General Info
General Info
Welcome to Bolt Bash!
Thunder Basin Bolts Robotics is excited to welcome teams to Thunder Basin High School in Gillette, Wyoming for the Bolt Bash VEX V5 Robotics Competition on January 30!
Bolt Bash is designed to provide teams with a fun, competitive, and educational day of robotics. Teams will have the opportunity to compete in qualification matches, participate in Robot Skills, work with alliance partners, test strategies, and prepare for future competitions.
Our goal is to provide a well-run event that gives students plenty of opportunities to compete, learn, improve, and interact with other robotics teams from around the region.
Competition
Teams should arrive with their robots ready for inspection and should review the current VEX V5 Robotics Competition Game Manual before attending.
The event will include:
- Qualification Matches
- Robot Skills Challenge
- Alliance Selection
- Elimination/Finals Matches
- Practice field opportunities
- Final event awards
Robot Skills and practice fields will open at 9:00 AM.
Optional Team Interviews & Engineering Notebook Feedback
From approximately 9:45 AM–12:00 PM, teams may participate in optional team interviews and receive feedback on their Engineering Notebooks.
These sessions are intended to provide students with experience communicating about their robot, design process, programming, strategy, and Engineering Notebook.
Participation is completely optional and there will be no judged awards presented at Bolt Bash.
Our goal is simply to give teams an opportunity to practice the judging process and receive useful feedback that may help them prepare for future events.
What Teams Should Bring
Teams are encouraged to bring:
- Competition robot
- Controller
- Charged batteries
- Battery chargers
- Tools and spare parts
- Extension cords and/or power strips
- Engineering Notebook, if participating in notebook feedback
- Safety glasses and any other required team equipment
Please make sure all participating students and adults have completed any required VEX participant consent forms before the event.
Pits & Sportsmanship
Teams will have designated pit space during the tournament. Please help us keep the pit area clean, organized, and safe.
Bolt Bash is intended to be a positive experience for students, coaches, volunteers, and spectators. All participants are expected to follow the VEX Code of Conduct and demonstrate good sportsmanship throughout the event.
We encourage teams to meet one another, share ideas, ask questions, help other teams when appropriate, and enjoy being part of the robotics community.
Food & Lunch
A lunch break is scheduled from 12:00–12:40 PM.
Additional information regarding concessions and food options will be provided to registered teams as the event approaches.
Event Updates
Schedule changes, event announcements, and other important information will be communicated through the Bolt Bash Events.vex.com page and/or directly to registered teams.
Please check the event page as January 30 approaches for the most current information.
We are excited to welcome you to Thunder Basin High School and look forward to a great day of competition.
See you at the Bolt Bash!
Thunder Basin Bolts Robotics
Thunder Basin High School
Gillette, Wyoming
- Venue
- Thunder Basin High School
- Address
- 4001 Saunders Boulevard, Gillette, Wyoming 82718, United States
- Dates
- January 30, 2027
- Grade Level
- All
- Skills Challenge
- Yes
- Judging Format
- No Judging
Registration & Logistics
- Event Type
- Open Tournament
- Event Format
- In-Person
- Field Control
- Smart Field Control
- Capacity
- 25
- Spots Open
- 8
- Event Region
- Wyoming
- Max Registrations per Org
- 12
- Standard Registration Opens
- 16-Oct-2026 12:00 EDT
- Registration Deadline
- 15-Jan-2027 12:00 EST
- Payment Deadline
- January 23, 2027
- Price
- $25.00
Agenda
Agenda
8:30 - 9:30 Team check-in and robot inspection
9:00 Robot Skills and practice fields open
Skills Event runs from 9:00 - 1:45, or the end of qualifying rounds.
Main fields are open for practice until 9:45
9:45-12:00 Team interviews & Notebook feeback begin, offered in the back of
Gym near the bleachers. *Optional (no judged awards)
9:45 Team/Drivers meeting
10:00 - 12:00 Morning qualifying rounds (3-4 matches per team)
12:00 - 12:40 Lunch Break
12:40 - 2:00 Afternoon qualifying rounds (3-4 matches per team)
2:15 Alliance Selection
2:30 Finals Matches
3:00 Final Awards and Closing
Judging Format
Judging Format • No Judging
Volunteer
Volunteer To volunteer contact Kyle Posten at 307-534-6184.
Emergency/Bad-Weather Policy
Emergency/Bad Weather Policy Refunds will be issued if canceled due to bad weather. Make sure your contact info is up to date, as I will contact participants as soon as possible due to bad weather/road closures.