crazy start procedures

[rallycross]

What's the craziest start process you have seen to a race?

I just found this old clip from Monaco in the 1960's and the guy starting the race comes up with a load of crazy hand signals to the grid, then stands in the middle of the grid (not far off the front row).... then raises and drops the flag and runs for his life!

Crazy stuff before we had red lights and a switch! What other crazy start line antics have you seen?

fast forward to 14 mins 50 seconds to see the start:

https://youtu.be/x5v9ZRckZFA

[nicanary]

I'm pretty sure the starter is Louis Chiron, former GP driver of some standing, and a resident of Monaco. He always did that, relying on his sprightliness to get out of the way in time (no automatic clutch dumping in those days, so cars took time to get away). All before Health & Safety came along to nanny us all.

[grumpy52]

Handicap races can be fun especially on some of the shorter circuits . Often done buy the head time keeper / handicapper from the grid with a flag ( National Flag) and stop watch . I have seen them running up the steps / over the bank / barriers as the first on the road passes to start lap two .
They did try having someone go onto the track to red flag the jump starts in rallycross, all was fine with the lower classes but common sense came into play with the supercars which at the time were the fastest thing off the line outside top fuel dragsters .