Posts
713
Joined
12/27/2010
Location
GB
Edited Date/Time
10/27/2014 2:16pm
I'm sure most of you have seen it when there is a failure with the start gate and some of the gates don't drop so usually they restart the race. I always wonder though, what if only one of the gates didn't drop, would the organisers still red flag and restart? In theory they should restart every time until all the gates drop together to make it fair for everyone. I've seen it where races have had to be restarted 2-3 times in a row because gates kept staying up.
Anyone ever had any experiences with this, whether it be from a rider or an organiser point of view? Imagine you won the first 2 races of the day and then in the final race your gate didnt drop and the organisers didn't restart, what would you do and how far would you go to get the situation rectified? Do you just go around the gate and try to make as many passes as possible or do you go straight to the organisers/starter or whoever and complain at the risk of being told "just get on with it" and missing any chance you had to salvage the race? Just something I've always thought about.
Anyone ever had any experiences with this, whether it be from a rider or an organiser point of view? Imagine you won the first 2 races of the day and then in the final race your gate didnt drop and the organisers didn't restart, what would you do and how far would you go to get the situation rectified? Do you just go around the gate and try to make as many passes as possible or do you go straight to the organisers/starter or whoever and complain at the risk of being told "just get on with it" and missing any chance you had to salvage the race? Just something I've always thought about.
Little billy who makes up the numbers' gate doesn't drop = nothing
That's the sad reality of motocross, and I've seen this both at my local amateur races and professional too.
On another note, do I not remember at a national a few years ago that Pourcel and maybe one or two others' gates bounced of the start causing them to get held up? I remember a few complaints at the time but nothing was ever done about it. I wonder what the official rule is, the gate not dropping or the gate not malfunctioning correctly (the latter probably applicable in pourcel's case).
The Shop
I did find this video, as you can see it completely messes your race up if they don't restart. Unless there is video evidence or someone witnesses it then the organisers might not even realise.
Pit Row
In the British 500GP in about 1992(?) Kurt Nicoll's gate didn't drop at Hawkstone Park. It was still standing there, erect, as he complained to officials. They did nothing. After like a lap or two he eventually re-joined the race. He was so far back, and incredibly pissed off, that he pulled out. He went on to lose the series by a couple of points to Jobe.
However In a previous British championship race in the 80s Dave Thorpe's gate didn't drop. He complained. The race was re-started.
I found the video of Pourcels gate bouncing, go to about 41:30 to see it and hear Pourcel talk about it.
Post a reply to: What if your gate doesn't drop?