How to Still Run Your Race This Year

General race coordinator discussions.
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gpraceman
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How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by gpraceman »

With the Corona Virus pandemic making meeting together for special events inadvisable, has anyone looked into live streaming their Pinewood Derby type race? We had one of our software customers asking us about that type of race. Basically, holding the race with the audience online only. Just a minimal crew to run the race and a camera to show the racing action. Maybe this type of race would be something that district, council and other races could consider instead of cancelling their races, if this crisis drags on.

I have seen big races, like Mid-America, do a live stream for their proxy racers, as well as the racing leagues. Have a camera setup at the finish line, so it could show the cars running from the start line to the finish and then panning over to show the heat results from our race software.
There would be some logistics that would have to be worked out, of course, like getting racers to drop off their cars. Then there is dealing with issues, like if a car needs to be adjusted to pass check-in inspection.

Anyone have experience with live streaming? My understanding is that you need a camera (of course), some live steaming software (like OBS) and a platform to stream to (YouTube, Facebook, Zoom, etc.).
Randy Lisano
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Re: How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by leerbennett »

Been thinking through these questions. Our race was postponed at the last minute in Mid March.
Our Awana commander's initial thought is to run the race in mid summer when presumably families will be able to participate in person.
My current thinking is to run a live stream oriented event in May. Current stay at home orders in effect the rest of the month, but expect some limitations on larger group gatherings will be put in place for May. Even if restrictions are lifted in time for a summer event, some families may worry about attending. Other families may be off to vacation if we pick a summer dates. Schools for our state (IL) will be distance learning for the rest of the school year, so remote events will still be the thing to do in May.

Many of our churches typical gatherings have been taking place over Zoom. We were broadcasting the sermons over Facebook live for about a year. The Awana small groups have been meeting over Zoom in recent weeks. So our church is already familiar with these tools.

Here are my thoughts on logistics for our event.
My family could be enough to staff event in person, if need be. Just need to have my 17 year old son make himself useful, perhaps staging cars at the start line. Wife already runs the car registration. Younger son is a car runner. I have the pleasure of running GPRM and the finish line timer.

So night before the event me and my boys can setup the track and hang a few on camera decorations

The night of the event I envision a broadcast channel e.g. Facebook live stream and a few concurrent Zoom meetings.
Participants would watch the broadcast channel on one device and participate in a zoom meeting on another device. We have TnT Boys division with 12 racers and a TnT Girls division with 15 racers. So each of these divisions would have their own Zoom meeting hosted by the group's director. This would allow a little trash about the current race and the on deck race. An official's Zoom meeting featuring our usual MC broadcasting from a secure location would supply the audio for the main broadcast.
So the simple broadcast channel format would show a live camera feed from near the finish line with officials Zoom audio. Our setup already has a GPRM display within this camera view, so no need to man this camera. The audience see who's staged for each race, . A more advanced broadcast would mix/switch video between this camera angle, GPRM output, and the officials Zoom meeting. I believe that our staff can do video mixing.

Event registration would run for a few hours before the event on a drive thru basis. We have run a few food drives on a drive thru basis. If the same level of restrictions are still in place, doing a food drive drop off or food service pickup could make this a legal "essential service" event. Gloves by everyone that handles the cars should be enough protection. Don't think it would be worth trying to bleach everyone's car.
Can have a few pit crew tables with bleached tools on the church patio for any last minute adjustments. Families would need to make adjustments themselves with advise from 6' away.

I think that covers everything needed.
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gpraceman
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Re: How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by gpraceman »

Please keep us updated on how things go. I pray that it goes will.
Randy Lisano
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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.
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Re: How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by Eagle »

Not sure about the onsite adjustment aspect. Then it is no longer a drive thru. I suggest if you are going to go that way is to have a check in/adjustment event that is a week ahead of the event. Then the cars can sit for the week.

You could have same day, but under our state standards you would run into trouble if they are getting out of car and going inside.

If you do all the same day just be sure to not have more than 10 people in the same location or you could have problems.

Honestly, I think by mid May we will all be able to do more than we currently are. But, there will still be way more restrictions in populated areas.

Make sure you are aware of required forms. Right now in CA we have a form that is required at almost any public place that asks health questions upon entry. Those must be kept on file.
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Re: How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by leerbennett »

Probably safest to have people sign up for drop-off time slots. I am thinking of two distant tables outside and time to disinfect tools between use. I am already on board with only event staff (my family) entering the building.
Historically about 50% of cars pass first time and could drive thru. 30 cars @ 10 minutes each is 5 hours of drop operations, but would keep people separated. Much less fun than the usual craziness in the final hour before racing.

Having the cars sit for a week is an interesting idea, don't think it needs to be quite that long. Direct sunlight or other UV light source and maybe some Lysol spay should shorten the length of the car quarantine period. Web MD says virus can last up to 4 days on wood under ideal conditions. Drop off operations a day or two before the event would be ideal for staffing and storage constraints. Not yet sure where I would keep the bio-hazardous cars for more than two days.

I just did a review of the projected dates from IHME. Things are projected to be much better by early May for CA and IL but still a lot of uncertainty.
https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america
We will follow the rules, just not sure what they will be yet.

Trying to play for the worst case. Will hope for the best.
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Re: How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by leerbennett »

We finally ran our much delayed Grand Prix on Thursday evening. Here were the key Covid19 precautions taken:
1. Race was outdoors.
2. Boys and Girls events scheduled sequentially, so no more than 50 in attendance at a time.
3. Food limited to single serve packages of water and chips.
Unfortunately we didn't checkin cars prior to event night, so our schedule ran long and we had cars unable to finish. Sun was brutal for our 4-6 setup time and night had fallen as we wrapped up at 8:30pm
Our church does regularly live stream service, including the current outdoor parking lot service. But we didn't manage to get this setup for our rather small Grand Prix of 21 cars.
I did use RaceReplay to record the races. Unmanned camera looking up from the finish line. I also used a bright LED panel placed above the video frame instead of a light attached to our RaceMaster timer; the timer was along side instead of over the track. This made the whole race was visible. I had a monitor with the GPRM screen in the shot right along side the finish line. So the cars in the race are shown in the video. I also used a "record stop delay", so the RaceReplay video includes the GPRM screen showing race result (if all cars finish the race).
If resources had allowed, placing a second camera in roughly the same place would have made for a good streaming video stream.
Photo system worked well in daylight with just a backdrop to cast a shadow over the finish line. The single LED panel was enough light for videoing into dusk. As night fell we really needed additional light to show the first half of the race and more importantly one to allow finding and staging the right cars at the start line. The LED panel is normally used by the church for other photography projects, so it wasn't any additional purchase for us.
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Re: How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by Speedster »

CONGRATULATIONS on your efforts. I know that was a lot of work. What type track was used?
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Re: How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by Darin McGrew »

The real question to me is how to run derby workshops. The derbies I've been involved with have always invested at least as much time and effort into the workshops as into the race itself.
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Re: How to Still Run Your Race This Year

Post by leerbennett »

Speedster, we have purchased a BestTrack from Awana about 5 years ago.
https://www.awana.org/product/awana-grand-prix-track/

Darin,
We had completed our main build workshop back in January. Somewhere on Derby talk, I discuss how our to improve our event's build help. Unfortunately this year due to many reschedulings down to the last minute, final build help wasn't improved for 2020.
Having read far too much on #Covid19 event restrictions, I would have the following advice:
1. Don't worry much over surface transfer. Just have attendees wash hands before and after. Have hand sanitizer available.
2. Spread people out in time and/or space. Compose groups of people who already meet together.
2A. Keep number in attendance smaller by scheduling separate times for sub groups of attendees.
2B. Alternatively send subgroups to separate locations. E.g. a several volunteers' garages.
3. If possible, have the event outdoors.
4. Especially if indoors, Have participants wear masks or face shields while in attendance.
5. If food is served, have it distributed by masked and gloved preparer. Avoid self serve and common utensils.
6. Minimize total time at the event.

IHME estimates that things will get worse through the end of the year. Seems like a vaccine will be approved by early 2021, but not widely in use before the end of the school year. My best guess for our event is that we will be outdoors again in May 2021.
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