The Starting Line: What Is Rollout?

What is rollout and how does it affect my ET?

Rollout in drag racing refers to the distance your bike travels after lighting the 2nd stage light and before leaving the stage beams. This distance significantly affects both your reaction time and elapsed time (ET).

When you approach the starting line and light the pre-stage bulbs, you have approximately 6 inches to roll forward before lighting the stage bulbs. Shallow staging (barely turning on the stage bulbs) gives you around 11 ¾ inches to travel before leaving the stage beams, effectively providing a rolling start. This results in a longer reaction time but a quicker ET because of the running start on the timers.

Conversely, deep staging (rolling forward until almost leaving the staging area) shortens the distance to travel before the ET starts. While this gives a quicker reaction time, it slows down the ET as there's less of a rolling start. The decision to shallow or deep stage depends on personal strategy and the class rules of the organization or track.

In summary, rollout is the distance covered between lighting the 2nd stage light and leaving the stage beams. Shallow staging grants a rolling start, affecting reaction time and ET, while deep staging minimizes the running start but quickens reaction time. It's crucial to maintain consistency in your staging approach, whether shallow or deep, throughout time runs and eliminations. Additionally, be cautious of potential red lights resulting from creeping backward when too shallow or creeping forward when too deep.

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