Derby Racing

[ABCDE]

Our Council has just told me that it is not providing someone to call/run the Pinewood Derby for the Packs this year. Our Pack Pinewood Derby is Saturday, January 12th. (Next Saturday!)

 

I am in charge of running the Derby this year for our Pack. I have no idea what a double elimination bracket is or how to run the actual race.

 

I can/have done the wiegh-ins and all other aspects of the Derby. I just have no idea how to run the actual racing.

 

Can someone out there please point me to somewhere on the internet that will help me?

 

Thanks in advance!

[scottteng]

http://usscouts.org/usscouts/pinewood/cspdpro2.asp

 

There is probably more info at the above site than you can digest in a week but good luck and hopefully you have good spotters or electronic finish line. Recommend checking parents for firearms and IED's before race not the boys they all thinks its just great fun but some of the parents take it all too seriously.

[insanescouter]

I suggest you ask your Den Cheifs or a local Troop to help. As a lad and a Den Chief I was often asked to help judge / run pine wood derbies. You will be surprised what the Den Chief may know and how much they can and yes can't help you.

 

Another thought... There once was a Troop around here who for a small fee would supply the track, all leadership, equipment, etc for running the derby. It was their main fundraiser. There may be a Troop in your area willing to assist.

 

 

just my wakcy 2 cents...

 

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

Helping leaders one resource at a time...

[ABCDE]

Thank you very very much for your responses! It will definetly help me!

 

I can definetly relate to the IED and Gun comments! Some of the parents really do get overworked about the whole thing!

 

I have two Boy Scouts from our brother Troop to come and protect the track, we have problems with parents and kids walking over it before and during the races. Usually, it is really hard for us to get the Boy Scouts to help out with the Cub Scouts and it is amazing to me to get two boys to help us out.

 

Thanks again!

[ScoutNut]

Please, Please, Please, Do NOT run a double elimination (or ANY kind of elimination) race!!

 

They are NOT fun, and the boys go home early and disappointed after only 2 races!

 

Do a Google on Perfect N or Partial Perfect N races. They run every boy on every lane, and if you have the time, against every other boy. If you are running a 3 lane track, each boy runs at LEAST 3 races, usually 6 or more. They have fun, don't get bored and everyone goes home happy.

 

The program we use is the Sterns Method.

 

http://www.wtrfrd.com/pack339/339stern.htm

 

Have Fun!

[GopherJudy]

In my pack, Wolves - Web II's are in the PWD; the Tiger do the Raingutter Regatta. Each den has 1st, 2nd & 3rd place trophies. Each boy in each den race their cars on each lane of the track, I think we use 3 lanes as the 4th lane needs maintenance. There are points for who comes in 1st - 1 pt, 2nd - 2 pts, 3rd - 3pts & they're added up when the den is finished racing. Whoever has the lowest point total is 1st, etc. Boys who tie race again. This is for each den & I hope that I have all of the info as thoughts are escaping my brain!

 

We have our pack meetings in the cafeteria of our local elementary school. When we have the PWD/RR we push all of the cafeteria tables into a big U shape around the room & the tracks are in the middles & NO ONE except the den leaders & Cubmaster are allowed in the middle! The boys & their family members MUST be behind the cafeteria tables. When the boys come in to re-weigh their cars they are given color coded stickers (each den has a different color) & the stickers are numbered & then there's a log with the boy's name, sticker color & # so we know whose car is whose! NO ONE except the den leaders & Cubmaster are allowed to touch the cars once their checked in. The den leaders put the cars on the track & usually our DE is at our PWD & he pulls the lever to "start" the cars. Each den leader has assignments of keeping track of who's racing, what positions on the track, what car comes in what position on what lane & picking up the cars & bringing them back to where they're kept.

 

We usually have a weigh in about 1 week before we have the race. We make sure that no car is over 5 oz. & that it will clear the track & run - making sure the wheels are on right. We also check to see if anyone is using unauthorized parts -mainly axles & wheels & some cars from Michael's CRaft Store! We did have a car disqualified a few years ago because they didn't use the axles that came with the kit, they used something from Michael's. When we have our 2nd weigh in right before the PWD to make sure no car is over 5 oz. we check again for unauthorized parts.

 

Good Luck!

 

JUdy

[Eagledad]

>>Do a Google on Perfect N or Partial Perfect N races. They run every boy on every lane, and if you have the time, against every other boy. If you are running a 3 lane track, each boy runs at LEAST 3 races, usually 6 or more. They have fun, don't get bored and everyone goes home happy.

[Gold Winger]

"They are NOT fun, and the boys go home early and disappointed after only 2 races!"

 

We ran double elimination den races, followed by a double elimination pack race. Everyone seemed to have fun. No one went home early.

[ScoutNut]

Then you are very lucky.

 

Boys, especially the younger ones, get bored when they are not participating. Especially if they know they are completely out of it and will not be racing again.

 

After all of the work the boys put into making their cars, we like them to be able to race them as many times as possible. We don't have separate races by den with winners going to a final race. We race the entire Pack together until we are all tired and ready to go home. Last year, with our 4 lane track and 35 boys, we ran 4 complete rounds. That means that every boy there raced 16 times. The final race of the night was with the top 3 cars to determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. The kids all have a ball!

 

Since we moved away from elimination racing the race is fun again. The focus has gone from winning races in order to stay racing, to the racing itself and having fun. The boys are kept interested and involved all night because they have to listen for their next race to be called. Yes, the boys still know who is winning, and they do care about that, but it is not as big a deal when they know that they will get lots of chances to race, and maybe win!

 

This is what works for us. Other Packs do things differently and it works for them.

 

[Lisabob]

I want to second ScoutNut's comment about double elim. races. One year our pack nearly fell apart as a result of parental disputes over such a system, and it was not pretty. Yes, a double elim race can be well-run without parental anger flaring up, but I think the chances for problems are greater with that format than with the one ScoutNut describes (and the one we subsequently adopted).

 

Whatever format you decide upon, make extra-double sure that all of the participants and their parents fully understand how things are going to work BEFORE you start.

 

I've never heard of a council running a pack's PWD. Is that common in your area?

[mtm25653]

We do 2 sets of races - by den, every boy races in every lane (4 lane track, so 4 races) with den winner by total time. Then, double elimination for the pack (2 races in each heat - boys swap lanes), so again each boy races a minimum of 4 more times (more if they win one or more heats).

[ABCDE]

Thanks everyone for all of your responses! I knew if I posted here I would get some great answers to my question!

 

You're all wonderful!