Rolling Starts are Lame: Let's Start Standing!

[D. Heimgartner]

Very few other sports use a rolling start. Almost every sport I can think off use standing starts: be it horse racing, olympic swimming, marathon running, outrigger canoeing. Only yachting use a moving start...

Understandably, the tradition in America is having rolling starts. But they are (IMHO) significantly less compelling that having the grid line-up, revving their engines in a rising crescendo, to wait for the lights to go out.

The whole point of a race is to start (i.e. to set into motion). Why do it with momentum? A standing start also allows for a more orchestrated line-up. Currently only the first few rows of the grid run abreast to a green flag. The rest of the grid is generally an utter mess (especially with Champcar).

Thus, I would like to see standing starts at all tracks (including at Indy). I understand this will face serious opposition and ridicule form many here. So perhaps we could find a middle-ground by having standing starts only at road and streets courses.

[Chris Paff]

Great idea alienate the American racing fan..

[MarkDonohueFan]

If your going an honest 300, 400, 500 miles, then why?

Standing starts are for the 180 mile gigs the Euros put up.

Please!

[Kurt Cobain]

Great idea alienate the American racing fan..

I'm with Chris on this one...sort of.

Keep rolling starts with American racing. It's exciting and unique for the openwheel formula. But I do love the standing starts as well, but let's keep that in F1 and the rest of the world.

Should it come back for the Atlantic Series, I wouldn't mind. I don't believe it would alienate the American fan, but l'd rather see the rolling starts here.

[don7031]

Well, a standing start is just about the only way they'll have the field of 33 aligned coming off of four. The year when Barnhart let them take the green coming around four single file was awful.

[SeeUinMay]

Whoa!!! Could you even begin to imagine the mess at Indy if say, starter #5 stalled?? Thats just way too many cars in way too narrow a space.

[gbfan]

Rolling Starts!!! No standing starts, we are not F1 and don't want to be...

[Gomer Simpson]

Thus, I would like to see standing starts at all tracks (including at Indy).

Drugs are bad...mmm k.

[Cygni]

A combo would be perfect, I think. Variety is good. Do standings at the perm road course facilities that can support them.

[SLKRR]

Are you actually suggesting standing starts for ovals...? Um, no.

On (some) road courses they work very well, but ovals need to be rolling. Watching a standing start at the Indy 500 would suck in ways that go beyond all previously known suckage...

[paul-collins]

I think standing starts would be a great addition.

[jdessar]

NO STANDING STARTS IN INDYCAR RACING!!!

Hey, how about some rolling starts in F1?

Maybe at Spa?

Or Monaco!!!!!!

[PHJIndy]

h

[D. Heimgartner]

Why would anyone want to have a rolling start? Other than tradition there's not a lot of justification for it. It generally produces motley starts... Sure, standing starts have their inherent issues (stalling, running into the back of a stalled car). But these issues can be minimized through practice and procedure. Also, if the grid is spaced out, few collisions will occur.

[flatlander_48]

There are very few ovals where you could do standing starts. Some tracks are too narrow. Some tracks have some banking on the straights. Some tracks have tri-ovals. All of these characteristics would make standing starts difficult.

[rrrr]

Whoa!!! Could you even begin to imagine the mess at Indy if say, starter #5 stalled?? Thats just way too many cars in way too narrow a space.

I was pulling the battery cart on a car that started 2nd on the grid in an IRL race and it stalled on the rolloff.....before we got it fired every car had gone by, the last ones easily rolling over 100 MPH.

I can testify that it's possible to be scared ****less and still wave your hands over your head at a rapid rate......or maybe because? Hitting a stalled car would make hella mess......

Nothing wrong with rolling starts IMO and a standing start has pretty much nothing but negative outcome possibilities.......ain't worth it.

[kikigirl]

What about rolling on ovals, standing on road/street courses?
(just throwing out the idea)

[Craigar1]

Well, a standing start is just about the only way they'll have the field of 33 aligned coming off of four. The year when Barnhart let them take the green coming around four single file was awful.

I'm not for standing starts, but you bring up a good point. In Sprint Cars, midgets, etc., they routinely waive off the start for a poorly grouped field.

In big time racing, it seems like if the front row is in shape they throw the green no matter what.

It seems like if one or two times is they wouldn't flag it, they could ensure orderly starts.