How to run a pinewood derby with a spreadsheet

You don't need special software to run a small derby. A spreadsheet works fine, and you probably already have one. Here's the simplest way to do it.

1. Make a list of your racers

Once inspection is done, write every car down in a column, one per row, with a number next to each: 1, 2, 3 and so on. If you have more than one den or club, make a separate tab for each group so they race on their own.

One tip: mix up the order before you number them. If you number cars as they arrive, siblings and carpools end up racing each other every time.

2. Make the heat chart

This is the part that seems hard, and you don't have to figure it out yourself. Open our free heat chart generator, type in how many cars and lanes you have, press Shuffle, then press Copy. Paste it into a new tab in your spreadsheet.

You'll get one row per heat, showing which car goes in which lane. Every car races once in every lane, so nobody gets stuck on the slow one. Print a copy for the starter and the lane crew.

3. Write down each finish

After every heat, type the place each car finished: 1 for first, 2 for second, and so on. You can add a column next to each lane for this, or keep a simple list with the car number and its place.

Have one person do all the typing, and have them read the places back out loud before the next heat starts. That one habit catches almost every mistake.

4. Add up the places

When all the heats are done, add up each car's places. Most spreadsheets have a Sum button that does this for you. The car with the lowest total wins, since it finished near the front most often. Sort by the total, smallest first, and you have your winners.

Wait until every heat is in before you announce anything. Halfway through, a car that has raced twice can look better than one that has raced four times.

When a spreadsheet gets hard

A spreadsheet is great for a small race. It gets harder when:

• A family shows up late, or a car doesn't show, and the chart needs redoing.
• A typo quietly gives the wrong kid a trophy.
• You have several dens or clubs to keep track of at once.
• Parents want to know when their kid is up, and the only screen is your laptop.

That's what race software is for. Derby Dashboard makes the heat chart from the cars you check in, shows the current heat on a big screen, lets a judge tap in the finish order, and adds up the standings for you. You can paste in the roster you already made, so nothing goes to waste. If you'd rather not spend anything, our list of free pinewood derby software covers the free options.