Derby Talk

GrandPrix Race Central is dedicated to providing race coordinators and leaders with ideas, information and resources to help stage an exciting and fair race for the children that are building and racing their handmade creations.

If you'd like to build a Pinewood Derby car or perhaps you'd like to build a pinewood derby track then you have found the place. Information for all kinds of Pinewood Derby subjects is here and links to other sites too.

Stan Pope is probably one of the "pioneers" of pinewood racing. His site has lots of useful information for car builders and race coordinators. His "Learn to Build a Winner" online book is a great resource for building cars.

Lots of good information for car builders and race coordinators.

Good information for car builders and race coordinators. Includes experimental results on lubrication, weight, aerodynamics, etc.

Information for car builders.

We manufature custom embroidered patches, direct embroidery, screen printing, lapel pins, embroidery design and digitizing.

Derby Worx designs and manufactures tools for building and improving the performance of pinewood derby cars. The main focus of the Pro Tool line is to help parent and child teams build highly competitive cars with precision and be able to compete with families with access to machine shops and other expensive equipment.

Race equipment and supplies for putting on a fun and fair race. Digital scales, car carrying trays, race decorations, car Go/No-Go inspection box, and more.

Hodges Hobby House is dedicated to helping kids and parents win the Pinewood Derby. We take a lot of pride in providing derby enthusiasts of all ages with the best pinewood derby supplies and accessories on the market. I also try to provide the service and knowledge to achieve this goal. WinDerby has, literally, thousands of satisfied customers (a great many with shiny new trophies). I attribute much of our success to the skill of the builders, their knowledge of physics and the valuable customer feedback for new and improved products. You'll find there are no tricks, no secrets, no magic elixers or proprietary voodoo that will get you to the winner's circle. It's all about understanding the rules and design constraints of your race and applying craftsmanship and your knowledge of physics and natural law to exploit them to your benefit. That's why the two most powerful tools in your arsenel are knowledge and elbow grease.

Offering winning pinewood derby car plans, speed tips, specialty tools and supplies, as well as a free pinewood derby newsletter.

Physics and the Pinewood Derby is a feature-length educational DVD that teaches science and math through the pinewood derby race cars. It presents a perfect way to encourage your child's interest in math and science, while spending time together building a great car.

Build an Extreme Pinewood Derby Car! Pre-Cut BSA pinewood derby car Kits, Free Pinewood Derby building tips, Free Pinewood Derby Graphics, Tungsten Weight, Decals, Scales, Speed Wheels and Axles, SuperFast & Extreme Graphite/Moly Lubricant, Car Display Cases, Carrying Cases, Race Management Supplies, Race Decorations and more. The perfect site for new and experienced pinewood and pinecar builders. Cub Scouts, Awana, Royal Rangers, Indian Guides, and others.

Shape N Race offers pinewood derby car kits, design plans, speed tips, race rules and old-fashioned customer service plus free shipping.

We Specialize in Trophy Kits. We are the online leader in Unassembled Trophies. Our unique approach to selling trophies allows you to save a ton of money.

DerbyDMV™ is a software application that will create mock driver's licenses for your racers, complete with their photo. It's a nice way to add fun to your race and give your racers a souvenir keepsake. Create licenses for any type of race that includes a vehicle, like Pinewood Derby, Awana Grand Prix, Raingutter Regatta, Space Derby, and others. They are customizable, so you can call them a "Pilot's License", "Learner's Permit" or anything else that better suits your type of race.

Race management software for Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, Awana® Grand Prix, Space Derby, Raingutter Regatta or other similar race. Runs many non-elimination types of race methods, loads of features and highly customizable.

This is a web based chart generator created by Stan Pope and Cory Young. It creates Perfect-N, Complementary Perfect-N, and Partial Perfect-N type charts.

Web page that calculates axle alignment adjustments for Pinewood Derby cars. The alignment calculations are based on the results of four trials as described in the Alignment Process chapter of Stan Pope's excellent book Learn to Build a Winner - A Textbook for High Performance Pinewood Derby Car Design and Construction.

RaceFX™ is an easy to use and highly customizable sound effects player which will add excitement to the racing atmosphere of your Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, Awana® Grand Prix, Space Derby, Raingutter Regatta or other similar race.

RaceReplay is an easy to use application for capturing and playback of video from your video camera. As its name implies, you can use RaceReplay for controlling instant video replays of captured video. You can display the video over a projection system or large TV so your audience can enjoy the instant replays and live action video. You can even capture, save and print snapshots from the video playback.

Three software tools to help you examine charts from different race scheduling methods.

This is a DOS program that generates Stearns charts, a non-elimination scheduling method.

Tournament Chart Maker is a double elimination automated tournament chart management program. The program can be used with any type of tournament from billiards to Pinewood derby. The program has several run-time modes a two, three, four, and five competitors mode, the mode selection must be made on the initial screen of the program after starting the program. Our goal is to build software solutions while building the Kingdom Of God by spreading the Words of Jesus Christ.

Has 2 and 4 lane timer plans which were developed by a group of Electrical Engineering students from the University of Missouri. There is no computer interface.

Pinewood derby timers and finish lines from 1 to 8 lanes. High-tech, accurate, and reasonably priced.

Micro Wizard, makers of Fast Track timers, offer a serial port timer in kit form, which works with tracks up to 4 lanes. You solder the components together and then build an enclosure to house the electronics. For as little as $35 for the "Son of a Cheap Kit" or $60 for the "Cheap Kit" with a computer interface, it is an inexpensive way to get a good timer without having to worry about circuit design, layout and trying to find the right components. For $20 more, they will do the soldering for you. I do recommend the $60 kit, since it gives you the ability to use the timer with race management software.

Electronic race timers for Pinewood Derby. Compatible with all popular race management software packages.

Two versions of a 2 lane system that will simply tell you who won. There is no computer interface.

Plans for a 2 lane system that will simply tell you who won, as well as plans for a 4 lane system that will display the finish order on a digital display. There is no computer interface.

eTekGadget is the manufacturer of the SmartLine timers for Pinewood Derby and Space Derby races. Also offers a Photo Finish device and software to use along with their timers.

Plans for a solenoid activated start gate. Compatible with triggering from GrandPrix Race Manager software.

Plans for a drag racing style start light tree. Compatible with triggering from GrandPrix Race Manager software.

Accurate and affordable electronic finish lines for Pinewood Derby formats and anything that can be measured. Compatible with all popular derby management software. Also offers Light Tree and solenoid operated start gates.

Timestopper timers and judging systems have been a favorite of Cub Scouts for over 25 years.

Measures and displays finish times as a stand-alone serial port unit. Will work with compatible software like GrandPrix Race Manager.

All Aluminum Tracks for Pinewood Derby, Awana Grand Prix, Kub Kar Rally or Royal Ranger race that you can add lanes to as your budget allows! You can even add a gravity defying loop to your track. Also makes an all aluminum Space Derby track.

Provides precision hardwood and aluminum race tracks for Pinewood Derbies. The tracks are designed with strict attention to engineering details and will maintain precision racing surfaces for many years.

A great set of plans and instructions that continues to be refined. Also shows examples of alternative ways to join track sections and how to stop the cars at the end of the track.

Plans include a detailed materials list and instructions.

A wooden track support frame with aluminum plating as the track surface. The aluminum plating can be purchased from BetaCrafts.