These questions come up a lot in other threads so I'm going to try and answer them all in one place. I'll add more later if necessary. [8D]

What is Autocross?
A driving skill competition, one car at a time, typically on a course marked with cones on a large paved surface. It's a fun, easy, and safe way to get into racing.

Who organizes these events?
The Sports Car Club of America's Solo program is probably the biggest. Other car-specific clubs in your area may host events too.

What do I need to do to participate?
Typically, you can just show up on the day of the event, and compete. Your region may have online pre-registration, check their website.

How much does it cost?
It varies by region but should be in the range of $20-$30 per event. You might even get a t-shirt. If you place high enough to win you may get a trophy or plaque (every region does something different).

Can I just watch?
Sure, you might want to spectate if you've never done this before. There will probably be a designated spectator area near the course. But be prepared to regret not getting there early enough to compete!

So how does it work?
Typically it will go like this:
- Before you get there, check your oil, put extra air in your tires (40-45 PSI)
- Show up, find a parking spot in the pit area
- Go to registration, pay, give them your info
- Empty all items out of your car and go to tech inspection (they will double-check things like your battery tiedown, wheel bearings, throttle return spring, etc.)
- Walk the course! Do it more than once if you have the time.
- Go to the novice meeting and the drivers' meeting. Pay attention!
- Do your runs, and your work assignments. The format for this may vary, your region might do run-work or they might do heats. Either way, you'll be doing some driving and some working. Working is usually just picking up cones on course. You can learn a lot by watching the more experienced drivers on course.
- Your fastest run of the day will be used for scoring. If you hit a cone you get a two second penalty. If you go off course (miss a gate or go the wrong way) that run will not be timed.

Who will I be competing against?
SCCA groups similar cars together into classes. It's based on both what car you drive and what modifications you've done. Yes, the rule book is long and complicated, but for a quick overview, read this: http://www.scca.com/_filelibrary/Fil...categories.pdf
It will be to your advantage to know your class BEFORE you show up -- classing is the responsibility of the competitor, not registration or tech.

Is my car good enough to do this? It's not fast.
That's fine, there are classes for stock cars. It's more about skill than flat-out speed, this isn't drag racing. Some of the best drivers you see will be competing in stock cars, and they'll probably kick your butt!

I've never done this before, will I look like a noob?
Don't worry, everyone had their first event once. People are generally helpful and encouraging. We love novices! Again, your region may have their own way of doing this, but there's probably a novice class for you to compete in. They might hold a special novice meeting and course walk for the new people. You should be able to take instructors along with you on your runs -- this is very valuable! Listen to your instructors, you'll learn a lot from them.

Will I break my car?
Short answer, no. You won't hit another car, and the courses all follow safety guidelines to keep you away from curbs, trees, and lampposts. If you're under control, you're not going to wreck your tires. The speeds are nothing more than what you reach on the highway. I attended about 18 events last summer, with 80-120 cars at each one, and the whole year I only saw ONE street-driven car that had to be towed home. That's it! And he was back the next week. So, I'm not saying you won't break anything, but the chances are low. Let me put it this way, you could break your car while racing and having fun, OR you could break it just while driving down the street like everyone else in the world.

I want to get into autocross and I have some money to spend. What should I buy?
The best thing to do is to NOT start changing your car every week. You'll learn more if your car is consistent. Yes, you can upgrade things to make the car faster, but we're trying to make the DRIVER faster here!
If this is your first season, I suggest you spend your money on:
- a SCCA membership (around $75/year)
- a helmet, so you don't have to use the loaners (Snell 1995 or newer, I have the HJC CS-5, it's about $60)
- a good alignment if you haven't had one lately ($50-$80)
- a driving school. Your region may offer this for novices, it is well worth the money, as it will be the most instruction you will get all year! If you have the opportunity to go to one, don't pass it up. The price will vary, I think I paid $40 last year for the whole day of driving.

Links

General Info

http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm good intro, long
http://www.soloracer.com/autoxguide.html good intro, shorter
http://www.scca.com/Inside/Index.asp...gionalSites&~= find a SCCA region
http://www.grmotorsports.com/ Grassroots Motorsports magazine, get a free issue!

Rules and Classing

http://www.scca.com/_filelibrary/Fil...categories.pdf SCCA quick classing guide
http://www.scca.com/_FileLibrary/File/2007SoloRules.pdf SCCA full rulebook for 2007
http://www.scca-milwaukee.org/Solo/2...rClass2007.pdf SCCA Milwaukee quick classing guide
http://www.scca-milwaukee.org/Solo/c...sification.pdf SCCA Milwaukee car modification worksheet

Equipment and Car Setup

http://www.soloracer.com/autoxchecklist.html what to bring
http://www.wtrscca.org/tech.htm suspension/tire/handling guide
http://www.redshiftmotorsports.com/S...lts.asp?Cat=12 88-91 Civic setup for STS, good info in general
http://www.soloracer.com/articles.html more info on tires, wheels, seats, helmets, harnesses

More questions?

 

i hear this one a lot..

'what if i damage my car while autocrossing??'

or...

'if i win.. what do i get?'

 

updated.

 

added more links too.

 

Here's a pretty good site, too. Good info on set-up, allowed mods, etc. I particularly liked reading the set-up for a former National Champion's HS Civic Si.

http://www.autocross.com/