Money race

[ncnightmare]

Any thoughts negative or positive on holding an open race and using a good portion of the entry fee to give as cash prizes?

For example... 100 cars at $10 per. Budget $200 for race expenses and give away $500 for 1st, $200 for 2nd, and $100 for 3rd.

Prize amount would have to be dependant upon a set amount of entrants and obviously would change the amounts listed above for more or less cars. I was thinking of limiting it to the first 128 cars entered and running a simple head to head double elimination format.

They have foregone district racing in our area and I am looking to create some derby excitement.

[doct1010]

Any thoughts negative or positive on holding an open race and using a good portion of the entry fee to give as cash prizes?

They have foregone district racing in our area and I am looking to create some derby excitement.

I am not sure one, district racing cub event, has anything at all to do with the other ie cash prizes. In fact they seem antithetical in principal. I suggest posting on the league boards, you may find a more receptive audience.

[ncnightmare]

Any thoughts negative or positive on holding an open race and using a good portion of the entry fee to give as cash prizes?

They have foregone district racing in our area and I am looking to create some derby excitement.

I am not sure one, district racing cub event, has anything at all to do with the other ie cash prizes. In fact they seem antithetical in principal. I suggest posting on the league boards, you may find a more receptive audience.

It is NOT a league race and it is not for the cubs only. It is an open for anyone who would like to enter but must be present.

[Darin McGrew]

I wouldn't run a money race.

With our derby, the race is the culmination of a month of work, with the kids building their cars with parents and other adults teaching and supporting them. The winners are congratulated, the others are consoled, and it's a good family time.

With a money race (especially an open, invitational race), the race is all there is. And with money on the line, the rules and race procedures are subject to a level of scrutiny that I wouldn't want to deal with.

It's the difference between a fun hobby, and running a SOx-compliant company that does the same thing. Turning a hobby into a real business changes it.

[joe]

I agree with Darin and Doc. If you want to charge an entry fee that's fine, but why not donate it to the Pack or some other charity. I can't imagine what would come out of the woodwork looking for a $500 prize.
We had a fee for our open race, and it paid for the whole derby.

[ohiofitter]

I have thought about this myself. If you were going to replace a troops track with a aluminum track or maybe get a new finishing system

[ranman106]

I wouldn't run a money race.

With our derby, the race is the culmination of a month of work, with the kids building their cars with parents and other adults teaching and supporting them. The winners are congratulated, the others are consoled, and it's a good family time.

With a money race (especially an open, invitational race), the race is all there is. And with money on the line, the rules and race procedures are subject to a level of scrutiny that I wouldn't want to deal with.

It's the difference between a fun hobby, and running a SOx-compliant company that does the same thing. Turning a hobby into a real business changes it.

I agree.

[altontoth]

Our Rover crew has contemplated doing something similar. A 'Korporate Kar Rally', where a business, or organization, would get a car kit for a $25 donation, or for a $50 donation one of the Rovers would build it. With the number of Tech / outdoor companies out in Vancouver BC I think we would see quite a fantastic variety of cars on race day. Of course the race would be held in a public location (a mall or similar business center), and each company would be guaranteed a certain number of mentionings of it's name (for promotional purposes)... What do you guys think? I think it would be a fantastic fundraiser for a Group.

[mbb]

Instead of trophies, you could give away inexpensive prizes for an open race instead of money.

Camping things, things that scouts and parents need, pinewood derby tools. Have an assortment and let winners pick in the order they placed.

I would not do money.

[SubnetZero]

Our Rover crew has contemplated doing something similar. A 'Korporate Kar Rally', where a business, or organization, would get a car kit for a $25 donation, or for a $50 donation one of the Rovers would build it. With the number of Tech / outdoor companies out in Vancouver BC I think we would see quite a fantastic variety of cars on race day. Of course the race would be held in a public location (a mall or similar business center), and each company would be guaranteed a certain number of mentionings of it's name (for promotional purposes)... What do you guys think? I think it would be a fantastic fundraiser for a Group.

Our pack does this. Limit to 12 businesses. Its $50. They get a car to build (same rules as scouts), can hang a banner race day, mentioned throughout the race proceedings, and plugs in our monthly flyers for around 2 months.

Winner of Corp race gets a permanent plague to keep and a traveling trophy they get to display at their biz for 1 year, then they have to defend it ....

Pack uses most of it to provide free pizza and snacks during the race and anything left over goes into kitty..
This year, We had a sponsor (Trophy Shop) donate all the trophies as an entry fee and another (pizza Shop) donate all the pizzas. Both well more than $50, but they were happy to support the scouts.. Rest of the loot went into the Packs reserves ..

[blcrow33]

Our district does this each year to raise money for the scouts. We have a Corporate PWD and this will be our second year of running it. They have different packages starting at 1 car kit for $160 up to 8 car kits for $1000. The rules are the same aas the scouts. The event is held at a local Holiday Inn and there is a lot of food included plus a cash bar. We usually get 40 to 50 cars from various companies like Pepsi and Budweiser. Everyone has a great time and we have one of the local celebrities MC the event. It raises some good money for the scouts.

[getSEVEN]

My 2 cents is that I would not mix a money maker event in with a Cub Scout event <period>. Their night is to be the focus and nothing should diminish the culmination of their weeks (maybe months) of crafting their derby cars.

I do, however, like the idea of Akela and / or corporate race (like blcrow33's), so long as it's on a different night, to help raise funds for the pack - facilities, refreshments, track etc. Love the corporate car event mentioned.

I got bit by the fun when building my boy's 1st car with him. Now, I build one alongside him. We can both work on them together at the bench and at the same time. He can learn techniques and get ideas from watching me with my car. Often, my car is the experimental mule LOL. It may be, that this fund raiser race could inspire the scouts to higher acheivement in their cars also.

[Teeeman]

We would not participate in a money race.

-T