How do you handle staging? What is the courtesy or rule regarding who stages first? This question comes up every now and then.

Different drivers will require a different amount of time to stage their cars. Some are naturally slow stagers. This means they want to delicately place the car in the same spot every time so they are careful to "bump" into the right spot. When matched against an opponent that is not a slow stager, this can be a disadvantage as if the opponent stages quickly, it puts a little pressure on you to stage quicker so you don't get caught by surprise by the tree.

Here the tree shows the car staged with both sets of lights on for this C3 belonging to Bob Hollingshead

It is okay to approach the tree 1st. Try not to light the first set of lights until your opponent has a started to approach the tree. The generally accepted courtesy is to light up the first set of lights and wait for your opponent to do the same. Once both drivers have the first set of lights on, usually the first one in lights the second set but either one can do it.

What about Deep staging

Staging Etiquette Courtesy

1. Autostart - Autostart will be activated when one driver has lit both their pre-stage and stage bulbs, and the second driver lights their pre-stage bulb. When three sets of stage bulbs are lit, a timer in the computer will begin counting down. The un-staged driver will have 10 seconds to fully stage their car. Failing to stage the car within the 10 seconds will result in a disqualification of that driver. Once both drivers are fully staged, the tree will start automatically between 1.2 and 1.7 seconds. The starting line official will not override the autostart, which used to be the case when one or both drivers wanted to deep stage.
2. Deep Staging - Raceway Park will still allow deep staging; however will no longer hold the tree for a deep staging driver. This means if a driver wishes to stage deep, he/she must get in and stage first. Since Raceway Park will no longer hold the tree, there is no longer a need to write "DEEP" on your car as it will not be acknowledged. If you must go deep be aware when the tree has all four sets of stage lights on, you are on the 1.2 to 1.7 clock (see above).
3. Courtesy Staging - Corvette Challenge racers are expected to be courteous to their opponents as we have always been. Drivers should wait until both have lit the pre-stage bulbs before fully staging. If you intend to go deep, since it is no longer written on your car, please advise your opponent that you wish to do this so that you each can factor this into staging.

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modified: December 31, 1969 - 7:00 pm