consistent car results

Discussions on race planning, preparations and how to run a "fair" and fun race.
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jnettleton
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consistent car results

Post by jnettleton »

It seems like car placement on the track is so critical and I haven't seem much discussion on any recommendations on what works best for consistent results (w/o a timer it's hard to measure). The obvious part is to get the car centered on the track but after that it's not so clear.

Do you gently pull the wheels outward or should they be flush with the car?

Do you release the starting pins quickly?

Should you avoid having the starting pin lever hit the track to avoid any vibrations?

What about cleaning the track? Do you only clean it before the race and then let everyone race under the same graphite conditions?

Do you take the time to train everyone on how to put cars on the track?

Do you let the scouts place their car?

In case you haven't guessed, I was the derby chair and just completed my first race. I am looking for ways to make the race better next year. Any other advice is welcome...

Thanks,
Jerry
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Darin McGrew
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Re: consistent car results

Post by Darin McGrew »

jnettleton wrote:Do you release the starting pins quickly?
Yes. We have a spring-loaded starting gate that consistently opens the gate faster than gravity accellerates the cars.
jnettleton wrote:Should you avoid having the starting pin lever hit the track to avoid any vibrations?
Yes. This is easier if the starting gate is light weight. Also, the spring on ours starts pulling the gate backwards once it has cleared the track. So if it's at a 12-o'clock position when it's closed, and it clears the track when it's at a 3-o'clock position, then it would hit the track at the 9-o'clock position. But the spring starts pulling it back after it reaches about 6-o'clock. The spring pulling back and the friction of the starting gate's "axle" stop the pins before they reach the 9-o'clock position.
jnettleton wrote:What about cleaning the track? Do you only clean it before the race and then let everyone race under the same graphite conditions?
We clean it once, when we set it up.
jnettleton wrote:Do you take the time to train everyone on how to put cars on the track?
We have the same person stage all the cars. Actually, it's usually the same person each year.
jnettleton wrote:Do you let the scouts place their car?
No. For one thing, "we've never done it that way". For another, our new track is too high. The adult staging the cars has to stand on a platform to reach the starting gate. Having four kids climbing up and down each race would be impractical.
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Cory
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Re: consistent car results

Post by Cory »

jnettleton wrote: Do you let the scouts place their car?
Another school of thought can be found here:

http://members.aol.com/StanDCmr/steam1.html

I tend to follow this more closely, except that I don't let the boys remove their cars from the track out of fear they will jostle the cars of others. A track steward removes the cars, and places them on a padded table from which the boys take them, one at a time.

Of course, there is always that boy who will spend 45 seconds every time he stages his car, and I find myself wishing I did it Darin's way.
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