The episode was written and directed by series co-founder Trey Parker, and was rated TV-MA L in the United States for strong to extreme language.
"Pinewood Derby" was seen by 2.78 million households in its original broadcast, according to Nielsen ratings, making it the second most-watched episode on Comedy Central the week it aired.
"Pinewood Derby" has been noted for spoofing a number of world leaders, such as Gordon Brown, Silvio Berlusconi, Vladimir Putin, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Raila Odinga, Taro Aso, Han Seung-soo, Nicolas Sarkozy, Matti Vanhanen, Angela Merkel, Wen Jiabao and John Howard.
The episode was originally scheduled to air on MTV Latin America in February 2010 but was pulled at the last minute, allegedly due to its perceived negative portrayal of Mexican President Felipe Calderón.
Randy Marsh, determined to make sure his son Stan wins the annual statewide pinewood derby, slips an object into the back of the car to give it an advantage.
It is later found by an alien bank robber named Baby Fark McGee-zax, who lands in South Park and holds the planet at gunpoint, demanding that Stan and Randy build him a new warp drive.
Four days later, the officers return to South Park, having learned that McGee-zax landed there; Randy tells them of his death, but everyone denies finding any space cash.
Having finally had enough of the deception, Stan admits that he cheated in the pinewood derby and returns his trophy; however, no one else on Earth speaks up about the stolen space cash.
McGee-zax emerges from the officers' ship, having faked his death, and reveals that he is actually an ambassador in charge of testing worlds that have developed warp drive capability to see if they are worthy of joining the intergalactic community.
"[15] "Pinewood Derby" drew considerable media attention in Mexico when it originally aired due to its depiction of Mexican president Felipe Calderón.
[16] The episode was scheduled to air in Spanish on MTV Latin America on February 8, 2010, and was advertised extensively for one week prior to the broadcast date.