03-15-2025.  Ranger Derby Race Report!!! 

Thank you everyone that had a part in making the SW Divisional Derby race a fun time. We had 8 churches participate with entering cars including the newest outpost in the SOMO district, Schweitzer Church, Outpost 381. Outpost 167, Ozark AOG with their team had the largest attendance. Thank you, Jim Evans, for hosting and doing the concession stand to raise money for the Pathfinders Mission trip. We had a great team of Rangers and Leaders doing the many tasks it takes to check-in, Judge, enter the racers into the computers, run cars back and forth, give out trophies, organize and start the races, setup and take down banners, signs, tables, chairs, and tracks. What a great job everyone did. Thanks also to Rob Batchman for double duty as Devotional speaker and race announcer. 124 cars were raced including 16 LEGO cars. Praise the Lord!

Report from Commander Dan Rockafellow Outpost 381   Click on a picture for a larger view.

Thanks to Commander Dan for Sharing these pictures with us.  Link to a zip file of all these pictures.

Leading up to the SWD Race our Outpost hosted 5 wed nights of Crafting.  2 of them were canceled by snow and ice.  We had a great turnout for building cars.  Our Mpact girls joined us with car crafting and they were a lot of fun.  After 30 plus years of crafting Ranger Derby cars a few years back it finally dawned on me as I was loading and unloading tools back and forth in the various churches and the prep and cleanup each wed night took that there just might be a easier way.  I converted my Box trailer to a portable Ranger Derby shop.  Bandsaw, Scroll saw, drill press, metal pot, portable drills, table top sanders and portable sanders plus the other 100 things you need along the way.  IT WAS NICE!  When we were done crafting all I had to do was pull the trailer home and unhitch until the next week.  Very Successful indeed!\

One Wed night we had over 30 there making cars.  This all happens not by chance.  It took the whole outpost, Mpact group and a loving Church that helped get it scheduled and covered.  I personally think this is one of the best events to grow a church and brothers and sisters in Christ.  Each person at each level helped get it done and it was that way to the very cleanup up the facility. Outstanding.

My part in this started a month ago going over to Ray Reece's residence and he and I worked on the track checking stuff out and getting it certified GOOD TO GO!  Ray and his Son in law Bruce so faithful to get the track and computers and such to these races and also bring cars to be in on the challenge!  I was gifted a track that we built in 1997 from Oak Gove AOG.  It had been in storage for a few years and in their remodel of 2 older buildings that will be gutted and made new in a short while.  Pastor Ron and his staff were such great help in loading and getting things going.  They also blessed me with the 6 lane track and as I drove home with the track my prayer to God was With your Help I will get this ready for the race setup tonight.  Roof leak had been running over the finish line box that had all the race and hardware in it.  Yet after 6 hours of steady work on that ole track and some sanding and painting and fixing and wiring and such with God's help it was ready! 

Friday night setup.  We had a good turnout.  12 adults or so and some youth and kids came to help out.  Everything went up fast except the computers and the track racing stuff.  On my way home I was praying God you have helped me so much today.  Can you help me with this computer issue.  With in 15 minutes at home it was acting like it would work PRAISE THE LORD!  After a restless night first thing in the morning my grandson 10 and I plugged in that track and fired it up.  It was so good to hear the computer and race hardware all working great.  I have to give God the praise.  I spoke with James Thompson who had ran the south computer and found out that besides the printer not having a driver, both tracks ran with out a hardware glitch.  PERFECT!  Sure as always registration has folk entered in the wrong class and missing folk but even that was a quick fix and it all worked great. 

My grandson and grand daughter were very excited as they both took home trophies and plaques from this event.  One liked the trophies the other like the plaques.  Thank you each and everyone.

The concession was wonderful They had a great menu and the prices were great!  The money that was raised from concessions will fund a Pathfinder trip later on in the year. 

Mark Jones, sometimes call the Town Cryer "Especially when the tracks don't run right"  this year I was the Town Praiser!