Why Joining The Pinewood Derby Is Good For The Family

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has celebrated an exciting tradition for the entire family since 1953. This tradition is called the Pinewood Derby and it can also be an intimate bonding experience between parents and their children, or other members of the family. Every year, dozens of young boys seek the assistance of their dads in building custom block-shaped cars for a shot at winning the yearly championship race.

The Soap Box Derby 

The Pinewood Derby is rooted in America’s first car races—the Soap Box Derby. These old school car races were popular in the early 1900s and were specifically geared for young kids between the ages of 11 to 15. Every August, the Soap Box Derby would give America’s youth a chance to participate in building their own makeshift race cars that ran purely on gravity, with hopes of finishing first in an exciting race.

The Soap Box Derby became so popular in the 50s and 60s that Chevrolet even became one of the main sponsors, making the derby one of the most attended sporting events in America.

The Pinewood Derby Today

However, the makeshift soap box derby was not without its share of accidents and injuries, which is why the BSA sought new ways to keep the tradition without endangering young boys who just want to participate in a fun hobby and race among friends and family.

The age limit also prevented much younger children from joining the race, so in 1953, Don Murphy, Cub Master of Pack 280C (now called Pack 713), started the first Pinewood Derby in Manhattan Beach, California. The concept behind the Pinewood Derby was to follow the same gravity-powered design but in miniature form.

This safer alternative quickly became a hit amongst all the young boys and it soon became an official part of the BSA program, as it is celebrated today.

Father-and-Son Teams

Although other relatives could also be part of the team, mostly fathers and sons constituted of the tandems that joined the annual Pinewood Derby. Today, official derby kits include a block of pinewood, 4 plastic wheels and 4 nails. Official dimensions for the racecars are as follows: not more than 5 ounces in weight, 2 ¾ inches in width, and 7 inches in length.

Aside from these parameters, teams can be as creative as they want. Through the years, we’ve seen a variety of neat designs, from actual racecar replicas to fun and interesting shapes on wheels.

Fathers, sons, uncles, cousins, and even sisters and mothers, share their ideas and help one another build the perfect miniature racecar. Families look forward to this activity every year because it is a unique bonding experience where everyone pitches in to create a physical representation of a family’s love.

Handcrafted Trophies and Awards

Making a wooden racecar with your own hands takes a lot of time, skill, patience and love. This is why the annual Pinewood Derby gives out equally crafted trophies and awards at the end of every race. We are proud to be participants in this rich and fun American tradition. With more than 20 years of expertise in the trophies and engraving business, we have everything you need to give out memorable awards to match an equally memorable event such as the Pinewood Derby.

We provide a fine variety of customized trophies, plaques, medals, ribbons and other forms of personalized awards. We use only the finest materials and work with precision, quality and style. If you want something specifically designed for your event, we can help you come up with something truly unique to suit your needs.

For any type of high quality personalized awards and memorabilia you may need, get in touch with us by calling 734-266-1815 today or use our on-line contact form. You can also visit our social media accounts to stay connected with us: Facebook Fan Page / Twitter Feed / Google+ Account/Pinterest Board

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