Red Flag Restart

I like the concept of what they did. It just needs refinement. Hopefully it won't happen again any time soon.

I thought what they did yesterday worked well…a little scary for the AMA official getting an ankle run over by an over enthusiastic rider…but it seemed to work better then staggered in SX where you get guys jammed up right off.  If they did SX like this then you are cleared to race once released down the start straight would be better….all imo.

….maybe get a big traxxis remote truck with a waving green flag to roll by the riders at a moderate pace vs a dude risking limb…

Start straight sure seemed long enough for 40 bikes 🤷‍♂️

I agree, it's great to keep the running order intact.   The method of a guy running along in front of the riders seems unprofessional and likely to eventually end badly.  The straight is plenty long for them to start out single file, or you could even setup a gate (like a ski gate or just two flags in the ground) and require the riders to go through it single file. 

A sequentially-falling starting gate would be away, but probably more cost than would be viable. 

Yesterday's method is a terrible idea from an insurance providers perspective.  Having a human run across ruts in front of raging bulls is never a good idea.  It worked, but the other method involves less risk and there's plenty of space on the start to line them up as pictured above.

I like the idea of it, but it might need some tweaking.

Could they somehow mount a light or something on each gate? It would only be used for staggered restarts? Have them go a specific time apart, 0.5 seconds, 1 second, whatever they choose. It would be equal, and no risk of the AMA guy tripping or getting run over by mistake.

The concept from yesterday was great, but they need to use a machine so it is automated and less risk of a middle-aged dude falling down or getting run over. 

Can they not set up the timer on the gates to drop .5 seconds apart from left to right?

I realize this would be a lot of work and rarely used, but what if you had it where the gates could drop individually on a set timer. It would start with the guy that was in first all the way down to 40th and you leave when your gate drops.  I have no idea how it would work or even if it’s possible, but it seems a lot safer than some guy walking in front of 40 bikes. 

All I gotta say is Starting blocks are so stupid but using for red flag starts even more. I hate starting devices too end rant  

Timed start gates that drop individually according to the time you were behind the rider in front on the last lap before the red flag. Would be a fairly simple system to design in this day and age. 

What about a slow rolling start? They could leave the gate as they did this weekend but ride slowly until they pass a flagger (maybe at the apex of the first turn). It would give them time to be lined up before accelerating hard and gives the officials time to make sure that they are in line. No one needs to run in front of the bikes at all?

The Red flag was very unfortunate, not only for the down rider but the fans - the racing prior to the red flag was some of the best dicing we have seen in years!! 4 guys within 2-3 seconds of the leader 8+ minutes into the moto.

To everyone saying timed individual gate drops, get ready for troubleshooting a PLC board for 2 hours when it decides to not drop gates 3, 17, 29 and 39, and several more won't even come up. All this after completely redesigning every gate and running all the wires/solenoids that definitely won't take any abuse getting run over daily and out in the elements.

Keep it simple.

Interesting idea but as others have pointed out it looked super janky and unprofessional. When he ran behind the sign thing in front of the box he almost tripped too. Would be a lot better if they all racked back up behind the gates from first to last down the starting gates and the gates fell one by one all the way down the line. 

Not sure how hard it would be to implement, but theyd need to modify the gates. If they did that though then they could use it for sx, mx, and smx and could have the exact same restart procedure for all 3 series vs now where its different. Feel like that would fix it once and for all. Plus then whenever you get a red flag youre just going back to ripping a normal gate start again like you always do and are used to, instead of doing a 1 off unique starting sequence.

I honestly thought it was going to be a cluster, but was impressed with how it turned out. 

Op has a solution looking for a problem. What they did worked fine. He had to do a quick step at the doghouse, I don't know how you could automate that.

I don't know why they don't just line up in a line in the order they was and do a rolling start where you cannot pass or jump till the green flag files just like they do in practice just no passing till you get across that line.

I was thinking if he held the flag in his other hand behind him it might have been safer for his ankles. It was much better than previous procedure though 

I like the idea of a mechanical gate that slides open across the start gate. Or maybe drive a tractor across. The dude on foot seems a little too '70s for me, and like someone said must be an insurance nightmare.

I don't like the idea of 40 independently-timed gates, although ideally it would be best. Someone would complain every singe race that his gate didn't drop as fast as all the others.

everyone acting like this is chicken licks raceway. these are pro riders and it worked as designed and the risk is overblown. it was fine. and 10x better than the single file line shit they do in supercross. the only serious or logical improvement needed is maybe a mule/UTV across in front of the gates to release them

This is what I thought and it could also be more consistent across the line. 

I kept thinking, what happens if dude trips as he's running and pointing at each rider. Maybe have a Sxs or 4wheeler ride across to avoid that kind of situation. I always thought the same when girls who hold the 30 second board wore heels 

As many others said, same procedure, but use a mule instead of a guy on foot. It would go a little faster too.

Whatever the case, that was way better than a full restart. 

Don’t know if it’s the best option but they did say several times that this is how qualifying is set up so they are pretty well rehearsed.

That's how they start the Hattah 0.57...

I think it would be better if he just runs with the start stick behind him... not in front. I was waiting for him to get clipped. 

What would happen if it’s super muddy? 

Or how about no guy getting ran over or fancy gates... but you simply can't go until the guy next to you has crossed the gate... no ones ankles at risk then...