Racing by Rank vs. All in One Group Racing

[CivilWarTalk]

Racing by Rank

When attending scout Pinewood Derby Races, it seems to be a common practice to run individual Rank races before running a finals race. This seems like a good way to run a race if you have no timer.

So it would be common to see a start time for Tigers, and another start time for Wolves, etc. Afterwards a final would be run consisting of the rank winners to determine an overall winner.

Pros: More Races, individual den races are completed quickly, scouts racing with their den-mates

Cons: Long race format, may take many hours to run all races

All in One Group Racing

With timers, and software to score and manage times, it's become very common to run races all in one group, and let the software determine each Rank winner, as well as an Overall winner, with some races optionally running a separate finals race.

Pros: Shorter overall race time

Cons: In large races, may have to wait some time to see your car run, hard to judge how you've done in your rank as race goes on.

Which method do you prefer? Vote in the Poll Now!

 

[Crash Enburn]

Racing by rank allows for a more condensed focus — the boys know when their rank is racing, that their cars will be racing. In the all-together format, there are long periods in which your car won't see the track, and the kids will wander off and miss their car race.
Plus, in the all-together, you'll have W2s racing Tigers, and generally speaking, the W2 cars will be showing 5 years more racing experience. It could be rather disheartening for a Tiger to see his RobotBirdPoliceCar get beaten soundly by a 3-wheeling rail runner.
I run an adult race. I'd hate to have my car go head-to-head against any of the boys.

 

[EvilJester]

For us, its a toss up. We have tried both ways. As Crash stated, it is heart breaking for the younger ones to be beaten over and over if they get matched up constantly against the older boys in the mixed racing.
In the rank racing the boys do know when their races are and are more attentive during that time but once their races are over and other ranks are racing, we find ourselves trying to settle them down and behave because they have lost interest.
This year we are doing the mixed races. We have found that, even though the younger ones think they are not doing well, when awards are announced, they are shocked to see and hear their names for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in their rank. We do show times and race winners after each race but only for a few seconds. That way it keeps some suspense till the end. We also hold the "old timers" and sibling race but those are done individually.

 

[Eric]

Ours are done by rank also. Each rank has a specific start time. This year Tigers raced first starting at 10am. Tiger check in and inspection opened one hour before race time. Once Tigers started racing the Wolves check in and inspection opened for their race at 11am and we did this for all ranks. The Pack finals where givin a start time also so we left to go grab lunch then came back at 2:15 for the 2:30 Pack final. Next year we will invert the order so Tigers will be the last rank to run next year.

Eric

 

[Pinewoodguy]

The thing your missing is that most pack's are rather small, 30 scouts or less. This makes it hard since you could have 8 tigers and 3 Webelos. I'd suggest a compromise, give a trophy to the fastest of each category and then the fastest 6 or 8 race for the Pack championship. Also 3 of looks/ theme/ most unique trophies should be given out.
Remember these trophies will stay with most these boys their entire lives and will be shown to their sons! So try not to skimp on them!
We urge the boys to race against the last year's pack champions "time" and not against an individual. Less personal issues with the boys and we have a traveling trophy with the yearly pack champs name / time engraved on it and the champ gets it for a year!
Also keep in mind that you should have an announcer with some showmanship that can keep the "show" lively! One pack uses a local DJ and he rocks!
Keep the parents and scouts engaged and time will fly!
Best of luck.

 

[Rebel Racer]

Hello all.. Our pack has run the event both ways in the past few years. It's definitely a toss up as to which method is better . I personally liked the mixed racing format because it forced everyone to pay attention and participate! If a scout got beat early in the event parents were more apt to pack and leave when raced by rank.

 

[Cramjet]

I like that there is a place we can race for rank and a place where it is a free for all every time. I understand bad days, and not having a test track, so if there were only one option for all places I would say the all in one group racing would be it for me. I have to get through Cash and John to even make it in to the top 5. So, that makes me think I might not be moving up from where I am at. I think if either of them were really trying, there's no way. That doesn't mean I won't take a crack at it though.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Racing by rank is the only way to do it for kids. That way they know who's on the track and can keep up with things. It's far too confusing for everyone, really...to do it the other way. And it's much better for the kids so they know they are racing their friend's cars.

And I don't see how either way is any faster, not significantly anyway. You still have the same # of cars that have to run the same # of heats.

Our pack doesn't do a final "fastest car of all" run off, either. They just take the times that are already established and get it from that.

 

[bracketracer]

Our pack has always run by rank, Tigers ran first and W2's last, right before the finals. Check in time was 30 min before the rank's start time. I flipped the format so Tigers ran last this year and we definitely had a larger crowd for the finals this year since most all of the Tigers, their parents, and grandparents stayed for the finals. Only thing I really missed on was scheduling too much time between some of the ranks. When I looked at the report from GPRM after the event, we had as much as 45 min with no gate dropping. I'm leaning towards having everyone check in by 9:30 am so we can run the ranks with no downtime between. I'm planning to stagger the rank check in times by 15 min each between 8 & 9:30 to keep the lines a little shorter and see how that works.

I prefer to race by rank, the boys enjoy beating their buddies even in each heat. lol