The Following Documents will help you with setting up The Pinewood Derby

Pinewood Derby Track Set Up & Operation word format (password protected – All email requests will be verified against our current Pack Roster.)

FastTrack Set Up_1 pdf format

FastTrack Set Up_1 word format with  spreadsheet for loading cubs into Fasttrack software

GrandPrixConfigurationScreenCaptures pdf format

DUTIES OF COORDINATOR (each detailed separately)

1) Finalize the rules and distribute them to the den leaders.
2) Work with the other years to make sure that the BBQ, second hand  sale, and bake sale are managed.
3) Work with La Chat & our school coordinator to get the grills and  tables ready and open the cafeteria to set up that morning.
4) Organize people to help set up before the derby and clean up  afterwards.
5) Coordinate the registration of cars.
6) Coordinate the race management.
7) Coordinate the voting on best designs.
Organize awards for design and race finish and prepare ribbons,  medals, trophies, and certificates.

Here are the rules that I sent last year.

I would add one rule that says that the front edge of the car must  be straight.  Last year, there were some cars that had a notch in  front to try to gain a little edge.  You will want to remind  everyone that a new car must be made each year.  It is not possible  to re-use a car from a previous year.  The other thing to think  about it is the last paragraph and decide when a restart is  justified.  If you designate a race judge to make this call then it  can work but you have to be very clear and consistent from the start  on how this will be applied.  The other option is to say if a car  jumps the track then there is no-restart as long as it does not  interfere with any other cars.  With 4 races per car we are probably  looking at close to 75 races so I would like to minimize the number  of restarts.  Like I said, decide what you want to do and stick to it.

If we have enough kits left to allow the siblings / parents to make  a car, then we run these at the end rather than along with the  boys.  Last year the siblings ran with the Scouts.

You will need 2 tables from the cafeteria set up in the lobby for  this.  Last year, Kathy and Duncan's dens just had their own parents  bake things to sell.  They didn't ask any of the other dens to bring  anything.  They sold the goods before the race and after it was  done.  There are breaks in between heats but it will probably not be  practical to try selling then.  It is up to you on how you handle  the funds.  They can provide their own change or you can do it and  then collect all the proceeds after it is done.  The dens are  responsible for manning the tables during the sale.

Pretty much the same as the bake sale.  Again 2 tables from the  cafeteria in the lobby.  Last year Jo Roberts coordinated this.  I  would check with Jo to see exactly what they did with the items that  were left over after the race.  I believe they were donated but not  sure to where.

I would suggest splitting this in three parts since we have 3 bear  dens (Bonnie, Fran, and Jo/Jo).  First, one den buys the charcoal,  gets the grills set up, starts the charcoal and cleans up  afterwards.  Second, one den buys the food and establishes the  prices (print price lists) and helps serve, and one den to cooks and  helps serve.  I think last year, Nicola took care of the food.  Typically it is hamburgers, hotdogs, sausages, roles, chips, drinks,  condiments, paper goods, etc.  I will forward one note I still have  from Adrienne that has a lot of the details of what was purchased  but I don't have the prices.  Adrienne hopefully still has this.  However, I remember we had a lot of chips/crisps leftover and could  have sold more meat if we had it.  I think there were some complaints that the prices were too high so with more people this  year I would go for more volume and lower prices.  Whoever buys the  food should take care of the funds to make sure they deduct all of  the costs and then the net proceeds can go to you or be transferred  directly to the pack.

Adam has already reserved the cafeteria.  You should correspond with  Julie Wagner (seasong@iprolink.ch) in advance to arrange to open up  the cafeteria.  Julie is on the La Chat staff and is our liaison to  the school.  I met her around 9AM the day of the derby.  Also, you  should send a note to the head of Service Technique to arrange for  the grills to be available and the outside tables to be ready for  the BBQ.  His name is Manuel Arias (manuel.arias@ecolint.ch).  I  don't think he speaks much English (writes in French) but was very  helpful.  Last year they had a fall festival just before our derby  so there were already tables outside but we just had to dry them  off.  It is super critical to have a thorough clean up after the  derby making sure that all the graphite is clean up.  So bring  cleaning supplies (mop, bucket, rags, etc).  I also lined the tables in the cafeteria with newspaper to help control the mess.

I will set up the track, timer, computer, etc. and can help direct  the set up of the room but I need help.  Ideally we should have at  least 8 to 10 men around 9:00 to set up.  Please organize this from  your den or ask for one volunteer from specific dens.  Every one  should stick around to help clean up.

With 100 cars to log in, we have got to be ready to start  registration at 11:30 (maybe even 11:15) to start racing by 13:00. Make sure that everyone has completed registration by 12:30.  There
are several stations that each car must go through in order.  You  will need to have someone staffing each part:

1) Place the car in the box (which we will have there) to make sure  that it has the correct dimensions (length and width).

2) Run the car over a small block of wood to make sure it has enough  clearance (we will also have this there).  This is important because  many boys have the weights hanging too low below the car.  This has to be corrected to insure it does not interfere with the track.

3) Weigh the car on the kitchen balance that we will have there.  It  must be less than or equal to 142 grams.

4) Determine if the car is cub-built or cub-parent.  For it to be  cub-built it has to be 100% cub made.  I  always asked questions  about how the cutting was done.  If the cub had their hand on the  saw and the parent was just there to help guide and make sure that  no fingers were lost then it was cub-made.  If Mom/Dad held the saw  and the boy held the wood then it was cub-parent even if the cub did  all the rest.  For cub-built, the boy has to attach the wheels too.

5) (STEVE) Assign the race number to the car.  I will do this by  entering the car into the computer program.  You will need to have  stickers there to write the race number on it.

6) Take a photo of the car and be sure to also photo the racer  number so that you can decide on what creative award to give if the  car does not place in the race.

After the car has passed all the tests, has been logged in and had  it's photo taken it is taken from the boy and set aside.  No further  work can be done and the boys may not touch the cars again.

1) Each heat (total of 4) will probably have on the order of 16 to  18 races.  The computer program will have a print out ahead of time  with lane assignments.  You will need:
- people to pick out the cars for the upcoming race
- people to return the cars and place them in order after  each race
- people to signal that each race is ready to start (subject  to the program being ready)
- a person to release the cars down the track
- race judges to determine if a restart is warranted

2) In between each heat there is a gap of 5 minutes or so.  Last  year we did cheers.  You may want to think about what to do.  The  assistant cubmasters (John and Mike) can help here but I will not be  available since I will be running the program.

3) After the 4 heats, there will still be a few more to race the  fastest cars against each other and determine the overall winner.

Last year, I created a ballot (see attached) one of which was given  to each den.  A parent (not necessarily the den leader) then  selected their 5 favorite designs without priority.  We did this
before the races started.  Based on the total number of votes we had  the 3rd, 2nd and best design for Cub only and Cub-Parent cars.

At the end of the derby I will give you a print out of the results.   We had trophies for the first place finish cub-built and cub-parent  and best design cub-build and cub-parent.  There are also medals and  lots of ribbons that you can give out.  Antony has a bag of these.   I think we might need to order 2 more trophies (having 2 left over  from last year).  You decide who gets what but everyone gets a  certificate.  At the pack meeting in December we recognize the top 3  finishes and top 3 designs cub-built and cub-parent and then give  out all of the other certificates to den leaders.  I always start  with the race finishes (top 3 overall, top 3 by year, top 3 by  den).  That way you don't have to come up with as many creative  awards (which are not so easy to do especially late at night!).

Here is the list of what everyone earned and the certificates I  created last year.

This is where the pictures come in handy because the hardest part is  to come up with unique awards for those that do not place.

(n.b. a large white sheet and some gaffer tape may be enough as a projector screen may not be large enough.)

Pinewood Derby Thinks to Take

Drill to connect track
Stickers and pen for race numbers
Camera
Mop / bucket / cleaner
Copy of rules
Pillows for the end of the track to stop the cars
Ruler to check car dimensions (just in case)
Memory stick to copy race results
Best design ballots
Newspaper to line tables
Tape
Change (if needed)
Charcoal / fire starters (if not provided by Bears)
Trash bags

FOR TIMER SYSTEM

Extension cord
Laptop
Printer
PC projector
Sheet or screen
AWARDS

BEST DESIGN VOTING

RACE MANAGEMENT

REGISTRATION

SET UP / CLEAN UP

LA CHAT

BBQ (Bears)

SECOND HAND SALE (Wolves)

BAKE SALE (Tigers)

RULES