Scheduling Method for Elapsed Time races - each lane once

Debates and discussions on the various race scheduling methods that can be used and their fairness and accuracy in determining the winners.
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dknowles67
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Scheduling Method for Elapsed Time races - each lane once

Post by dknowles67 »

Is there a preferred scheduling method for racing each car in each lane once, and adding up the elapsed times?
My Pack uses a 3 lane track.
The races are broken up by age groups, with 12-25 boys in each age group, but usually less than 80 racers total.
We try to schedule each age group race an hour apart.
There is a pre-race registration that starts 30 minutes before the race. (during the the previous age group's race).
I would like to see a method where no car races twice in a row, so that the "on-deck" cars can be placed at the top of the track, while the "just raced" cars can be collected at the bottom.
It would also be nice, but I don't think necessary to see each car race against different opponents each time, so they are not always racing against the same cars.
Also, we usually don't know until just before the race starts how many boys will participate.
We don't currently use a timer, but I'm pushing in that direction.
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Stan Pope
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Re: Scheduling Method for Elapsed Time races - each lane onc

Post by Stan Pope »

PPN (Young&Pope) guarantees complete run equity and lane equity and good mix of opponents. Options allow heat sorting to minimize racing in successive heats. Does not offer schedules for more than 2 runs per lane in all combinations of tracks and cars.

Lane Rotation guarantees complete run equity and lane equity, and a poor mix of opponents. Successive heats are routine without heat sorting.

Stearns guarantees complete run equity, fair lane equity, and fair mix of opponents. Successive heats are rare. Does offer open-ended charts beyond 2 runs per lane.

Because of run and lane equity, PPN and Lane Rotation are good for scheduling for timed races. Without absolute lane equity, Stearns will be less satisfactory.

Darin has some additional algorithms which may be useful. ???
Stan
"If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds!"
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dknowles67
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Re: Scheduling Method for Elapsed Time races - each lane onc

Post by dknowles67 »

As I understand the Lane Rotation method, some of the cars in the current race will also be in the next race. This was something I had hoped to avoid. I do not believe we have good lane equity, so I was reluctant to jump into Stearns. I was concerned the PPN may take longer than 1 hour for 25 boys? Or am I confusing that with Perfect N? Do those race each car more than once per lane?
Is that needlessly complex, or is that the way to go?
I understand the advantages to those methods if you are not measuring elapsed times.
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Stan Pope
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Re: Scheduling Method for Elapsed Time races - each lane onc

Post by Stan Pope »

dknowles67 wrote: As I understand the Lane Rotation method, some of the cars in the current race will also be in the next race. This was something I had hoped to avoid.
With lane rotation, you would have to sort the heats a bit to avoid the successive heats problem. PPN software includes sorting as an optimization option. Stearns does that automatically.
dknowles67 wrote: I do not believe we have good lane equity, so I was reluctant to jump into Stearns.
You would have to pick and choose with Stearns ... sometimes it does produce satisfactory lane equity, but that is not guaranteed.
dknowles67 wrote: I was concerned the PPN may take longer than 1 hour for 25 boys? Or am I confusing that with Perfect N? Do those race each car more than once per lane?
One round of PPN is one heat per lane for each car. 25 cars = 25 heats, total, with each car racing once in each lane. (One Stearns round is one heat for each car, so on a 5-lane track a round is 5 heats. To get each car a chance to, maybe, race on each lane, you would need 5 Stearns rounds, or 25 heats, total!)
dknowles67 wrote: Is that needlessly complex, or is that the way to go?
Go!
Stan
"If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds!"
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