GPRM vers 5.0.5 Racing Options

Discussions on race planning, preparations and how to run a "fair" and fun race.
Post Reply
Stephen's Dad
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 447
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 5:10 pm
Location: Connecticut
Contact:

GPRM vers 5.0.5 Racing Options

Post by Stephen's Dad »

This will be our Packs first year using a digital timer & GPRM racing software. Never before have we been concerned with details like "where to place the computer?" "what's the difference between Perfect-N & Lane Rotation?" "Chart or no Chart?"

In the past we used a Judge place indicator. We'd run a winner until he was defeated. In the end some poor car that barely still had wheels would be declared the winner.

We could use some advice from those who are familiar with GPRM racing.

The track is a 4 lane Piantedosi wood 40+'. I have constructed a micro-switch for the start gate. I'd like each Boy to run every lane.

The timer is a Micro-Wizard.

The laptop is a Dell Inspiron 9300 (if that matters).

We have a serial to Belkin USB adapter that actually worked when I tried it. However the cable is just 8' long. So I suppose I'll have to sit near the end of the track in the Pit area.

I can bring a printer on race day if it would be useful for posting standings. Folks at District a couple years ago posted standings between heats & the Boys (and Dads) seemed to enjoy that.

Which of the race styles would best suit 50 boys?

We intend to award:
First - Third in each rank (5 ranks)
First - Fourth overall

I'm not sure which race management option would insure the most rewarding day for the Boys. Any ideas?

All suggestions sincerely appreciated.

Steve
The man who stands tallest is the man who bends to help a child.
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4926
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: GPRM vers 5.0.5 Racing Options

Post by gpraceman »

Stephen's Dad wrote:We have a serial to Belkin USB adapter that actually worked when I tried it. However the cable is just 8' long. So I suppose I'll have to sit near the end of the track in the Pit area.
You can buy serial cables that are longer or you can make your own. We use a 50ft cable so we have flexibility where we can place the computer.
Stephen's Dad wrote:I can bring a printer on race day if it would be useful for posting standings. Folks at District a couple years ago posted standings between heats & the Boys (and Dads) seemed to enjoy that.
I do recommend a printer so at a minimum you can print out the race schedule and give it to your race crew for pulling cars. It is also helpful to post this on a wall for all racers/parents to see.
Stephen's Dad wrote:Which of the race styles would best suit 50 boys?
You can take a look at our suggested race format. This is in the software's help file and at http://grandprix-software-central.com/g ... ormat.html
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8

Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
DerbyAddict
Pine Head
Pine Head
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:18 pm

Re: GPRM vers 5.0.5 Racing Options

Post by DerbyAddict »

gpraceman wrote:
Stephen's Dad wrote:
I can bring a printer on race day if it would be useful for posting standings. Folks at District a couple years ago posted standings between heats & the Boys (and Dads) seemed to enjoy that.

I do recommend a printer so at a minimum you can print out the race schedule and give it to your race crew for pulling cars. It is also helpful to post this on a wall for all racers/parents to see.
Another reason for the printer - Print off the racing schedule and have someone keep track of the results manually. If your system fails somehow, and you really need to plan that it will, this is your backup scoring. Imagine getting halfway through your races and the electronics fail and there is no paper copy. Do you rerun everything? Do you guess?

Make complete plans for the equipment failure and you will probably ensure they will run right. Have no backup plan and you are guaranteeing a failure.
*****************************
Richard Sava
Cubmaster, Pack 241
Deltona, FL
*****************************
Any day racing PWD is a good day but winning makes a better good day!
Stephen's Dad
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 447
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 5:10 pm
Location: Connecticut
Contact:

Re: GPRM vers 5.0.5 Racing Options

Post by Stephen's Dad »

OK...I'll bring a printer.

Back up all data manually...good idea.

Thanks for that.

How about race formats? Do folks like one format over another?
The man who stands tallest is the man who bends to help a child.
DerbyAddict
Pine Head
Pine Head
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:18 pm

Re: GPRM vers 5.0.5 Racing Options

Post by DerbyAddict »

Well, we only had 27 boys race this year. I used this software:

http://usscouts.org/pinewood/pinewood.zip

to make the charts. I ran it for 24 boys through 34 boys, making sure that all the boys raced each other at least once in every chart, then formatted them to work with GPRM. When all the boys registered I imported the correct schedule into GPRM and we were ready to go. We raced 27 boys eighteen times each, used points, lowest points got first etc. We have never had Rank or Den level races because we have never had that many boys where we couldn't race everyone together.

With the timer and software we did an average turnaround of 43 seconds per heat. This way the boys never had a chance to dwell on a loss because they were racing again in a few minutes.
Stephen's Dad wrote:
Back up all data manually...good idea.

Thanks for that.
Oh, and thanks to Mr Pope for this. This was our Plan B which he talked about elsewhere on this board and on his pages. I unfortunately have only known of Stan Pope for a couple of years, which is a shame because I am sure that he has forgotten more about Scouting and running events than I will learn before my boys leave Cubs. But I read as much of his stuff as I can. I run my meetings and events by his tagline "If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds."
*****************************
Richard Sava
Cubmaster, Pack 241
Deltona, FL
*****************************
Any day racing PWD is a good day but winning makes a better good day!
User avatar
Stan Pope
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 6856
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2003 7:01 pm
Location: Morton, Illinois
Contact:

Re: GPRM vers 5.0.5 Racing Options

Post by Stan Pope »

DerbyAddict wrote:Well, we only had 27 boys race this year. I used this software:

http://usscouts.org/pinewood/pinewood.zip
That would probably be the infamous Stearns Method implemented in DOS by Pat Peronto. Stearns has some good points and some bad points. The bad points are why Cory and I developed PPN chart system, aka Young&Pope Charts.

Don't use Stearns charts if you are racing by cumulative time ... they do not guarantee lane equality. PPN does.

Do use Stearns if you want to race for 6 or 8 hours ... PPN won't generate that long of a schedule (yet).

Don't use either Stearns or simple PPN chart and heat points to race many, many racers in a reasonable amount of time ... opponent equality is an issue. Both can serve as screening for a PN or CPN finals. But, based on simulations, PPN does screening more accurately.
DerbyAddict wrote:I run my meetings and events by his tagline "If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds."
Good plan! :) I didn't invent it, but I believe it! And part of Scouting is passing along to others the good things that you learn.

There is another credo that I should probably pass along, too: "Don't do for the boys what the boys can do for themselves." That works well all through Scouting. From making and racing a PWD car to cooking a meal over an open fire.

[soapbox_mode=off] :)
Stan
"If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds!"
Post Reply