Pinewood Derby Metal, Plastic and Wood Tracks
Building a Pinewood Derby Track
If you are handy with wood, you can build your own Pinewood Derby track.
Below is information and free pinewood derby track plans you can download.
If you want to purchase a complete pinewood derby track, our PRO Track is a light-weight yet durable plastic track.
Building a Pinewood Derby Track
If you are handy with wood, you can build your own Pinewood Derby track.
Here are a few things you need to think about before you begin and a few notes about pinewood derby racing. Below we give you links to full track plans and track vendors:
- What size track do you need? Most tracks have between two and six lanes. Two lanes are enough if you have less than 20 cars racing, but you should consider more lanes if you will be racing more than 20 cars. Three lanes are fine for up to 30 racers, and four lanes should be used for groups above 30. Electronic timers are worth the cost for three and four lane tracks, as sometimes races can be too close to decide a winner by eye.
- The most common building material for a derby track is pinewood. Pinewood is lightweight and durable enough to make a decent pinewood derby track. How long do you want your track?Typical wood tracks are 32 feet plus a landing zone. Some tracks extend to 40 feet to make the race longer and more exciting, but you must consider that some cars may have difficulty reaching the finish line with longer tracks.
- The starting gate of the track should be four feet high.
- The slope of the track should start at 30 degrees at the starting gate, changing gradually to 0 degrees by about 12 feet from the start. The rest of the track should be flat.
- The finish line should be at ground level, but consider raising the entire track to provide better visibility.
- When you design your track, think about transportation. You will want to separate the track into smaller pieces, typically 8' sections, to ease the transportation process.
- Regardless of how well you build your track, each lane will perform slightly different, giving the car in a lane a slight advantage or disadvantage over the cars in the other lanes. Be sure that each car has the opportunity to race in all of the lanes.
- If possible, set your track up several hours before the event and encourage your racers to bring their cars in to practice using the track. This will give the chance to fine tune their cars.
Pinewood Derby Track Plan
This is a 25 page downloadable pinewood derby track plan for a wooden track. It uses door hinges for easy assembly and disassembly. This is a complete
plan with pictures, assembly diagrams and parts list.
This is a concise single page downloadable pinewood derby track plan for a wooden track. It is clear and concise, for you minimalists,
but it is a complete track plan with starting gate. It includes assembly, diagrams and parts list.
We highly recommend adding an electronic timer to your track. It saves time and eliminates discussions about which car came in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.
Here are some track timer suppliers:
- SmartLine Finish Line Timer
- Intelligent Automation's Timestopper timers
- Micro Wizard
Winning Tips and Hints
Pinewood Derby
Tips & Hints
Looking for more cool car design ideas? Our free Pinewood Derby Car Design Guide has over 100 cool pinewood derby car design ideas.
Pinewood Derby
Wheels Tip
If you are using 3/8" round weights, drill your 3/8" weight holes before cutting out the rest of the car because it is easier to hold the full block. Always use a clamp to hold your block before drilling or cutting. Safety First!
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!