We had the same thing at Thunder Valley back in the 60's, and (of course) it was called the "Hot Car Gate"! Push cars would bring them through the gate, give them a push start, then they'd go down to the starting line, do their U-turn, burn out, a dry hop, then launch them suckers!!!!!!!!! The rest of us came through the staging lanes, pulled on the strip, backed into the 'water box' which was a low spot in the blacktop, then went up to the lights with a couple dry hops along the way!!!!