Check-in Day

The planning checklist is done, supplies are packed, trophies are ready. When you click "Proceed to Check-in", the race enters the Preparing stage — purple header, check-in mode active.

This is the transition from paperwork to people. Families are arriving, kids are clutching their cars, and the track is set up. Your job now: check everyone in, handle the inevitable walk-ins, and make sure the field is ready before the first car rolls.

Checking In Participants

Picture the scene: all the cars are on the staging table, each with a name sticker. On the table next to each spot — a matching sticker so you know whose car goes where. You've got twenty cars in front of you and a list of twenty names in the system. The check-in is how you make sure those two lists match.

The Participants table has a Check-in column — a checkbox next to each name. Walk down the table, find the car, check the name off in the system. The header shows a live counter: "10 not checked in" — so you always see how many are still unaccounted for.

This step matters more than it might seem. If you skip it and start racing with someone in the system who didn't actually show up, their name will be called for a matchup — and there'll be no car on the table. The algorithm planned for them. Unchecked names don't race, so use the check-in to keep the roster honest.

Photos and Car Names

This is also the best moment to finalize each racer's details. Every participant can have a photo and a car name — both optional, but worth the minute it takes.

The photo shows up on the matchup screen during the race and on the driver's license if you're printing those. The car name — kids love naming their cars ("Lightning McQueen," "The Midnight Express," "Dad's Revenge") — appears in the participant table and adds personality to the event.

If participants were pre-registered during planning, their names and categories are already here — you just check them in and update photos or car names if needed. You need at least two checked in to start. But don't rush — give families time to arrive. The system is patient; there's no timer.

Can you add or remove participants after racing starts? An adult leader (not the youth Race Supervisor) can — but it's best avoided. Changing the roster mid-race affects the algorithm's efficiency and may result in extra matchups it wouldn't have otherwise needed. Get the list right here, before the first car rolls.

Walk-ins and Last-Minute Additions

Somebody always shows up unregistered. A sibling wants to race. A parent decides to enter at the last minute. A visiting Scout from another troop brought a car.

No problem. The "+ Add Participant" button is available throughout the Preparing stage. Enter the name, snap a photo, give the car a name, pick a category — same fields as for pre-registered participants, takes about thirty seconds.

This is exactly what the Expected Walk-ins step was about during planning. You estimated how many extra guests and adults might show up, so the Smart Calculator already accounted for their trophies. Be Prepared — the system made sure you are. If the real number is different, the trophy count adjusts as you add people.

Categories use three groups: Youth (Lion through Arrow of Light), Guests (friends, siblings, visiting Scouts), and Adults (leaders, parents, alumni). Each new participant goes into one of these. The category determines how they're matched and which award pool they compete in.

Car Inspection

Before any car hits the track, it should pass inspection. Check the rules: weight under 5 oz, wheels from the official kit, clearance good, no loose parts that could fly off mid-race.

This isn't a software feature — it's a leader responsibility. The system doesn't weigh cars or measure widths. But the Preparing stage is the right moment to do it: families are here, the cars are in hand, and there's still time to fix problems before racing starts.

If a car needs adjustment, the family can work on it while others check in. Better to catch a 5.1 oz car now than to disqualify it after the first race.

What Spectators See

While you're checking in participants, anyone following along on the public page sees a simple status banner: "Race Being Prepared." No participant list, no stats — just a message that things are getting ready.

Once you're satisfied with the roster and click "Start Race", the status transitions to In Progress and the first matchup appears. The spectators' screens update automatically.

Ready to Race

Before clicking "Start Race," take a moment:

• Is everyone who's coming checked in?
• Have walk-ins been added?
• Have the cars been inspected?
• Is the track clear and ready?
• Are your Race Supervisors in position — one at the start, one at the finish?

The tournament style and algorithm settings you chose during planning are locked in and ready to go. This checklist is your last clean moment — once racing starts, the algorithm is working with whoever's on the roster.

Click "Start Race". The header turns navy blue. The first matchup appears. Let's go.