Pinewood Derby Race Management — Wood Badge Ticket Report

In the fall of 2024 I had the honor and pleasure of attending Wood Badge course 10-640-24, hosted by the Greater New York Councils at Alpine Scout Camp in Alpine, NJ, across two weekends — September 27–29 and November 9–10. The course built on the outdoor foundation of IOLS (still called ITOLS in GNYC by long habit?), which has been a Wood Badge prerequisite since 2021 and is one step along the broader path of adult leader training. What follows is the completion report for the ticket I wrote during that course and delivered over the eighteen months that followed.

Wood Badge Ticket Completion Report

Vision of Success

Enhance the Scouting experience in Pack 23 by developing a user-friendly software that automates race management for the Pinewood Derby event.

This specific solution simplifies race management, reduces errors, minimizes waiting times, and ensures fair participation for all scouts. The software will ensure all scouts have equal opportunities to race, promoting equality and diversity by leveling the playing field and enhancing overall enjoyment.

By improving the event in this way, I aim to increase retention as more youth join and continue their journey in Scouting.

The Problem

The Pinewood Derby is one of Scouting's most beloved traditions — but running one manually is a logistical headache. Paper brackets mean calculation errors. Figuring out who races whom takes minutes between each heat. Some scouts race five times while others race twice. The adults running the event are so busy with logistics that they can't actually enjoy watching the kids race.

The frustration is worst for the kids who feel it most — the ones sitting on the sideline waiting, wondering when their turn comes, not understanding why another scout has raced three times already.

This isn't a rules problem. The rules are fine. It's a management problem — and management problems have engineering solutions.

The Solution

I built a race management system — software that automates the entire race lifecycle from registration through award ceremony. The system:

• Generates matchups instantly — no paper brackets, no calculations, no delays between heats
• Tracks results in real time — every race is recorded, standings update immediately
• Balances participation — detects when one racer has fewer races than others and proposes additional matchups, preferably ones the underrepresented racer can win
• Eliminates errors — sorting and scheduling handled by algorithm, not by tired adults with clipboards
• Supports spectators — public-facing view shows standings and upcoming races without revealing information reserved for organizers
• Handles design awards and ceremony — full award management from judging through presentation

The complete system documentation lives on this website: How It Works covers every stage from planning and check-in through awards and post-event wrap-up.

Goal 1: Develop the Pinewood Derby Management Software

Promotes: ✅ Diversity · ✅ Membership Growth & Retention · ✅ Line of Sight to Youth

Completion Evidence

Software fully developed, tested, and deployed. The system handles:

• Participant registration with categories (Cub Scout dens, guests, adults)
• Automated matchup generation using a balanced scheduling algorithm
• Real-time result tracking and live standings
• Participation balancing — detects imbalances and proposes corrective matchups
• Design award judging and ceremony management
• Spectator view with controlled information disclosure
• Support for both Pinewood Derby (sort-based tournament) and Raingutter Regatta (Swiss-system) formats

The software has been used successfully in three separate events: the first Pinewood Derby (24 cars, Feb 24, 2025), a Raingutter Regatta (14 participants, Oct 28, 2025), and a second Pinewood Derby (22 cars, Mar 2, 2026).

Get started: www.t23b.org/pinewood-derby/get-started

Goal 2: Create Instructional Materials

Promotes: ❌ Diversity · ✅ Membership Growth & Retention · ✅ Line of Sight to Youth

Completion Evidence

Materials produced significantly exceeded the original two-type target:

1. Video pitch (1:52) — produced, edited, published on YouTube: Watch pitch video. Introduces the system, explains its purpose, and demonstrates the race lifecycle with animated characters.
2. Full system walkthrough video (4:52) — published on YouTube: Watch walkthrough. A five-minute tour of every screen in the system — from creating a race through participant check-in, racing, judging, the award ceremony, and post-event cleanup. This is the "video walkthrough" required by the Measurable criterion above, now with a dedicated landing page at www.t23b.org/pinewood-derby/video-walkthrough containing chapter notes, FAQ, and audience-based next steps.
3. Demo race recording — screen capture of a simulated 16-participant derby used as source footage for both the pitch and walkthrough videos (61 races, full lifecycle from registration through awards).
4. Comprehensive website guide — 10+ pages on www.t23b.org/pinewood-derby covering every stage of the race lifecycle:
   • How It Works — hub with lifecycle overview
   • Planning — 7-step setup guide with supply calculators
   • Preparing — check-in, roster verification, walk-ins
   • Racing — matchup system, lane markers, algorithm explanation
   • Judging — design awards, voting modes
   • Awarding — ceremony flow, reveal sequence
   • Completed — post-event, feedback, data for next year
   • Prize Categories — configurable speed and design awards
   • For Spectators — audience-facing guide
   • Video Walkthrough — dedicated landing for the 5-minute tour with chapter notes, FAQ, and audience-based next steps
5. Printed quick-reference cards — Bootstrap HTML pamphlets for Race Supervisors (scouts running the system) and for participants (cub scouts and guests). Printed and distributed at every event.

Goal 3: Train for Long-Term Sustainability

Promotes: ❌ Diversity · ✅ Membership Growth & Retention · ✅ Line of Sight to Youth

Completion Evidence

People trained to operate the system:

Henry and John didn't just learn the system in training sessions — they ran both Pinewood Derbies as Race Supervisors (Feb 24, 2025 and Mar 2, 2026), operating the software with adult supervision but youth leadership. For the Raingutter Regatta (Oct 28, 2025), Dmitry and Den Leader Steven Magnus ran the system directly — the shorter format and smaller group made a dedicated scout-operated RS unnecessary for that event.

Next Generation

The sustainability chain is already extending beyond the initial trainees:

• Emmanuel C. (age 11) — former Cub Scout who participated in the races as a racer. Actively helped with logistics at events this year (carrying cars, supporting setup). Has confirmed interest in taking on a Race Supervisor role next year.
• Kieran S. (age 11) — former Cub Scout who participated in the races as a racer. Actively helped with logistics at events this year. Has also confirmed interest in a Race Supervisor role next year.

Both are already familiar with the system from the participant side — they've watched the RS role in action, helped physically run events, and expressed a clear desire to step up. The transition from helper to operator is a natural progression that strengthens the program's long-term sustainability.

Scoutmaster Confirmation

Training was formally confirmed by Scoutmaster Sherman Wong (see testimonials below).

Goal 4: Implement the Software in Pack 23's Pinewood Derby

Promotes: ❌ Diversity · ✅ Membership Growth & Retention · ✅ Line of Sight to Youth

Completion Evidence

The software was used in three separate events, all exceeding the 12-participant minimum:

The first derby had 24 cars — double the minimum target. The Raingutter Regatta proved the system in a different format (Swiss-system pairing instead of the default sort-based algorithm, shorter track, 14 participants). The second derby with 22 cars confirmed reliability across repeat use with software v2 incorporating all post-first-derby improvements.

Both Pinewood Derbies were run with trained scouts as Race Supervisors — demonstrating that the system works with youth leadership, not just the developer at the controls. This is exactly the sustainability outcome described in Goal 3.

Goal 5: Gather Feedback and Improve the Program

Promotes: ❌ Diversity · ❌ Membership Growth & Retention · ❌ Line of Sight to Youth

Completion Evidence

Feedback was gathered through multiple channels:

• Formal survey — designed as part of the system's printing materials, printable directly from the race dashboard during the planning stage. Survey form reviewed by Ticket Counselor Steven Clementi before distribution.
• On-the-spot feedback — during the first derby, Cub Scout participants gave direct feedback about wanting more races. This was immediately actionable — the software already had the capability, and Den Leader Steven Magnus was shown how to enable additional matchups during the event itself.
• Leadership testimonials — formal written feedback from Den Leader Steven Magnus and Scoutmaster Sherman Wong (see below).

Improvements Implemented

Feedback was one source of improvements, but not the only one. Between v1 and v2 the system went through a substantial rebuild — the items below are a sample of the most visible changes that came directly from post-derby observations. Many more improvements came from watching the event unfold and recognizing what could work better, informed by years of running derbies before the software existed.

A few examples from the post-first-derby list:

• Color-coded lane markers — physical tabletop signs with color and shape coding for clear lane communication between Race Supervisor and track operators
• Mirrored lane display — ability to flip left/right track on device, since operators at opposite ends of the track see lanes in reverse
• Consolation race improvements — list consolation-eligible racers explicitly, remove win-only restriction, save RS's consolation choices to database
• Pull toward median — algorithm now targets the median race count, not just "more races," ensuring balanced participation
• Mid-bracket balancing — balance participation not just at the very end but after each bracket round completes, especially for high-priority categories
• Top Competitor trophies — added award tracking with trophy count estimation for event preparation
• Preparation mode — pre-race checklist: lane signs, tape, markers for labeling cars, table layout, scout role assignments
• Accurate race count estimation — statistical modeling based on real event data and random simulations to predict total races needed
• Swiss-system support — added Raingutter Regatta format (used Oct 28, 2025)

This list represents roughly 15% of what changed between v1 and v2. The full scope of the rebuild touched every part of the system. Each event continues to generate its own observations, and changes get incorporated before the next one.

The improvement cycle didn't stop after one round — each subsequent event generated its own feedback, and changes were incorporated into the next version. This is now a continuous process built into how the system evolves.

Survey Response Highlights

Selected verbatim responses from the anonymous 18-question feedback survey distributed at the first Pinewood Derby (Feb 24, 2025). Each blockquote below represents one submitted survey form, with question numbers preserved from the survey template. The MC signed her form; the other four respondents are anonymous. This is a representative sample, not an exhaustive tabulation — the full response set is available on request, and the complete 18-question template is printable directly from the race dashboard during the Planning stage.

The MC's Q18 suggestion led directly to the mirrored lane display feature in v2 (see improvements list above). Helpers standing at opposite ends of the track now each see their own correct lane orientation, eliminating the "wait, is green triangle on my left or the scout's left?" confusion that held up the first derby's race flow.

The "Projector TV" suggestion is a single short phrase, but it names a concrete improvement: project the public standings page onto a room TV so the whole audience can follow along without everyone pulling out a phone. This is now a standard setup recommendation in the Planning stage documentation.

This respondent was a first-time attendee — they couldn't compare the software to previous years because they had no previous years. And yet they rated their overall experience 5 out of 5, and specifically endorsed the youth-leadership model with the strongest available answer. Both the event experience and the Goal 3 training philosophy (Scouts as Race Supervisors) land with first-time families, not only with parents who have a point of comparison.

Aggregate response patterns

Beyond individual voices, the aggregate data from across the returned forms shows patterns that both validated v2 decisions and are directly shaping the direction of future versions.

Q3 — preferred race count for slow cars. Almost every respondent chose "Enough to give them another shot at a win or better time" over "just a few so they don't get discouraged". The community wants scouts with slower cars to get more chances, not fewer. Parents don't see more races as discouragement — they see fewer races as unfairness.

Q11 — race scheduling and fairness. All respondents except the MC selected the first option, "Yes, definitely". The MC agreed but added a free-text comment in the margin that is the single most valuable observation in the entire survey for Goal 5 purposes:

The MC correctly identified the specific edge case the first version of the balancer didn't handle: the original Positive Experience balancer minimized discouragement for slow cars, but didn't guarantee they got as many races as the leaders. Combined with the strong Q3 preference for "more races for slower cars", this observation is directly shaping the design of a new balancer mode — Participation Equity — which will become the default and make equal race count the starting policy rather than an optional override. The partial fixes already implemented in v2 (pull toward median, mid-bracket balancing — see Improvements Implemented above) moved in this direction; Participation Equity completes the shift.

Q4 — preferred race count for fast cars. Roughly half chose "a minimal number — other racers deserve more spotlight" and roughly half chose "plenty of races — let the fastest cars truly earn the top spots". Adult leaders, MCs, and other respondents for whom the question doesn't apply (the question frames around a child's car) appropriately selected the "no preference" option. The split reflects a real tension in community values rather than a clear mandate — spreading spotlight versus earning the top ranks — and justifies the decision to keep multiple balancer modes rather than hard-coding one answer.

Q5 — double awards (rank + overall). By a small margin, respondents preferred "one overall award is enough" over "both awards for distinct achievements". The community leaned slightly toward spreading recognition across more scouts rather than stacking awards on the fastest few. Worth documenting as a signal; does not yet translate into a configuration default, but informs the prize categories design discussion.

Q13 — helpful features (multi-select). Several respondents marked every checkbox. Among partial selections on returned forms, the patterns were:

• Real-time race updates — appeared in every partial selection
• Quick scheduling of heats — appeared in two of three partial selections
• User-friendly interface — appeared in two of three partial selections
• Final results — appeared in one of three partial selections

Real-time updates are the single feature that resonated most consistently across respondents. This validates the original design decision to make live phone updates the primary interaction model and confirms it was worth the effort invested in the web-socket infrastructure behind it.

Q14 — ease of following the races. Almost all respondents selected "Yes". One respondent selected "No, I had trouble following" — a useful outlier. This single negative answer is partly addressed by the Q18 "Projector TV" suggestion (showing standings on a room-wide screen) and partly points to a remaining onboarding challenge for first-time spectators that is worth revisiting in a future version.

Q15 — comparison to previous derbies. Of respondents who completed this question, most selected "A big improvement — faster, less chaos". Several first-time attendees correctly selected "Not applicable (first-timer)". No one selected "no difference", "slightly worse", or "much worse". The data is consistent: among those with a point of comparison, the new system was unambiguously better; among first-timers, the overall satisfaction score (Q16) was still very high.

What these responses show

Three signals come through the forms consistently:

1. The experience worked across the full range of respondents — from experienced parents ("I've lost count") to first-timers ("first time so can't comment, but 5 out of 5"), from the MC running the show to families in the audience and remote family members following on their phones at home.
2. Specific suggestions became features in v2 — mirrored lane display (from the MC's Q18), the TV projection recommendation (from the anonymous Q18), and the pull-toward-median and mid-bracket balancing changes (directly informed by the MC's Q11 observation). This is the feedback-to-improvement loop the Goal 5 Measurable criterion describes, demonstrated concretely with a direct line from paper form to implemented change.
3. Aggregate patterns are driving the next iteration. The strong Q3 preference for "more races for slower cars", combined with the MC's Q11 diagnostic comment, is directly shaping the design of the new Participation Equity balancer mode — turning community-level feedback into a default policy change, not just a one-off fix. This is what continuous improvement looks like when the developer is also the user.

Testimonials

Note: Both testimonials were provided in summer 2025, after the first Pinewood Derby (Feb 24, 2025). Since then, two more events have been run with the same system: a Raingutter Regatta (Oct 28, 2025), operated directly by Dmitry and Den Leader Steven Magnus, and a second Pinewood Derby (Mar 2, 2026), operated by trained scouts Henry K. and John H. as Race Supervisors with the same MC who served at the first derby.

Project Timeline

The Living Project

This project didn't stop at the beads. The Pinewood Derby Racing System is now a permanent part of how Pack 23 and Troop 23 Brooklyn run their events.

The trained scouts who learned the system continue to operate it. The next generation is already stepping up. The website guide means anyone — in our unit or elsewhere — can understand the system and put it to use.

That's the goal of Wood Badge — not a one-time achievement, but a lasting improvement that keeps giving back to Scouting.