How many lanes, and why?

[VinceC]

After a very successful popcorn drive, our pack is finally going to replace our old track(s). For 20 years, we ran on a 4 lane track. It was at a point where it could no longer be repaired. Last year a local pack donated to us a 6 lane track that needed some repairs, which we did. Still not the best, but in far better condition than we were used to. This year we are going to buy a new Best Track. Some parents want to get a 6 lane, while others want to go back to a 4. I felt the race ran better on a 4 lane track.
Personally, I do not feel that bigger is always better. Our pack averages about 40 boys per year in membership. Can anyone tell me the pros/cons of each? Which way would you go, and why? Storage is not an issue. I'm looking at what's best for race management.
In addition, we are getting the MicroWizard K3 Grand Prix Package, and the Grand Prix Race management software.
Thanks in advance.

VinceC

[GravityRacer]

Welcome, Vince! You came to the right place. You will get good advice here with which to make your decision. Personally, I built my own tracks out of wood (yes, aluminum was a known metal back then ) when I was a Cub Scout leader, but I sold them as I moved on. You can't beat the new metal ones, for all the precision machining that is done with them (in spite of the expense). In my only experience with metal, I raced on a 6-lane Best track, and it was excellent. Some of the people here can point you to their experiences.

If you had a GOOD year with popcorn, buy as big a track as you can afford. Look around, there are people here who can give you every pointer you need for a fair and successful PWD. Our Pack had made as much as $2000 off the popcorn sale in a given year. That buys a good program!

You picked a good time to start research. Do you do your PWD around the Blue and Gold time frame?

[blcrow33]

Stay with the 4 lane track. If you go to 6 lanes, it is much more time consuming and more difficult to run a race. Go with more length before you go to extra lanes. The 42 foot track works great for us. I would not go any longer than that.

[gpraceman]

Stay with the 4 lane track. If you go to 6 lanes, it is much more time consuming and more difficult to run a race. Go with more length before you go to extra lanes. The 42 foot track works great for us. I would not go any longer than that.

I would concur on both the number of lanes and the length.

In addition:
- A few members reported having difficulty putting a 6 lane BestTrack together in getting the sections in line.
- More lanes also equals more weight to lug around.
- You should also try to protect your investment and build a storage crate, so more lanes makes the whole thing even heavier. That may require you to build two crates.

But to me, the biggest reason to go with a 4 lane track over 6 lane is that you can run a faster race, which is what blcrow33 was pointing out. It takes longer to load the cars on the track, longer to retrieve them from the finish and longer to stage the cars for the next heat. I've had many of my software customers with 6 lane tracks mention that it was taking too long to run their race.

Lastly, you save $$$

[TAL]

I too would go with the 4 lane for mostly all the reasons above.

Another reason, 2 runs in each lane on a 4 lane equal 8 runs per racer where as 1 run per lane on a 6 lane is pretty much standard amount of runs.

(Edit by Tal)

If you must go with the 6 lane go ahead and get 6 lanes, do not buy a 4 lane expecting to upgrade to a 6 lane later by adding 2 more lanes.

If funds are a problem buy how many lanes you want or will need later and then buy length later down the road.

My opinion get a 4 lane and stay there.

[gpraceman]

A 4 lane can run 2 2 lane races at one time with the MW timers/finish lines if doing elimination methods. I don't know if the MW timer can run 3 2 lane races on a 6 lane.

He mentioned that he was gettting GPRM, which does not support that mode.

[TAL]

Gotcha raceman, I made correction.

[ohiofitter]

I would stay with the four lane track my self.....This is for the boys let them get in a little more racing action......after all depending on the amount of kids in each class the boys do enjoy racing as much as possible with there friends

[PWD_addict]

As if the majority hadn't spoken--go with four lanes.

We have a very impressive looking 8 lane track but it makes for some LONG Derbies and makes the smaller ranks (4 Web 2s last year) look lonely. We have 20 in the Bear rank and it will take a LONG time to run each car down each lane.

We usually have about 50 entrants in our pack PWD.

[kbimler]

My 2 cents (not that it is worth even that much right now).

Just because you have 6, 8, 12, etc. lanes, does not mean you need to use all of them. It is possible to run a 2 lane elimination race on a 12, but I cannot run a 6 lane rotation schedule on a 4 lane track.

Our pack just purchased a 6 lane track and timer. The original plans were to purchase a 4 lane, 42' track. Because our pack had a fantastic popcorn sale, the committee decided to purchase a 6 lane, 42' track instead. Now we have the flexibility to run up to a 6 lane race (including hosting our district derby).

[gpraceman]

Just because you have 6, 8, 12, etc. lanes, does not mean you need to use all of them.

That is true. However, it seems that people are very reluctant to run with fewer lanes. I guess they don't feel like they are getting their money's worth unless they run to capacity. Then some of those turn around and complain that their race is taking to long, since they have a lot of racers.

[kbimler]

I know that argument all too well. You should have seen the look on some committee members faces when I told them that due to the number of scouts in the pack, running our event using only 4 of the 6 lanes will actually give us the opportunity to run more heats per scout in the available time than running on all 6 lanes (and either extending the time or cutting down the number of rounds to get in the same amount of racing).

Which reminds me, I have a question about the GPRM software that I will go ask over in the "software" forum...

[dna1990]

Me too - I vote four.

I had only one distant experience with an alum 6-lane, and I know they had difficulty in getting it aligned each time.

The money saved can be put into more software, projectors, quality scales, video options, trophies, building workshops, etc.

As others have said, the logistics of staging 6-at-a-time is better suited for 12oz cans than 5oz cars.

When running a -N chart...same number of heats, only longer to stage and reset.

[slojim]

I'm in the same boat, but I was trying to figure out if I needed a 3 lane or a 4 lane track. We had the popcorn sales to buy our own track this year. We had been borrowing a 4 lane wooden track. We intend to buy a 42' besttrack, and microwizard k3gp. We have software, but I can't get to it right now to test 3 vs 4 lanes. But I was thinking that with 25-30 racers, and probably a similar number next year, a 3 lane track was a good choice, especially since the track can be expanded later. We're ok on cost, but I hate to just throw away money we could use on another activity. We save $200 on the 3 lane model, and would pay $250 in the future, plus shipping, if we needed a 4th lane.

We have fun at the PWD. Its an event. I'm not trying to get it done quick so we can go home. But hikes and field trips and patches and camps are all fun as well. Is there a "break even point" for where 4 lanes is better than 3?

[gpraceman]

We have fun at the PWD. Its an event. I'm not trying to get it done quick so we can go home. But hikes and field trips and patches and camps are all fun as well. Is there a "break even point" for where 4 lanes is better than 3?

I think it is more a matter of preference, assuming that you have a timing system (trying to eyeball judge 3 lanes is easier than 4). It does take just a bit longer to pre-stage, load and retrieve that extra car, but not as much as if you were jumping up by two or more lanes. Though, you likely would not notice the difference in how long it takes to run the race with just 25-30 racers on a 3 lane vs. a 4 lane. Personally, I like a 4 lane configuration. I think it is a little more exciting seeing 4 cars go down the track, instead of 3.

If you think you might want to eventually end up with a 4 lane track, it would be better to just take the $ hit now, instead of the larger one later. That also saves you from having to tear down the track and rebuild it with the 4th lane, replacing all of the securing brackets and start gate.

Also, if later you feel that it is taking too long to run on 4 lanes, there is nothing saying that you can't leave one lane empty and just use 3. However, I have been running races on a 4 lane track for many years now (multiple races per year), with from 20 to 100 cars and never felt the need to scale back on lanes.