Where the idea comes from

This week, we’re heading to the racetrack.

We’re excited to launch Render Weekly Derby, a sculptural design challenge inspired by one of our favorite experiences growing up: the Pinewood Derby. Every member of the RW team—Tyler, Ryan, and Kohlmann—is an Eagle Scout, and each of us still remembers cutting, shaping, painting, and racing those tiny wooden cars. It was one of the first times many of us ever made something with our hands, and it left a lasting impression.

This prompt is a tribute to that memory, now for the digital design space.

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The Prompt

We’ve put together a CAD starter kit that includes everything you need:
a wood block, four plastic wheels, metal nail axles, and a stretch of track for scale.

Your task: Build your dream racer.
Sculpt it, render it, and show us what you'd race if there were no limits, except the ones listed below.

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The Rules

To keep the playing field fair and the cars track-ready, follow these base rules:

• Start with the provided wood block. You can subtract from it to define your base shape, but do not add material to the wood block itself.
• Add-ons (spoilers, wings, cockpits, whatever you dream up) are fair game, and can be made of any material.
• You must use the provided plastic wheels and metal nail axles.
• No weight limit (bc how would we enforce that)
• Bonus points if you match the classic RW ¾ camera angle for one of your images!

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Why RW Derby?

Industrial designers have a special kind of love for this sort of challenge: somewhere between nostalgia, CAD obsession, and a need to make fast things look cooler.

We’re stoked to see what comes out of this one. Whether you go minimal and refined or over-the-top and impractical, we want to see your take.

Who knows, maybe someday we’ll even host a real-life derby.

Submit via our web portal on renderweekly.com and use #rwderby on IG. See you at the starting line.

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