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Out of Time? Unleash Pinewood Derby Speed with Pinewood Pro

Ignite your Pinewood Pro skills and dominate the Pinewood Derby with our ultimate Derby Car guide!

Joe Gargiulo
December 11, 2017
Pinewood Pro Blog


Use this Quick Start Chart to match your needs to our solutions.

Your Needs

Instant Download Books

pinewood derby in six easy steps eBook

Pinewood Derby In Six Easy Steps

Instantly download this beginner book that shows you how to build your car step-by-step.

Includes three simple cut-out car templates so you can get started immediately.

Also includes basic speed tips so you have a competitive car.

Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets eBook

Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets

Instantly download the Winning Secrets you need to win your race.

Clear, Concise and Proven with thousands of winners for over 10 years!

Yes, even beginners have won using these secrets.

The only book that is updated annually, so you have the latest speed secrets and speed products.

Select a Car Design using our "Cool Tool"

pinewood derby car designer

Pinewood Derby Car Designer

Point and click to pick a car design, then see your car's speed increase when changeing axles, wheels, lubes and weights.

Select from 30 car designs.

Quick, easy and fun!

Test drive your pinewood derby car!

...Or use a Quick Build Car Kit

Pinewood Derby Car kits, like this dragster have everything you need to build a car.

We have over 10 car kits to choose from.

Car kits includes:

  • The pre-cut pinewood derby car
  • BSA wheels
  • BSA axles
  • sticker sheets
  • Decorative parts
  • Fully illustrated instruction sheet
  • 120 grit and 220 grit sandpaper
  • 2.0 oz of stick-on weights
  • Race day log book, along with tips & tricks

This car just needs a light sanding and painting.Add the included weights, wheels, and axles and you're off to the races!

Speed tip: Put Graphite on your axles to make your car fast.


To make your car competitive, choose a set of our BSA Polished Axles or Graphite Coated Axles because the axles in this kit are not polished or deburred.

...Or select a pre-weighted or fully built car, ready to race

pre-weighted pinewood derby car picture

Pre-weighted car body

Pre-weighted car body and Fully Built cars.

The Grey Ghost - Pre-weighted car body includes:

  • BSA car block cut to aerodynamic style
  • Pre-weighted to equal 4.9 oz when wheels and axles added
  • Center of gravity in perfect position for maximum speed
  • pre-drilled small weight holes under car if you want to add tungsten putty
  • Car body is primed with 2 coats of grey primer. Race as is or paint over the primer

fully built pinewood derby car picture

Fully Built Car

Fully Built Pinewood Derby Cars includes:

  • BSA highly polished (or graphite-coated) axles
  • BSA precision lathed (or graphite-coated) speed wheels
  • Pre-weighted with perfect center of gravity for maximum speed.
  • Pre-drilled axle holes so your car rolls straight.
  • Track tested for speed.
  • Proven FAST with many Pack and District winners!

Basic Speed Tips for Beginners

If this is your first race, you need to know a few basic speed tips to have a competitive car...

Weight your Car!

  • Gravity is taking your car down the track and inertia makes it speed to the finish line. Be sure your car weighs as close to the maximum 5oz as possible. You can choose from many different pinewood derby weights to add to your car.

Prep your Axles

  • First, the axles that come in the BSA Cub Scout kit are not axles; they are nails, and crude ones at that! Run your fingers along the shaft of the nail to feel the crimp marks and burrs. These must be removed or they will grind up the plastic in your wheels, severely slowing your car.
  • You can modify the axles yourself with our axle file and axle polishing kit or get our polished axles, if you don't want to do it yourself.

Lube your axles

  • The single most important thing you can do to increase your car speed is to lubricate your axles with graphite. It comes in a tube and is simply squirted on each axle.
PINEWOOD PRO

Winning Tips and Hints

Pinewood Derby
Tips & Hints

The best part of pinewood derby is designing a unique, cool car that you can call your own. Don't worry about aerodynamics because it is almost insignificant. We identify dozens of other speed tips in Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets that rank far above aerodynamics.

Pinewood Derby
Wheels Tip

If you have a bad wheel and you don't have time to replace it, Raise that Wheel so it doesn't touch the track. Since it doesn't touch the track, it won't have any negative affect on your car's speed.

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!

Premium Pinewood Derby Car Kits by Pinewood Pro
How to Build a Fast Pinewood Derby Car