Pinewood Derby Jeep deserves a merit badge of excellence

While some of us have never tried to fashion a Pinewood Derby racer out of a block of wood, the chances of such an endeavor turning out half as well as the work of art that is the Rugged Ridge Jeep CJ8 is next to nothing.

The Jeep Scrambler is a classic, and this wooden Derby version is impressively accurate, right down to fender flares, mirrors, off-road lights, jerry can, Hi Lift Jack, tube steps and spare tire carrier – all hewn from a single block of pine.

While we're not experts on the subject, we imagine the scale Jeep's aerodynamics are about as good as the real thing - which is to say, pretty darn bad. Still, the Pinewood Derby Jeep CJ8 managed to snag a third place finish in its racing debut. Nicely done!

[Source: Rugged Ridge]