racer_X_123

So I would like to host a local autocross event but I don't know what to do. Has anyone done this and know how to go about it?

Permits?
Local law enforcement?
???

Squirtle

Steps:

1. Purchase cones
2. Place cones in random nonsensical pattern
3. Kill yourself



Just go to a track day man.

B.C.

Solo2

Vi37573r

Hosting an autocross is a lot more difficult then most people think. Typically you need a larger organization to front the insurance cost bills because without that, the autocross fees would be too large to attract interest. Permits from the city are typically required and also securing a location. I was thinking of hosting an autocross in Santa Barbara and that idea was shot down after I talked to the local PCA about how hard it was for them.

tcl

[font="'Comic Sans MS"]Sadly, I think Vi37573r is correct. The insurance costs are prohibitive for an independent unless you can get sponsorship from an auto manufacturer or parts supplier. Think Porsche and BMW clubs. Once you get the cones, timers, location, insurance, advertising, and permits, you have to design a meaningful course, which is probably not as easy as it sounds. If you want to host schools as a separate part of the activity, I know those typically run about $5K for the weekend, of which $1K is for instructors, including their travel, lodging and fee. Hope that helps. I'd love to see an autocross in the South Bay but I'd want to have someone else pick up the cones and fewer people on the course, and for the privilege, I'd be willing to pay $200 or $250 instead of the usual $50 plus 4 hours of cone picking.[/font]

psychoazn

Precisely why I've never autocrossed.

$75 + few hours of cone work for maybe 10 runs (~10 minutes of driving?)... I'd rather pay $80 and AutoX with Speed Ventures and not do any work at all (~25 minutes driving), or better yet, spend a bit more (~$140) and drive on a full on track, and get a ton of seat time (~2 hours).

On the other hand, I'd love to get some AutoXing done, because my low-speed car control is rather lacking, and the autocrossers always seem to transition well to a track.

I'm in if you do this.

Carbon Blue

Im a noob at this stuff but I think starting off with autox would be more beneficial wouldnt it? Flying at 100mph with cement barriers is kinda crazy for a first timer.

psychoazn

Not too many tracks local to so-cal have any places where you can hit a wall at 100mph. To add to that, a newbie wouldn't be going that fast, and beginners tend to be really cautious; its the advanced group where the wrecks happen.

But yeah, AutoX is much safer.... cone marks aren't permanent, usually.

Squirtle

First timers don't go that fast. You drive within your limits, reasonably. When you don't know the limits you crash and learn the hard way.

That being said I have seen videos of cars flipping on autocross nearly as often as on track so I wouldn't venture to say either is exactly 100% safe. I just think the extra time you get for a track day compared to time spent in a car at an autocross is more than enough reason to do HPDE instead.

racer_X_123

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of in terms of the insurance cost. Its a bummer that it is so difficult to something like this... there would be much less "racing" on the streets if this was more obtainable.