Welcome to our Pinewood Derby prize overview!
Our goal is to make the race a memorable experience for all participants—whether you’re a first-year Cub Scout, a “seasoned” Webelos, an adult leader, or even a sibling just racing for fun.
Because everyone wants to walk away feeling like a winner, we’ve come up with a simple categorization of participants, and we’ve also added a set of special design and “fun” awards. Even if your car isn’t the fastest, there are still plenty of opportunities to take home a prize!
Each racer competes within their group, then moves up to the “Overall” bracket if they place. Here’s how it works:
- Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, Arrow of Light
Prize Path: Rank (e.g., “Tiger”) → “All Cubs” → “Overall”
Compete in their Rank → top racers go to All Cubs → then possibly Overall.
Example: A Tiger can be 1st in Tiger, 2nd in All Cubs, and 3rd Overall.
- Scout (BSA), Sibling, Friend
Prize Path: “Guests” → “Overall”
They only compete for top spots in “Guests,” then feed into the “Overall” standings.
No separate "rank"-level prize here.
- Parent, Leader, Alumnus
Prize Path: “Adults” → “Overall”
They only compete for top spots in “Adults,” then feed into the “Overall” standings.
No separate "rank"-level prize here.
Example: An adult leader named "Mr. John" could place 1st among Adults, then go on to win 3rd place Overall.
We understand that speed isn’t everything. That’s why we’ve created extra “fun” categories to reward creativity, style, and spirit. You can decide which ones to use—just pick a few, or go wild and include them all.
Here’s our full list of optional design/special awards:
Best in Show
Most Creative
Most Colorful
Funniest Theme
Best Paint Job
Most Realistic
Best Engineering
Scout’s Choice
Fastest-Looking Car
Most Team Spirit
Lightest Legal Car
Heaviest Legal Car
Not all of these have to be awarded, but having a wide selection ensures everyone has a chance to shine — even if their car doesn’t fly across the finish line first!
We’re thrilled to see the amazing cars you create, whether you’re gunning for top speed or aiming to dazzle with your design. Remember, the idea is to have fun, learn something new, and celebrate everyone’s efforts.
If you have any questions about the categories, awards, or anything else, feel free to reach out. We can’t wait to see you at the starting line—good luck and happy racing!