GPRM - Running cars on fewer than all lanes?

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Vitamin K
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GPRM - Running cars on fewer than all lanes?

Post by Vitamin K »

Okay, so, this is not my desired configuration, but I've been asked by somebody at our District if, in order to speed up the races, can we run cars in a configuration that uses all of the lanes on our track, but doesn't require that all of the cars run down each lane.

For example, if we ran four cars at a time, but only required that ever car run three times.

I am, of course, not pleased with this, and plan to do everything I can to resist an arrangement like this. However, in the interest of information, I have to ask: Does GPRM even support a configuration like this? Obviously not PN/PPN, but one of the lane-rotation schedules?

If it doesn't, that will effectively remove that argument from the table.
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Re: GPRM - Running cars on fewer than all lanes?

Post by gpraceman »

Lane rotation will use all of the available lanes, just like PN/PPN/CPN.

You would have to create a custom schedule. Actually, several custom schedules. Then once racers have checked in, import the schedule that matches the number of racers that have shown up. The other option is to run a Dynamic schedule. However, there are inherent drawbacks to that type of scheduling. See this faq.

Personally, I feel that it would be better and easier to focus on reducing the time between heats. There are several things that can be done to reduce that time.
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Re: GPRM - Running cars on fewer than all lanes?

Post by Darin McGrew »

Vitamin K wrote:For example, if we ran four cars at a time, but only required that ever car run three times.
If running each car 3 times (on a 4-lane track) was a requirement, then I would ignore one of the lanes and schedule 3-lane races with each car running 3 times, once in each of the 3 lanes being used.

FWIW, I'd ignore either lane 1 or lane 4, just because ignoring lane 2 or lane 3 could be confusing. And I'd try to choose the lane to ignore such that the remaining lanes were the most consistent with each other.
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Re: GPRM - Running cars on fewer than all lanes?

Post by Vitamin K »

Darin McGrew wrote:
Vitamin K wrote:For example, if we ran four cars at a time, but only required that ever car run three times.
If running each car 3 times (on a 4-lane track) was a requirement, then I would ignore one of the lanes and schedule 3-lane races with each car running 3 times, once in each of the 3 lanes being used.

FWIW, I'd ignore either lane 1 or lane 4, just because ignoring lane 2 or lane 3 could be confusing. And I'd try to choose the lane to ignore such that the remaining lanes were the most consistent with each other.
Right...what the person is asking for is being able to use all four lanes, but only have each car run three times.

(I am very much against this option.)

Shutting down a lane and running with three lanes would be an option, but my understanding is that we'd still end up running the same number of heats. The only benefit would be that we'd maybe stage cars slightly faster.
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Re: GPRM - Running cars on fewer than all lanes?

Post by Darin McGrew »

Vitamin K wrote:Shutting down a lane and running with three lanes would be an option, but my understanding is that we'd still end up running the same number of heats. The only benefit would be that we'd maybe stage cars slightly faster.
Is the primary goal reducing the time required for the races? If so, then maybe there are other techniques that would meet the goal.
Last edited by Darin McGrew on Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: GPRM - Running cars on fewer than all lanes?

Post by Vitamin K »

Darin McGrew wrote:
Vitamin K wrote:
Is the primary goal reducing the time required for the races? If so, then maybe there are other techniques that would meet the goal.
Yes, it is primarily a time issue, trying to keep the race moving and prevent parents from revolting when things drag on.

I think the link Randy sent is probably an excellent starting point. I'm actually less concerned about the whole time issue than some of my other organizers, but then, I'm a bit of a derby nut. :roll:
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