So, now you’ve seen the moto sheets to determine your moto number as well as your gate numbers/lane assignments. And you know how many and how riders will transfer from each of your qualifying rounds. Let’s stage ‘em up!
Staging is that area comprising the back of the start hill, the starter’s booth or tower, the starting pad, and the start gate itself. A track official or “stager” will be on hand to help remind you of your lane assignment and guide you into a staging “chute” and then onto the gate when it is your moto’s turn to race. Each of the gates or lanes should be clearly numbered 1–8, with Gate 1 always on the inside lane and Gate 8 always on the outside lane of each track. For tracks with a right-hand first turn, Gate 1 is the farthest right. For tracks with a left-hand first turn, Gate 1 is farthest left.
The starting gate is hydraulically powered and is synced with both the starter’s vocal CADENCE and 4 starting lights that will flash red, yellow, yellow, and green to signal the dropping of the gate. That’s when you go!