DerbyNet
Open-source Pinewood Derby race management, built around a web server and database
Open-source Pinewood Derby race management, built around a web server and database
DerbyNet is the new standard in race management software for Pinewood Derby events. It's free, and it's open source. With DerbyNet, multiple browsers connect to a web server running on your laptop or in the cloud.
If you're still using something else, you, and your audience, are missing out!
A typical deployment might have:
Laptops or tablets at the check-in desk updating the state of the roster in the database in real time;
One or more stations capturing photos of racers and/or race cars;
An event dashboard running on the race coordinator's tablet, from which s/he can see the overall state of the event, control information displays, generate racing schedules, and directly control racing by group;
DerbyTimer, a small cross-platform program forming the link between the track timer and the web server.
A main race display projected onto a large screen showing the entrants in the current heat and the heat results;
A webcam triggers an "instant replay" immediately upon each heat's finish.
Smart TVs acting as supplemental information displays ("kiosks" or digital signage) providing additional race details and statistics, updated in real time.
DerbyNet is:
Free: There's nothing to pay for. There are no licensing costs or subscription fees, no payments at all.
Distributed: Support as many check-in stations as you need, and as many information presentations. Computers, tablets, laptops, TV displays, or even phones connect to a small, local web server, running on one laptop or computer, to access live race information. The web server can even be hosted on a Raspberry Pi3 for a truly turn-key set-up!
Multi-platform: Anything that has a browser can connect to DerbyNet: smart TVs, laptops, tablets, you name it. The DerbyNet web server itself can be hosted on Mac, Windows, or Linux, and requires minimal computational resources.
Open Source: If you'd like the software to work a little differently, or look a little differently, you're welcome to change it. (Some skill required, but not necessarily a lot.)
DerbyNet offers a wide range of features and capabilities, many not found elsewhere:
Multiple displays, simultaneously presenting different information to the audience, all controlled from one tablet-friendly dashboard.
Integrated photo capture at the check-in/registration station.
Race Scheduling using Young and Pope "Partial Perfect-N" charts
Automatically calculates standings and results, updated in real time.
Special "On Deck" display to help your car wranglers get ahead of the action.
Real-time updates for check-in progress, including a "Please Check-In" display identifying who's yet to check in
A slideshow display continuously updated as more racers check in.
An award presentation display including car and racer photos
Easy export of results to spreadsheet form.
DerbyNet supports the following popular pinewood derby timers:
The heart of DerbyNet is implemented as a standards-compliant web server, which you can host on nearly any platform (Mac, Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi). We provide step-by-step directions for setting up your web server (see the Builds & Documentation link at the top of the page).
Once the web server is set up, you can use anything that supports a browser (laptops, tablets, smart TVs) to connect to the server and display or manipulate (with passwords) the data.
DerbyNet has been "battle tested," having been used to run both pack and district events in standalone configuration, as in other events as a supplement to GPRM.
Although DerbyNet is a full-featured race management system on its own, if you already use GrandPrix Race Manager (Pro or Lite or whatever), DerbyNet can connect to the same database used by GPRM. That means you can adopt DerbyNet to provide enhanced features (remote displays, etc.) while continuing to use your existing GPRM installation. (Please note that DerbyNet is not endorsed or supported by Lisano Enterprises, LLC., the makers of GrandPrix Race Manager. Don't confuse DerbyNet with the commercial GPRM product, "DerbyWeb.")
