canadian speedway

Starting By the Referee's Rules

Contribution: Ian March

It is therefore necessary for the referee to pay a great deal of attention to obtaining a start that is deemed fair to all riders.

The following is what is expected and needed for that to happen.

1, All riders should come to the start area in their assigned gate positions and depending on the starters method, either wait to be brought to the start position (front wheel on a line-a distance back or whatever has been discussed at the riders meeting) or bring their wheels straight to the designated position. Once there the bike should be kept still (it may be put on the foot rest to keep the clutch cool) while the starter checks with the riders that all is well. If all is satisfactory the starter checks with the referee,-all OK- then the starter will indicate, usually by a hand gesture, that he is handing over to the referee at which point bikes and riders should be ready for the start with bikes on 2 wheels and clutches disengaged. The starter will walk to the rear of the bikes during which the engines can be spun up to the desired speed. The starting lights and gate will then be operated as discussed at the riders meeting and a perfect start will have been executed.

2. Problems however do seem to appear at the most inconvenient times. Should a rider need a legitimate moment for correction after the start has been handed to the referee the accepted procedure is to "raise his right or left hand" BEFORE the gate is raised.

The rider will then be allowed a maximum of 2 minutes before either he will be eliminated from the heat or the start handed back to the starter for his procedure to be commenced again.

3. The most common reason for the referee to delay the start is when riders ?creep?, a situation that is at a minimum annoying but worse, grossly unfair to those who are performing as expected. A rider who habitually does this might find himself being considered as unsportsmanlike and the rule book addresses such a situation.