Pack 290 Pinewood Derby Event Guide

Transcription

1 Pack 290 Pinewood Derby Event Guide The Pinewood derby is one of the largest events of the year for Pack 290. They key to a successful Pinewood is planning. The Pinewood derby is run by the Bear den(s) of the current year. The following Planning and program guide has been written to assist the Cubmaster, Pack committee and Bear den(s) conduct a successful event. Scheduling: Like any other pack event, the Pinewood Derby gets scheduled at the beginning of the scouting year by the Pack committee. This is typically done in July at a committee meeting. The School will not schedule any events before the school year starts, but it is a good idea to have the date picked and submit it as soon as possible, usually in August. Typically Pack 290 holds the Pinewood derby around the 3rd weekend in January. The event requires reserving the large Gymnasium at Robert Crown School for Friday-Sunday of the race weekend. The track is set up for Time Trials (car testing) on Friday night, and the Race is held on Sunday afternoon. We try to avoid Saturday races because many scouts are in sports and would miss the race. The person to contact is usually the Assistant Principal of the school as they historically have taken care of scheduling events at the School. Preparation: Preparation for the event starts several months in advance. In September or October, The current set of car building rules should be reviewed by the Cubmaster and pack committee. If any rules or regulations need to be changed or updated, now is the time to do it. Once Scouts start building cars, the rules should not be changed. Make sure to publish the rules on the pack web site and have printed rules at the pack meeting when the cars are on sale. In November the pack purchases a case of cars (48)and begins selling them at the November Pack meeting. Have the Advancement Chair order the trophy's in November or December. November is also a good time to check for any updates to the software used to run the races and to train other leaders on the use of the software and race electronics. Remember to make announcements at the November and December Pack Meetings about the Bake sale so people remember to bring something. In December or early January a Planning meeting should take place with the leaders who will be running the event and the tasks can be divided up at that time. If possible, the race track should be checked out to see if any cleaning or repairs are needed. Waiting until time trials may not allow enough time to make any repairs. The following sections will cover each of these items and a few others in more detail.

2 Car Building Rules: All Packs have rules regulating how cars may be built for their Pinewood Derby. Some of them are based on the District or Council rules. Neither the Northeast Illinois Council or the Northstar District run a Pinewood derby. Pack 290 therefore has created a rule set that we feel is fair and allows a fair amount of freedom with car design. Please remember, just because a car passes Pack 290's rules, it may not pass the rules of another pack. In the future, if NEIC, or Northstar conduct a Pinewood derby, it most likely will require Pack 290 to modify it's rule set. Pack 290 does participate in a Cross-Town Pinewood Derby with Pack 90 and Pack 76. As of this writing, there has not been an effort to unify the rules between all 3 packs, but that is an area that can be explored in the future. Remember, review and update the car building rules before selling cars to the scouts. If any changes have been made from the previous year, be sure to point them out to the parents and scouts. You can find the current rule set attached to this guide, and on the pack computer as well as the pack website. Race Rules: In addition to rules covering car construction, there is a set of rules that covers how the race will be conducted. In general, the rules covering race conduct are pretty straight forward and are included with the car building rules. Selling Cars: Pack 290 underwrites the cost of the cars. In 2009, The cars cost $3.99 to purchase from the council store, and we sold them to members of the pack for $3.00. We charge the same price for Scouts, siblings, and adults. Car Sales should begin in November to allow plenty of time for the scouts to get their cars built. Trophies: Pack 290 awards Trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and a ribbon for 4th place for each rank of scout. This means, Tigers, Wolf, Bear, Jr. Webelos, Sr. Webelos. If there are less than 3 Sr. Webelos, then all the Webelos will compete in a single class. All participants will receive a participation ribbon. In addition Each Rank will have a single Best in show award trophy, chosen by the scouts of each rank. Remember to get these trophies and ribbons ordered in November or December. There is also a trophy for the winner of the Outlaw class which is a traveling trophy which is passed on from Last Year's winner to the current winner. Siblings get Participation ribbons only.

3 Race Management Software: Pack 290 Has purchased race management software for running the race. The software information is as follows: GrandPrix Race Manager Current Version: Manufacturer: Lisano Enterprises Knoll Circle Highlands Ranch, CO Web site: grandprix-software-central.com This software handles all aspects of running the race and is tied into the track electronic timer and starting gate. It is very important that whoever will be running the race is well versed in operating the software. Learning the software is not hard, but will take several hours. It is advisable that the current race manager get some one on one instruction from the previous years race manager. It is also a good idea to have more than one person trained in case of illness or some other absence from race day. Software upgrades are available on a periodic basis. Minor release upgrades are free, major upgrades cost $10. A good practice is to check for an upgrade about 60 days before the race and upgrade if needed. No upgrades should be made when the race is less than a few weeks away to avoid last minute problems. Make sure to enter all the Scouts in the race roster/registration part of the software ahead of time. A very quick way of doing this is to export the pack roster from PackMaster as a csv file and import it into GrandPrix Race manager. Note that some manual work may be needed to format the csv file, but it will be much faster than entering each scout 1 at a time. Race Electronics: Pack 290 has an electronic timer and automatic starting gate system for the race track. The timer information is as follows: Model: Micro Wizard Fast Track K3 timer Manufacturer: Micro Wizard Old Union Road Union, KY Phone: (888) support@microwizard.com web Site: The Timer connects to the computer with the Race Management software via a serial USB port.

4 Starting Gate: The Starting Gate was built by Tim Benson, Cubmaster It is based on instructions at the following website: The release mechanism is a simple electric magnet that releases the starting line when the race starts. The Starting gate connects to the computer with the Race Management Software via a serial USB port. If there are any problems with this system, please contact Tim Benson and he will be happy to help fix it or build a new one. As with the Software, the Timer and Starting gate should be checked out well in advance of the race in order to make sure all is operating correctly. All of the connections for the electronics and computer are clearly labeled on where they go. In the software, the timer is configured on COM port 4 and the starting gate is configured on COM port 7. The Race management software is loaded on the pack laptop computer, which is typically in the possession of the Cubmaster. The Cubmaster also should have possession of the race electronics as they need to be stored in a climate controlled environment. Other Software: Pack 290 also has a software package for playing sound effects during the races. This software information is as follows: RaceFX Current Version: 4.0 Manufacturer: Lisano Enterprises Knoll Circle Highlands Ranch, CO Web site: support@ grandprix-software-central.com This should be loaded on a different computer than the Race management Software. The Sound effects computer is connected up to a PA system and adds excitement to the race.

5 The Track: Pack 290 owns a professionally built 4 lane wooden track. The track consists of five 8 foot long sections that are bolted together. Assembly of the track takes about 40 minutes and can be done by one person, but two people makes it easier. If possible, the track should be inspected a few weeks prior to the race to make sure it does not require any repairs or maintenance. The track should be kept clean by vacuuming and wiping it down before and after use. The track can also be polished with a non-oil based furniture polish such as Pledge. In the event that the track needs a better cleaning to remove excess graphite or other residue, 0000 steel wool works very well. In the event that splinters or ridges develop on the track, grit sandpaper works well to smooth things out. The Track is currently stored in the Pack's storage unit at Volo Mini Storage. Transport of the track will require a pickup truck or large van as the storage case is 8 feet long. Time trials: On the Friday Night before the main race, the gym is set up for race day. This includes the following items: The track & race electronics, Registration Tables, Impound /staging Tables, Award Table, Race Management Table, Food Sales Tables, audience Chairs, Lubrication area, Barricade lines around the track, and decorations. Once the area has been set up, Scouts, Siblings, and Parents can have their cars inspected for compliance to the rules and test them out on the track. This is the only time that cars can be tested. No testing is allowed on race day. This is also a good time to show another adult how to set up the computer and electronics and how the software works. Please note that applying graphite is not permitted in the gym and a pit area is set up in the hallway for this purpose. When time trials are over, the race electronics are removed from the track and taken home with the race manager or Cubmaster. Race Day: The race is usually run on Sunday afternoon. This year we started check-in at 12:00 and started racing at 1:15pm. During the event a food table is run by the bear den(s) and they sell pizza, water, soda, and baked goods that the scouts and parents have made. So let's break down the tasks for Race Day. Completing setup: There are just a few items that need to be set up on race day. The Race computer and electronics need to be installed on the track. A Video projector gets attached to the race computer to display the results. A Public Address system to make announcements and play sound effects. We also bring a DVD player and show car based movies during registration. Usually there is a food sales area and some setup will be required there too.

6 Registering Racers: All Cars must pass inspection. Make sure to instruct the people who are inspecting the cars on what the rules are and how to verify the car meets the rules. The following items are needed at the registration table: Car Gauging Box, Scout Car Scale, Outlaw Car scale, Race roster printout with car numbers (get from race manager), Small sticker labels (for putting numbers on cars), Copies of the rules, Pen, highlighting marker. The Scout race roster should already have all the scouts listed with their car numbers. The sibling and outlaw rosters will have to be filled out as cars are checked in. Make sure to indicate which end of the car is the front if it is unclear! Once a car has passed inspection and is registered, it is impounded. Impounding cars: The cars are impounded in an area located where racers do not have access to them. Only approved race management personnel can handle cars once they are impounded. Handling of cars should be limited to only what is necessary to place it on the track and return it to the impound area. The impound area should provide a means of preventing the cars from rolling or falling off the table. We typically use the staging boxes for this purpose. Finalizing the Race Roster: Once all cars have been checked in and impounded, the race rosters for each racing class (scout, sibling, outlaw) are given to the Race Manager. The Race manager will enter all the racers into the Race management software and indicate that their cars have passed inspection. The final rosters should be printed and compared to the registration sheets to make sure that no racer has been omitted. Once the Roster is approved, the race schedules are generated and the races can begin. Staging the Races: A Staging crew of 2 people get the cars staged in boxes that contain the 4 cars for each race. They are staged according to the race schedule that was provided to them by the race manager. The staging crew may also be responsible for placing the cars at the starting line and acting as the starting line judge. Starting line Judge: The starting line judge is responsible for making sure the cars are correctly placed at the starting line. All cars should be placed centered in their lane resting firmly on the starting post. The Starting line judge also resets the the stating gate and starting line laser. Once the race is ready to run, the starting line judge gives the Thumbs up signal to the race manager.

7 Race Manager: The race manager is responsible for conducting the race and running the race management software. Once the Starting line judge gives the Thumbs up sign, the race manager can start the heat by pressing the ready timer button in the software. The software will release the starting gate and the race results will be recorded by the race management software. Each car will run 2 times in each lane, resulting in 8 heats. The worst time will be discarded and the winners will be determined by the total of the 7 best heats. The race manager also is responsible for making final decisions based on the rules for the race. We want every boy to be able to race, but we also want to be fair. If there is a grey area not covered by the rules it's best to let the car race, and address the issue by updating the rules for the next year's race. Car runners: The car runners carefully collect the cars at the finish line, put them in staging boxes and return them to the staging crew. We usually use Boy scouts who are the Den Chiefs for this task. Be sure to explain tho them that it is more important to be careful than fast. We have had cars dropped by the runners in the past and it is not a situation you want to be in. Race Sequences: There are three sets of heats run, Scouts, Siblings, and Outlaw. Once the Scout Heats are completed, the Judging for Best in show is conducted while the Sibling and outlaw races are run. Best in Show: Each Rank will select a Best in Show car. All the cars for a rank will be placed on a table with a cup placed behind it. Each Scout in that rank will be given a washer. The scout places the washer in the cup behind the car that he likes the best. A scout may not vote for his own car. The car with the most votes wins best in Show. Presenting Awards: Once all races have been completed and voting for best in show is done the awards ceremony is conducted. Each rank is called up to the awards table starting with the Tiger Cubs. They are congratulated for doing their best, and then the Race Manager will reveal the top 4 finishers in reverse order, presenting each with their respective award. Once all awards have been presented to the Scouts, the siblings are called up and presented with participation ribbons and the top 4 finishers are revealed. Finally the top 4 finishers of Outlaw are revealed and the outlaw trophy is presented to the top finisher.

8 Pinewood Derby Planning Checklist August/September Pick a date for the Event at the Pack Program meeting Reserve the event location. Usually the Robert Crown Large Gym Inform Bear Den Leader(s) that they will be conducting the event October Review Car building Rules and Race Rules Publish Rules on Web Site November Purchase a case of Cars from the Council Store Print rules and have Copies available at pack Meeting Sell Cars at Pack Meeting Check for any updates for Race Management software December Print rules and have Copies available at pack Meeting Sell Cars at Pack Meeting Order Trophies and ribbons Test Race management software and Race Electronics Discuss Event Logistics with Leaders at the Leader's meeting (Optional) Conduct car building clinic Locate Outlaw trophy Find somebody to borrow a Video projector from Early January Inspect Track for any required repairs Order Pizzas for sale at food table (usually 12 pizzas) Remind Bear Scouts to bring Baked Goods for bake sale Purchase water/pop/juice boxes for the sale table Purchase Stickers for numbering the cars

9 Time Trials Equipment List / Check List The following Items are stored in the Pack Storage Locker Race Track (pack owned) 3 Sand Bags (pack owned) Traffic Cones (pack owned) Decorations & Banners (pack owned) Staging Boxes (pack owned) Extension cords/power Strips (pack owned) The following Items should be in the possession of the Cubmaster Race Electronics (pack owned) Laptop Computer (pack owned) Scout Car Scale (pack owned) Outlaw car Scale (pack owned) Car gauging box (pack owned) The following Items are available at the School Chairs Tables Items that may need to be purchased Plastic to cover tables Duct Tape / Packing tape Items that may need to be borrowed Video Projector (find someone who can get one from work) Useful Items to Bring Tools for fixing cars Extra car kits / Parts Fast drying Glue, Wood Glue Driver drill / Hex keys Old Pinewood cars for track testing Graphite Lube Vacuum Cleaner (for cleaning track) Furniture Polish, non oil based (for polishing track) Blanket to stop cars at the end of the track

10 Race Day Equipment List / Check List All the Items listed in the Time Trials check List Items that may need to be borrowed PA System (for announcements and sound effects) Cables for connecting computer to PA Cables for connecting DVD player to PA & video projector Printer,USB connection (for printing race roster and schedule) DVD player or laptop (for playing videos during check in) Hot Wheels/Speed racer/car videos Awards Scout Trophies Participation Ribbons Outlaw trophy Stickers for numbering cars Items for the Food Sales Table Water/Soad/Juice Boxes Pizza (usually 6 cheese, 3 sausage, 3 pepperoni) Paper Plates Napkins Coolers for Soda Ice Baked goods (Baked by Bear Den(s)) Warming Ovens (Robert crown School lets us use theirs)

11 Gym viewed from north Seating Area

12 Track Area / Race Management Car Inspection, check in and Impound area

13 Food Sales Area Awards Table

14 Starting Line laser and Pins Magnetic Release device

15 Side view of starting line Bottom view of starting line

16 Starting gate dampener