A system for clearing a feeder house and a belt pickup, comprising: an agricultural combine wherein the agricultural combine comprises a feeder house, wherein the feeder house extends forward from the agricultural combine and has a feeder house belt conveyor disposed inside the feeder house, wherein the agricultural combine also comprises a first operator input device; a belt pickup with a frame having an aperture through which cut crop material is conveyed, an auger conveyor supported on the frame and configured to convey cut crop material to the feeder house belt conveyor through the aperture, and a first belt conveyor supported on the frame and disposed in front of the auger conveyor to convey cut crop material to the auger conveyor, a pickup conveyor arranged to engage a windrow of cut crop material, lift it up, carry it rearward and to deposit it on the first belt conveyor, and a first motor coupled to the first belt conveyor to drive the first belt conveyor; a variable drive coupled to the feeder house belt conveyor and to the auger conveyor to synchronously drive the feeder house belt conveyor and the auger conveyor; and an ECU coupled to the variable drive, to the first motor, and to the first operator input device, and wherein the ECU in response to a signal from the first operator input device is configured to first accelerate the feeder house belt conveyor and the auger conveyor to their operating speed in a first stage of operation, and then to subsequently accelerate the first belt conveyor to its operating speed over a first pre-programmed time delay interval in a second and successive stage of operation. an agricultural combine wherein the agricultural combine comprises a feeder house, wherein the feeder house extends forward from the agricultural combine and has a feeder house belt conveyor disposed inside the feeder house, wherein the agricultural combine also comprises a first operator input device; a belt pickup with a frame having an aperture through which cut crop material is conveyed, an auger conveyor supported on the frame and configured to convey cut crop material to the feeder house belt conveyor through the aperture, and a first belt conveyor supported on the frame and disposed in front of the auger conveyor to convey cut crop material to the auger conveyor, a pickup conveyor arranged to engage a windrow of cut crop material, lift it up, carry it rearward and to deposit it on the first belt conveyor, and a first motor coupled to the first belt conveyor to drive the first belt conveyor; a variable drive coupled to the feeder house belt conveyor and to the auger conveyor to synchronously drive the feeder house belt conveyor and the auger conveyor; and an ECU coupled to the variable drive, to the first motor, and to the first operator input device, and wherein the ECU in response to a signal from the first operator input device is configured to first accelerate the feeder house belt conveyor and the auger conveyor to their operating speed in a first stage of operation, and then to subsequently accelerate the first belt conveyor to its operating speed over a first pre-programmed time delay interval in a second and successive stage of operation.