This Year's Pinewood Derby
Each year, the last Saturday of January marks 'race-day' for Pack 215 in Walnut Creek, CA USA. This year we began our planning in September by bringing together a Committee of seasoned Pinewood experts to plan a GREAT race. In our November Pack meeting we distributed gift-wrapped Pinewood Derby kits to each of our 67 prospective racers. Then we held two "Racing Clinics;" one in December, and one in January. Our Cubs and their 'Racing Teams' built some really fantastic cars this year. On January 30th, they were ALL ready to rock! .... and, thus, the stage was set!
Setup
On the night before the big race, our Committee came together to decorate the Palmer School Auditorium for the event. Our "Decoration Team" managed to get local racing shops, and automotive parts and tire manufacturers to donate excellent racing banners, posters, calendars, caps, and candy for our event. It seems that a lot of them remember their OWN Derby-days. Check out our set-up (below) as our "Track-Master" puts the finishing touches on one of our two tracks.
Ready..... Set..... GO!
After a pre-race pep-talk by our PWD Committee Chair, we opened the doors and the fun began! A field of 67 racers and their families participated in the event.
Crowd Control
Our Den Leaders each worked hard to keep their Cubs together as a team during the event. Their role also involved being "Sportsmanship Councelors." Even though the event was three hours of pandemonium for the Cubs, ALL aspects of the races were controlled and very well organized.
Our Tracks
We use two tracks, a four laner, and a six laner (both built when the Beatles and bellbottoms were cool.) Each of them is equipped with an electronic finish-line detector. We also man each track with a Team of three Starters, and three finishers. While we use electronic line judges, we still like to use biological line judges as well..... mainly as a backup.....
Our Elimination Methods & the "Big-Board"
This year we developed elimination charts based on the "Perfect-N" method with each car racing the same number of times in each lane, and each car racing the same number of times against each other car. This method was used at three levels: the 'Den,' the 'semi-finals,' and the 'finals.' To report current race statistics to all participants and families, our "Results Chart Team" developed a large felt / velcro chart that included a personalized velcroed car symbol for each racer. As race data came in from our Finish-line Teams, they were reflected on the Results Chart. This REALLY worked well!
"MC Akela"
Our MC is the Committee's 'mouth' during the Derby. He announces all upcoming races, all results, and all other general communications during the event. As MC, he also presents all trophies, certificates, and medals to event winners during and after the Derby. In our Pack, the Master of Ceremonies is our Cubmaster. Here he is (wearing his Derby-T and Cap) performing his duties on-stage.
The Winners Circle
This year, our Awards Team put together a fantastic recognition program for the Cubs. Everyone was recognised, and nobody went home empty handed. We award trophies for the six fastest cars, medals for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each Den, and really nice personalized certificates, pins, patches, auto-parts candy, etc. for all participants.
When the smoke had cleared... ...One Driver stood alone!
This Wolf Cub's car won every race that it ran...
most by more than a length!
(this photo is a classic!)
"Masterpieces In Pine"
After our Pinewood Derby site was set-up and decorated, I snuck around with my digital camera and took these pictures of some of our cars. The light level was pretty low, so please excuse the artificially enhanced light and contrast levels.
|