AUTOX: Autocross Information Thread for 2004
02-15-2004, 09:38 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Helpful links
Introduction to autocross video
In-car video of current B Stock national champion Jason Saini at the 2003 National Championships
Western Washington Sports Car Council - The local sanctioning body; check here for event schedules, results, directions to event sites, and other information
WWSCC next event info
What is autocross?
Autocross is a form of motorsport competition where cars run one at a time through a temporary course defined with traffic cones. Autocross is an excellent venue for experiencing motorsport competition or simply learning about car control in a safe environment. Speeds are usually under 70 mph, and there are no obstacles or track edges to worry about -- it's unlikely that your car will come into contact with anything other than a traffic cone even if you lose control. Event entry fees are typically $25 for 3-4 timed runs of roughly 45-60 seconds each.
Many of your fellow owners are regulars at autocrosses -- look for GEARHEAD, hi50, Lig, MRS2K, shaggy, and myself at events throughout the season.
When and where
Autocrosses are almost always held on Sundays. Event days are usually split into morning and afternoon halves. Registration for the morning typically starts by 8 a.m., and runs usually wrap up by 1 p.m. Afternoon registration typically starts by noon, and runs usually complete by 5 p.m. Showing up early is strongly recommended -- it gives you more time to change tires, walk the course, and talk to people.
Autocrosses are normally held on large parking lots or airstrips. The most commonly used local sites are the Boeing 747/767 Assembly Building in Everett, and the Bremerton Motorsports Park in Bremerton. Directions to these and other sites can be found here. You may want to consider taking the ferry to Bremerton events; here are the ferry schedules for Fauntleroy (West Seattle) / Southworth and Seattle / Bremerton.
What to Bring
The essentials are just a car and a driver. Loaner helmets are available at nearly all events; in order to get a loaner helmet, just give your driver's license to the helmet master before you run. Don't forget to return the helmet afterwards, as loaner helmets are in short supply.
The following additional items are recommended for those planning on autocrossing regularly:
The first test at an autocross is arriving on time. Registration is only open during a fixed window, and more importantly, you'll want to arrive early so that you have time to get prepared. When you arrive at the event site, you need to sign a waiver form, even if you're not planning on competing.
Once you're on the event site, find a place to park your car. Don't park in any spots which have tires, a trailer, or any other miscellaneous junk piled up in front of them -- those spots have already been claimed by other people.
Your next task is to register and pay. Look for the registration desk under an awning; if you can't find it, ask another participant where it is. Once there, you will fill out a small card, called your "timing card" with your contact information and the details of your car. Filling this card out completely is very important as it will be used to record your times from the event. Make sure to pick up a course map while you're registering.
The last step of the registration process is signing up for a work assignment. Everyone who races must also spend time "working the course" -- watching to ensure participants navigate the course correctly, and replacing cones that are knocked down. Working the course is a good opportunity to watch the action up close, learn what lines that fast drivers are taking, and to meet your fellow competitors.
Once you've registered, you need to prepare for tech inspection. You must remove everything in the passenger cabin and trunk that isn't bolted down, including the floor mats, CDs, fuzzy dice, and anything else rolling around in there. If you have a spare tire in the car, consider taking it out as well to save a few pounds. If you've got magnetic numbers, put them on now.
Once your car has been emptied, you need to go to Tech Inspection to "be Teched". There should be a line of cars parked at Tech, but if you're not sure where to go, ask another participant. Take your car, timing card, and helmet (if you have one) to Tech. A tech inspector will do a cursory safety check on your car to ensure that the wheel bearings are intact, the battery is properly bolted down, the throttle return spring works, etc.; any car in good running condition should pass Tech. If your car passes, the inspector will mark your timing card accordingly.
Once you've passed Tech, park your car and walk the course. No one is allowed to drive the course before competition begins, so competitors walk the course several times in order to learn the layout. Sometimes there will be a "novice course walk", which is a course walk led by an experienced autocrosser -- if you hear a novice course walk announced, make sure to join the group.
After all that's done, wait until the driver's meeting is announced. At the driver's meeting, the event organizers will explain any special details about the day's event and describe how to work the course. After the driver's meeting, you're ready to go. Depending on the work assignment you received when you registered, you may need to get your car into Grid (where cars line up before running), walk to your work station on course, or just wait until it's your turn to run or work.
When in doubt, ask questions! Most autocrossers are happy to help first-timers and share tips, but they can't help you if they don't know where to find you.
Even more helpful links
Evolution Performance Driving School - The best known school for intermediate to expert autocrossers
Autocross setup FAQ - How to best prep your car for autocrossing
Revision History
030101 - First draft - jerrypeterson
030103 - Added in-car video and Event Day section - jerrypeterson
040215 - Major revision for 2004 season - PedalFaster
040216 - Added link to Evolution school - PedalFaster
040217 - Ferry schedules added - jerrypeterson
040220 - Link to PedalFaster's Autox setup FAQ added - jerrypeterson
040224 - And don't forget food and water - PedalFaster
040303 - Fixed typos in ferry schedules - PedalFaster
Introduction to autocross video
In-car video of current B Stock national champion Jason Saini at the 2003 National Championships
Western Washington Sports Car Council - The local sanctioning body; check here for event schedules, results, directions to event sites, and other information
WWSCC next event info
What is autocross?
Autocross is a form of motorsport competition where cars run one at a time through a temporary course defined with traffic cones. Autocross is an excellent venue for experiencing motorsport competition or simply learning about car control in a safe environment. Speeds are usually under 70 mph, and there are no obstacles or track edges to worry about -- it's unlikely that your car will come into contact with anything other than a traffic cone even if you lose control. Event entry fees are typically $25 for 3-4 timed runs of roughly 45-60 seconds each.
Many of your fellow owners are regulars at autocrosses -- look for GEARHEAD, hi50, Lig, MRS2K, shaggy, and myself at events throughout the season.
When and where
Autocrosses are almost always held on Sundays. Event days are usually split into morning and afternoon halves. Registration for the morning typically starts by 8 a.m., and runs usually wrap up by 1 p.m. Afternoon registration typically starts by noon, and runs usually complete by 5 p.m. Showing up early is strongly recommended -- it gives you more time to change tires, walk the course, and talk to people.
Autocrosses are normally held on large parking lots or airstrips. The most commonly used local sites are the Boeing 747/767 Assembly Building in Everett, and the Bremerton Motorsports Park in Bremerton. Directions to these and other sites can be found here. You may want to consider taking the ferry to Bremerton events; here are the ferry schedules for Fauntleroy (West Seattle) / Southworth and Seattle / Bremerton.
What to Bring
The essentials are just a car and a driver. Loaner helmets are available at nearly all events; in order to get a loaner helmet, just give your driver's license to the helmet master before you run. Don't forget to return the helmet afterwards, as loaner helmets are in short supply.
The following additional items are recommended for those planning on autocrossing regularly:
- A positive attitude
- Helmet (you can buy your own for under $100 at motorcycle shops)
- Warm, waterproof clothes: jackets, sweaters, umbrellas
- Sunscreen
- Lots of water and some snacks (bank on being onsite for half a day)
- Tire pressure gauge
- Air pump (available for $30-$50 at Sears or any auto parts store)
- White shoe polish (for writing your car number on your windows and marking your tires to check for correct air pressure)
- Rulebook
- Magnetic numbers and class letters (available from series sponsor Fordahl Motorsports or most sign shops)
The first test at an autocross is arriving on time. Registration is only open during a fixed window, and more importantly, you'll want to arrive early so that you have time to get prepared. When you arrive at the event site, you need to sign a waiver form, even if you're not planning on competing.
Once you're on the event site, find a place to park your car. Don't park in any spots which have tires, a trailer, or any other miscellaneous junk piled up in front of them -- those spots have already been claimed by other people.
Your next task is to register and pay. Look for the registration desk under an awning; if you can't find it, ask another participant where it is. Once there, you will fill out a small card, called your "timing card" with your contact information and the details of your car. Filling this card out completely is very important as it will be used to record your times from the event. Make sure to pick up a course map while you're registering.
The last step of the registration process is signing up for a work assignment. Everyone who races must also spend time "working the course" -- watching to ensure participants navigate the course correctly, and replacing cones that are knocked down. Working the course is a good opportunity to watch the action up close, learn what lines that fast drivers are taking, and to meet your fellow competitors.
Once you've registered, you need to prepare for tech inspection. You must remove everything in the passenger cabin and trunk that isn't bolted down, including the floor mats, CDs, fuzzy dice, and anything else rolling around in there. If you have a spare tire in the car, consider taking it out as well to save a few pounds. If you've got magnetic numbers, put them on now.
Once your car has been emptied, you need to go to Tech Inspection to "be Teched". There should be a line of cars parked at Tech, but if you're not sure where to go, ask another participant. Take your car, timing card, and helmet (if you have one) to Tech. A tech inspector will do a cursory safety check on your car to ensure that the wheel bearings are intact, the battery is properly bolted down, the throttle return spring works, etc.; any car in good running condition should pass Tech. If your car passes, the inspector will mark your timing card accordingly.
Once you've passed Tech, park your car and walk the course. No one is allowed to drive the course before competition begins, so competitors walk the course several times in order to learn the layout. Sometimes there will be a "novice course walk", which is a course walk led by an experienced autocrosser -- if you hear a novice course walk announced, make sure to join the group.
After all that's done, wait until the driver's meeting is announced. At the driver's meeting, the event organizers will explain any special details about the day's event and describe how to work the course. After the driver's meeting, you're ready to go. Depending on the work assignment you received when you registered, you may need to get your car into Grid (where cars line up before running), walk to your work station on course, or just wait until it's your turn to run or work.
When in doubt, ask questions! Most autocrossers are happy to help first-timers and share tips, but they can't help you if they don't know where to find you.
Even more helpful links
Evolution Performance Driving School - The best known school for intermediate to expert autocrossers
Autocross setup FAQ - How to best prep your car for autocrossing
Revision History
030101 - First draft - jerrypeterson
030103 - Added in-car video and Event Day section - jerrypeterson
040215 - Major revision for 2004 season - PedalFaster
040216 - Added link to Evolution school - PedalFaster
040217 - Ferry schedules added - jerrypeterson
040220 - Link to PedalFaster's Autox setup FAQ added - jerrypeterson
040224 - And don't forget food and water - PedalFaster
040303 - Fixed typos in ferry schedules - PedalFaster
Trending Topics
02-16-2004, 02:07 PM
#8
Originally posted by hi50
Love that video of Saini running at Nats.
Love that video of Saini running at Nats.
I'll be at Slush #3 in Ron's yellow Boxster S. Come on by & say HI if you show up.
Annie