Our latest challenge took a nostalgic turn, this time down a gravity track. For S8/W10, we asked the community to reimagine the pinewood derby car with a designer’s touch, while still respecting the spirit of the block. What we got was an incredible mix of feasibility, personality, and material storytelling. Here are our favorite entries that embraced the constraints and still brought something fresh to the table.

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Edwin Tanu – F Series
With a sculptural purity that reads like industrial design meets childhood nostalgia, Edwin’s “F Series” nails the brief. A pine body, clean add-ons, and a refined surface treatment made this feel like the kind of car you’d see roll in at a real Render Weekly derby event.

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Joad Hughes – Lancia Rally 037
This entry stood out for capturing the rally spirit within derby constraints. The long stance of the block is balanced with smart proportions, a well-integrated front lip, and layered decals that evoke the Lancia heritage without overdesigning. A beautifully staged environment and that motion blur makes it just excellent.

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Linda Bui – BB Racer
Linda’s character-driven BB Racer blends storytelling with clean design execution. Subtle details like wood grain under pastel paint, matching caps, and a joyful skid trail show how much love went into the small things. Somehow Beret Bird always finds a way to bring charm into CAD.

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Germain Verbrackel – RUBBER RACER
True to its name, this toy racer leans into pinewood physics. Germain used a rubber band for speed or bumping, and the form remains block-driven but inventive. Renders and animation with KeyShot give it that tactile prototype feel, backed by a real-world print test to make it even more believable.

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Daniel Garcia – Rubber Propeller Derby Car
Daniel’s take elevated the brief with a rubber-band propeller setup and high-fidelity animation. Executed in Cinema4D, the renders sell the concept through realistic textures and detailing. Add a printed proof of concept and you’ve got a toy that feels equally imaginative and buildable.

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Ward Mertens – Balloon
Ward’s balloon-powered “one-second car” delivers a clever take on propulsion. The CNC’d block, tiny NOS-style balloon mount, and simple parts make for a playful and tactile entry. It’s lo-fi fun with just enough polish to feel thoughtful.

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Lorenzo Graziani – V8 FORMULATOY
This one leans into muscle car attitude and Hot Wheels inspiration. Lorenzo combined Formula 1 proportions with wide fenders and decal-powered “upgrades” to give it personality. A solid example of how to keep things grounded in wood while still feeling dynamic.

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David Olivares – Fast’nd 01
David always brings a utilitarian edge, and “Fast’nd 01” does exactly that. A carved wood base and bent metal panels bolted together with visible screws give this car visual weight. The stance feels confident, the detailing purposeful. Like an armored toy, made to last.

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Jasper Herzstein – Javelin SpeedsterThis carved composite build stands out for its simplicity and aerodynamic styling. Inspired by supercars and drag racers, the Javelin Speedster features a forked tail and a translucent fiberglass body that feels both minimal and expressive. Between the sculpted base and the clean additive shell, it reads as fast even while standing still, lightweight in spirit but grounded by smart detailing.

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Sam Weise – Gen 4 HiLux
This pinewood pickup embraces utility with minimalism. Sam’s nod to the iconic HiLux stays true to the block’s volume, adding just enough detail to communicate its indestructible DNA. Simple, clean, and functional, exactly what you'd expect from a HiLux tribute.

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Sean Dove – Masking Tape Decals
With tape as livery and beautifully wrinkled textures, this entry brought DIY realness into a sculpted form. The clash between precise CNC curves and chaotic tape overlays evokes the “dad built it, kid decorated it” derby archetype in the best way possible. Strong finish and great texture work here.

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Lorenzo Romano – Red Bull Dakar Truck
Romano’s tribute to the Red Bull Dakar team combines chunkiness and character. The oversized top block and hand-painted livery give it the toy-like energy it deserves. Smart proportions and six-wheeled bulk make this feel ready for dunes, or at least a plywood ramp.

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Valdemar Pontoppidan Hansen – Pine Hiace
With a love letter to the Hiace van, Valdemar’s design pushes the block to its limits while staying honest to the source. The proportions feel scaled and real, while subtle plastic accents bring out the detailing. A great blend of van culture and pinewood tradition.

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From propellers to balloons to rally stripes, this challenge brought out serious range. Whether you went functional or fun, detailed or DIY, these builds celebrated the pine block and everything it stands for - craft, creativity, and just enough competitiveness. We had a blast putting this one together. Let us know if it’s time for an IRL Render Weekly derby sometime soon.

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