Yes, I know what you mean about having a "senior moment".
I find that as my car gets faster, it has more stuff to keep track of.
These days my staging routeen is pretty complicated:
Put on the helmet, buckel-up & roll-up the window
Do the burn-out
Crank-open the NOS bottle
Pull-up to Pre-stage
Turn-on the electric fuel pump
Cut the alturnator field (alt. off)
Arm the NOS system
Put the shifter into second gear (the tranny knows when to do the 1st-2nd shift)
Now stage it in to the right spot and set your launch RPM
Cut a good light.
Once I'm moving I just have to watch the shift light for the 2-3rd shift and watch the other car for the finish line decision. (stay in it or throw-out the anchor)
I sometimes miss racing the stockers, pull right up into the lights and wait for the other car. Cut a light, kill some time (about 20 seconds) then decide what to do at the finish line.
Life was easer back then.
DD