So what is this Autocross business anyway?

You can get the official dictionary definition here on the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) website. Who knows why but the SCCA calls Autocross, "Solo". A more relatable way to describe Autocross is as a roller coaster you get to control. It is an adrenaline rush behind the wheel of just about any car you own!

At the Wiregreass region we setup a course with traffic cones first thing event day, drivers register at the control tent, walk the course to learn where to go and then prepare their cars for competition.

The participants are split into two groups. One group works various tasks that help the event run smoothly and the other half gets to drive the course. Don't worry once the group driving is done with their chances at the course the group stuck working gets to drive. What it is like behind the wheel of your car at an Autocross is tough to explain. It is tense. It is frantic. It is very hard to get everything right. But, it is a heck of a lot of fun. Check out the video to get a little taste of the experience.

The video should give you an idea of what an Autocross course is like and a sense of the speed that is reached during an attempt. You may or may not have noticed the car is almost completely alone on course. This is intentional. At an Autocross the speeds are kept to highway levels or lower and you are not competing with the other drivers in a door to door competition, like NASCAR or road racing. When there are other cars on course there is a gap large enough to provide an acceptable safety cushion. Autocross is probably the safest way to get to drive your car at the limit. Usually the only damage done to a car and driver during an Autocross is tire wear and bruising of the driver's ego. Keep in mind stuff does and has happened. However, with the Wiregrass region safety is a top priority. The last thing from the video worth pointing out is the workers out on course. Their first priority is safety. They have a red flag that can be waved at anytime to signal to the cars on course to immediately stop. Their second major function is to return struck cones to their proper places so all the drivers have the same exact course. 



Examples of Penalties!
Course workers have to return these cones to the box they came from.
Close Call!Not a Penalty! Still touching the box.
Course workers need to pay attention! This cone needs to be squared up for the next car!

Hopefully this brief description gives you a better idea of what Autocrossing is about. You are welcome to come out to an event and just watch, or ask to ride with someone. You will enjoy yourself more if you participate as a driver! Check out the schedule, show up to our site, sign the wavier and start Autocrossing!

Thank you.
The Web Master

 

 Here is proof you don't need a performance car to Autocross. Yep, it is a Yaris!