tungsten putty to fine-tune the car’s weight, along with foil tape to hold the weights, makes it easy to adjust the weight if needed.
Know the Rules Before You Arrive
Make sure you are very familiar with your race rules. Be prepared to advocate for your car if any questions arise during check-in. It is quite possible that the person checking the cars may not be very familiar with the rules and will go with what they think is “right” rather than what the rules state.
The best strategy to avoid issues on race day is to clarify any questions regarding the rules with race officials in advance.
If there are any areas you think could be open to interpretation and could be used to disqualify your car, be prepared to make changes. Bring extra sets of race-ready, unmodified wheels, axles, and other components.
Pack a Pinewood Derby Race Day Repair Kit
Be prepared to make repairs to the car as well. Here is a list of items you should consider bringing to the race:
Set of race-ready axles
Extra weight (tungsten putty)
CA glue (i.e. Super Glue™)
CA accelerator
Clear packing tape
Race-approved lubricant (graphite, oil, etc.)
Craft knife
Drill
Double-sided tape
Pliers
Typically, race rules allow a set amount of time to repair a damaged car once the race begins, usually around five minutes. So be prepared to move quickly if the need arises!
Good luck on Pinewood Derby® Race Day! Once race day arrives, ensure you are prepared, as anything can and will happen.
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About the Author
Brian
Brian’s Pinewood Derby journey began in 1981 when, at just nine years old, he placed second in the Royal Ambassadors State Championship. Fast forward to 2019, when his son brought home a Cub Scout kit and reignited his passion. What started as a quick project turned into an obsession fueled by RC modeling, 3D printing, machining, and CNC routing, eventually leading to Turbo Derby! From Scout packs to pro races, Brian has developed tools, techniques, and plenty of stories to share. He loves talking about the Pinewood Derby almost as much as he loves building and racing.
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