Race Start Procedure and Flags

• There will be a rider’s meeting prior to practice and qualifying. This meeting will address such things as length of the practice and qualifying sessions, possible safety hazards, the track’s entrance and exit points (Pit Out and Pit In), and other general points of interest to ensure a safe and efficient event. 

• An event schedule will be provided by the MiniGP staff at the beginning of the day’s event. This schedule will be followed for practice, qualifying, and the main events. 

• The first practice will start immediately following the rider’s meeting. 

• The qualifying sessions (grid set by order of registration in the morning) will immediately begin after the last practice session has concluded. This session will be scored for position only with each racer’s finish being used to set the main event’s starting grid. 

• Typically, an hour lunch break will be taken at around 12:30pm. 

• The races will begin immediately after lunch concludes. It is the job of the rider to be prepared for his race and know his grid position. If a rider doesn’t know his grid Position, he or she can be sent to the back row at the Track Marshal’s discretion.

Start Procedure

• All riders will enter the track at Pit Out and perform a partial warm-up lap by riding around the track to the starting grid. 

• At the beginning of each main event, the Track Marshall will be located in front of the grid on the track. It is the rider’s responsibility to know where his/her starting position is prior to the race.

• The Track Marshall will start with row 1 and work his way towards the back of grid making sure that all riders are lined up correctly.

• At anytime, the Track Marshall can wave all riders for a second warm-up lap. This is done if unforeseen events in the starting procedure are taking too long to prevent these high performance engines from overheating. 

• The Track Marshall can send a rider to the back of the grid at anytime for not knowing his/her assigned grid position. 

• When the Track Marshall has confirmed the grid is correct, he will start the signal process to start the race. 

• He will do this by walking towards the side of the track and climbing up onto the starting box. 

• The Track Marshall will turn and look at the riders with the green flag held still by his side. Once he looks towards the grid, the green flag will be waved within 3 to 8 seconds. 

• The race begins at the lifting of the green flag. 

• The motorcycle cannot move forward at anytime before the flag is waved. There are no rolling starts allowed. The bike cannot move forward until the green flag is moved. 

• The Track Marshall and other trackside MiniGP officials will be responsible for calling false starts. 

• In the event of a Red Flag, the race will be stopped and the grid will be set based on rider position from the last completed lap. The rider(s) responsible for the red flag will be allowed to restart the race, but they must do so from the back of the grid.

• Red Flag within first 3 laps - Full race restart using original grid positions - Red Flag after first 3 laps - Race restart using last lap grid placement - Red Flag 3 laps from end of race - Race is complete.

Flags

Green Flag: The green flag will be used to start the race.

Yellow Flag: The yellow flag will be used to warn riders of hazards on the track such as a down rider. There are two types of yellow flags: waving and standing.

  • Waving Yellow – Is when a yellow flag is being waved by the Track Marshal or the Corner Marshals. This signals that a HAZARD is located in this area of the track. NO PASSING ALLOWED.
  • Standing Yellow – Is when the yellow flag is displayed to the riders by the Track Marshal or the Corner Marshals, but not waved. This signals that a HAZARD exists somewhere on the track, but not a this portion. Normal race pace and passing are allowed under the Standing yellow.

White & Green Flag Crossed: The Track Marshal will cross the white and green flags and display it to the riders at the start/finish line to signal that the race has reached the halfway point.

White Flag: The white flag is a courtesy flag that signals 1 lap remains in the race.

Checkered Flag: This flag is waved by the Track Marshal at the start/finish line to signal the end of the race.

Red Flag: The red flag is displayed by the Track Marshal to signal that the race has been stopped due to a HAZARD on the track, i.e. Down rider or bike that cannot be moved or HAZARDOUS materials such as oil. All riders shall slowly reduce speed and hold up there left hand to signal to other riders their reduced pace. The riders shall then slowly circulate the remaining portion of the circuit and go to pit lane. They will be directed what to do from there.

Black Flag: The black flag will be waved at a rider to signal that a HAZARDOUS situation exists with their bike or that they have been penalized. The rider must go to pit road to have the problem repaired or serve the penalty.