Side by side testing of the Derby Magic track and a BestTrack®
In April, 2011 we purchased a 3-lane, 35 foot BestTrack® to compare to our track. We tested it against our 3 lane, 32 foot Derby Magic track. We wanted to compare how consistent the two tracks were. We used 3 Pinewood Derby® cars that a local dad had made over the years with
his sons. The cars were selected at random and were each weighted to 5.0 ounces.
We used a Derby Magic timer and the Derby Magic race manager software on each track.
The test format was as follows:
Each car raced 3 heats on the Derby Magic track, one in each lane.
Each car raced 3 heats on the BestTrack® track, one in each lane.
Each car raced 3 heats on the Derby Magic track, one in each lane.
Each car raced 3 heats on the BestTrack® track, one in each lane.
Each car raced 3 heats on the Derby Magic track, one in each lane.
Each car raced 3 heats on the BestTrack® track, one in each lane.
We set the testing up in this manner to minimize the impact of the cars degrading over several
races so we would get a fair indication of what each track was doing.
A detailed listing of the results are below, but in-short, the race times on the Derby Magic track have less than half of the variability of the BestTrack® track. The Derby Magic track is faster than the BestTrack® track.
One of the test cars would not make it all the way down the track on the BestTrack® track in any heat.
The racing surface length of the two tracks are:
Derby Magic track 30.0 feet
BestTrack® track 31.5 feet
The racing surface of the BestTrack® is 5% longer than the Derby Magic track, but the times are more than 11% longer on the BestTrack®. The longer surface on the BestTrack® does not make up for the longer race times.
Spending more money for a BestTrack® or other aluminum track will not buy a better track, it will just cost more.
Tests on the Derby Magic track
Car Num
30
Heat Time Place Lane LANE AVG. LANE MEAN LANE STD. DEV.
3 2.4175 1 1 2.4137 2.4140 0.00396
5 2.4140 1 1
9 2.4096 1 1
2 2.4242 1 2 2.4229 2.4242 0.00611
4 2.4282 1 2
8 2.4162 1 2
1 2.4062 1 3 2.4141 2.4169 0.00690
6 2.4169 1 3
7 2.4191 1 3
TRACK AVG. 2.4169 MEAN 2.4169 STD. DEV. 0.00673
29
2 2.6103 2 1 2.6164 2.6185 0.00537
4 2.6185 2 1
9 2.6204 2 1
1 2.6201 2 2 2.6158 2.6201 0.01132
6 2.6244 2 2
7 2.6030 2 2
3 2.6269 2 3 2.6151 2.6122 0.01069
5 2.6061 2 3
8 2.6122 2 3
TRACK AVG. 2.6158 MEAN 2.6185 STD. DEV. 0.00826
28
1 2.9666 3 1 2.9406 2.9666 0.09171
6 2.8387 3 1
8 3.0165 3 1
3 3.1123 3 2 3.2685 3.2933 0.14535
5 3.3998 3 2
9 3.2933 3 2
2 3.3082 3 3 3.3286 3.3252 0.02235
4 3.3252 3 3
7 3.3525 3 3
TRACK AVG. 3.1792 MEAN 3.2933 STD. DEV. 0.20055
Tests on the BestTrack® track
Car Num
30
Heat Time Place Lane LANE AVG. LANE MEAN LANE STD. DEV.
3 2.6652 1 1 2.6854 2.6688 0.0320
5 2.6688 1 1
7 2.7223 1 1
2 2.6912 1 2 2.6887 2.6912 0.0090
4 2.6788 1 2
8 2.6962 1 2
1 2.6817 1 3 2.6857 2.6817 0.0071
6 2.6814 1 3
9 2.6939 1 3
TRACK AVG. 2.6866 MEAN 2.6817 STD. DEV. 0.0171
29
2 3.0882 2 1 3.0912 3.0882 0.0581
4 3.1507 2 1
9 3.0346 2 1
1 3.0841 2 2 3.1070 3.1143 0.0202
6 3.1143 2 2
7 3.1225 2 2
3 3.0605 2 3 3.0514 3.0565 0.0125
5 3.0565 2 3
8 3.0371 2 3
TRACK AVG. 3.0832 MEAN 3.0841 STD. DEV. 0.0400
28
1 9.9999 3 1 Did not finish any race on the BestTrack®
6 9.9999 3 1
8 9.9999 3 1
3 9.9999 3 2
5 9.9999 3 2
9 9.9999 3 2
2 9.9999 3 3
4 9.9999 3 3
7 9.9999 3 3
BestTrack® is a registered trademark of SRM Enterprises, Inc.