Next big thing in Pinewood Derby racing: black lights and glow-in-the-dark cars

Make your next Pinewood Derby race really shine by adding glow-in-the-dark accessories and iridescent paint to your Cub Scouts’ racers.

Want to turn up the excitement even more? Turn off the lights and shine a black light or two onto your track.

This season, the BSA’s Scout shop has introduced a new line of decals and wheels that look good in normal lighting but get even cooler when you add a black light.

I talked with Mallori Winters of the BSA’s Supply Group, and she says the new decals, wheels and paint are part of the BSA’s ongoing effort to introduce new and exciting Pinewood Derby accessories every year.

“We’re going to see some cars that really change the game,” she says.

How to run a Black Light Pinewood Derby

Adding black lights to your Pinewood Derby is easy and affordable.

First, buy a black light bulb or two. They’re available on Amazon or at your local hardware store and can be used to replace the existing bulbs in the room where you’ll hold your race.

Buy or borrow a clip-on lamp, replace the bulb with a black light bulb and clip the lamp to the top of your track.

Another option is to buy a black light bar, which can be mounted near the starting line. These are available for $15 to $40 on Amazon.

In testing, Winters found that one light covers a standard track. She uses double-sided tape to attach it to the top of the track and points the black light so it glows down the track.

Safety thought: Be sure to consider trip hazards whenever racing in a dimmed or darkened room. Darken the area around the track while keeping the other areas well-lit.

New Pinewood Derby products

Here are the new items and their SKU numbers. These are available at ScoutShop.org and all 179 Scout shops.