Racing requires participants to learn two main things: the craft skills necessary to make your car and the rules that must be followed. There is also a third part of competition that's very important--sportsmanship. This has to do with how you act and behave while participating in the derby.

The first thing to remember about sportsmanship is that everyone's skills are a little different. Some people are better than others at certain skills. You may be good at one thing but not good at another. This doesn't mean you are a good person one time and not good another time. You can always be a good person, whether or not you have good skills for racing. Remember, you and your friends are individuals first and racers second. This idea is sometimes called having respect for others.

The second thing to remember is to follow the rules. Without rules, there would be no pinewood derby. You will never know if you are really good at doing something unless you follow the rules. This is sometimes called being fair and being honest.

The third thing to remember about good sportsmanship is that there are winners and losers in every competition. You know this when you choose to compete. There are times when you will win and be happy, and times when you will lose and be unhappy. To be a good sportsman, you must be able to say "I did my best" and be satisfied with the results. If you win, be proud but don't gloat.

Cub Scout Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Guidebook

Boy Scouts of America