Autocross Guide

Introduction

“Solo®” is the brand name for SCCA® Sanctioned AutoCross Events and on paper it seems very simple – use traffic cones to make a mini-roadcourse in a large parking lot or unused airport tarmac and see who can drive it the quickest without hitting any cones or going off course.

Despite the generally low speeds attained during competition, it's one of the fastest paced, rapid-fire forms of motorsports you can find, with barriers to entry so low that many people are able to compete and be competitive at it.

Competitors range from the casual participant who may use the same daily driver that they car-pool with to the hard-core driver who has a special car, special tires and uses lots of vacation days to squeak out every last fraction of a second. In between the extremes, there are levels and classes for different degrees of car modification.

If you have never autocrossed before or don't know the specific details, check out the "I want to Autocross" SCCA Official page. It will give you the basics of participating in an event. Don't worry; it's pretty easy and there are people to help along the way.

What to bring

R = Required, O = Optional

R
Driver's License
R
Payment
R
Closed Toe Shoes
R
Numbers/Tape
O
Helmet*
O
Tire Gauge
O
Sunscreen
O
Lunch Plans
O
Air Compressor

*Please see Helmet Certification Label Chart for qualifying helmets. Helmets are required; if you do not bring a qualifying helmet, we provide loaner helmets.

Preparing your car

R = Required, O = Optional

R
No loose items
R
Sufficient fuel
R
Undamaged tires
R
Battery secured
R
Functional seatbelts
R
Functional brakes
R
Functional steering and suspension
R
All wheel lugs present and tightened
R
No fluid leaks
R
Numbers and Class
O
Securely mounted action camera
O
Clean windshield







General Event Itinerary

  • 4 Days Prior Course Map Published
  • - Day of Event
  • 7:30 AM Event Setup Begins
  • 8:00 AM Online Registration Closes
  • 8:00 AM On-Site Registration and Participant Check-In Opens
  • - (All Participants are Required to Check-In)
  • 8:15 AM Vehicle Tech Opens
  • 9:00 AM On-Site Registration and Participant Check-In Closes
  • 9:15 AM Vehicle Tech Closes
  • 9:15 AM Novice Course Walk
  • 9:45 AM Safety Steward Course Walk
  • 10:00 AM Driver's Meeting (All Drivers are Required to Attend)
  • 10:15 AM Cars to Grid and Workers to Stations
  • 10:30 AM First Car On Course
  • ~ 3:30 PM Last Car Out

Driving the course

Driving Coaches

At CENLA, we have a number of experienced drivers to assist as Driving Coaches. All you have to do is leave your hazards on in grid and they will hop in and ride with you before you go out on your run.

Pointer Cones

The cones that are lying down are directional cones or, "pointers." They act as arrows to tell you which side of the cone to go on. If you happen to go on the wrong side of these pointer cones the penalty applied is considered a "Did Not Finish" (DNF). Your time will still display but does not count for the competition.





Hitting a cone

Each cone position is marked with a chalk outline known as a "box.". If your car causes a cone to fall over or get knocked completely out of its box, it's a 2-second penalty. If a driver runs over or bumps a cone and it stands back up or doesn't fall over no penalty is applied as long as some part of the cone is still touching the box. Hitting pointer cones do not count as penalties.







Red Flag

If you are driving and you see a red flag being waved (anywhere), quickly bring your car to a safe stop. When a course worker clears you, you may proceed to drive through the finish timers and return to grid. If the red flag was not your fault, your run will not count and you will get a rerun.

Spinning Out or Getting Lost

If you spin out or get lost on course, do not forget to drive through the finish timers. This prevents timing errors and ensures the event continues smoothly.

Worker stations

RoleDescriptionRadio#
Corner CaptainRelay penalty information to timing. Controls red flag and oversees corner workers.Yes4-5
Corner Worker*Runs to reset cones and report penalties to captain.No12-15
Start Lines up cars at starting line for release.Yes1
GridSends cars to start.Yes1-2
Safety StewardOversees safety of event.Yes1
TimingOversees timing software and assigns penalties.Yes1-2
Driving CoachFastest driver from previous event rides with drivers requesting coachingNo1
AnnouncerAnnounces times over loudspeaker.No1
PhotographerTakes photos. Requires a spotter if shooting on course.No1
*Novices will be generally be assigned as corner workers for their first few events

Working the course

Corner Worker

  • Make sure your back is not facing oncoming cars
  • When resetting a cone, always be aware of oncoming traffic
  • If a cone has moved but is safe, make the "safe" gesture from baseball
  • If a car has DNF'ed, make an X with your arms to communicate to your captain
  • You must be standing while course is hot
  • Hitting pointer cones do not count as penalties

Corner Captain

  • Before course is hot, inform workers what areas your station is covering
  • Only call in penalties for your section
  • Making a radio call should go like: "[Car Class], [Car Number], plus X cone(s)" or "[Car Class], [Car Number], DNF"
  • Spread workers out to cover common penalty occurences
  • Always be aware of radio calls, make sure volume is at maxed out
  • Do not roll up the red flag
  • Offer water to workers
  • If there is any danger on course such as a disabled or spun out vehicle, wave the red flag
  • If you see another captain waving a red flag, you need to wave yours making sure all cars are stopped

Start

  • If there will be two cars on course, agree on a release point for the second car with a safety steward
  • Be aware of radio calls, Start will often be called to 'hold start' or cease the release of cars
  • Make sure timing is aware of what car number/classes are lined up
  • Make sure cars are lined up consistently to ensure fair play
  • Confirm that a driver is ready before release

Grid

  • Make sure double driver cars are lined up towards the front of the grid
  • If double drivers are present, pick a halfway point in the grid to send out second drivers
  • Ensure that there are at least 3 cars at start
  • Make sure upcoming drivers are in their cars

Car Classes

Finding a class for your lightly modified vehicle

For stock or lightly modified cars, your car will likely fall into Street or Street Touring class. Car classes are listed in Appendix A of the SCCA® National Solo® Rules.

SCCA® National Solo® Rules


Finding a class for your modified vehicle

For modified cars, you will fall into a certain class based on the magnitude of the changes. Check the cheat sheet below for an approximate classing. Refer to the official rules above for specifics.

Category Allowances "Cheat Sheet"   

Understanding PAX (RTP) values

PAX: Stands for Professional Autocross. The PAX system had a method of scoring cars together from a wide variety of classes by applying a multiplier to their times. The original PAX index has been replaced by the Racer's Theoretical Performance index (RTP) but the term "PAX" is still informally used to reflect the process. RTP values are updated yearly taking data from 500+ national SCCA Solo events.

Current PAX/RTP Class Indexes  

Reference