Ask The Editors: How To Improve My Starts

Nerves are highest here but use this to your advantage.

Ah, yes. The start is arguably one of the most important aspects to the entire race (after all, getting out front immediately means you don’t have to worry about making passes later on) but it can also be one of the most intimidating aspects. Why? Well, we have a lot of time to think on the starting line. It’s very easy to get into our own heads with what could possibly go wrong or what will happen if we make a mistake in front of the crowd, to doubt our setup, etc.

So step one is to really work on the mental game. This is your last opportunity to focus on deep breathing and keeping your mind uncluttered. You want to stay loose and limber, relax the shoulders. Once you’re ready to start thinking, focus on what happens after that first turn. Is it a track where you come out of the corner and pin it through several gears? Is there a rhythm section you’ll be dropping into? A short-run jump?

Try not to get too far ahead of yourself on the line – we find it works well to focus on your line to that first corner then to mentally prepare for that first obstical coming out of the turn. After that, your muscle memory will take over for you.

Step two is to get used to the quads around you on the line. However many share that gate with you will be how many machines funnel into the first corner with you. Use this to your advantage. Some bumping and scraping is common but anticipating it can be the difference between holding your position and wadding up with another rider. Expect the bumps but keep your focus on your line into that corner and your approach coming out of it.

As far as gate choice is concerned, yes it’s true some positions do have a bit more or less distance to the first corner (that’s the simple reality of physics), the truth is the shortest distance is not always the best line. This is because conditions change as the day wears on and also because the moment that gate drops, there’s no way of telling where every ATV on the line is going to go. The farthest position inside is often the shortest distance to the corner but also the most likely to get pinched off when everyone converges.

Instead of trying to make these predictions in your head, look at the conditions of the track around each gate. You want whatever spot will offer the most traction. Wheelspin is the enemy of a good start. Look for a gate pick where the dirt beyond isn’t worn smooth like pavement or deeply rutted. Similarly, you don’t want a spot that’s been reduced to loose dirt or even sand. The best spot will be in the middle of the extremes.

It’s instinct to want to pin it for all its worth right away but remember that digging a hole into the Earth’s crust isn’t getting you to that first corner any faster. Similarly, you don’t want to wheelie off the line. This is why starting off in second gear often works better than first – but this is one of those situations that varies depending on the track and the conditions of the day.

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