July 22, 2022
SCCA Autocross is one of the Club’s most accessible forms of motorsports. With little more than a mechanically-sound car and an affordable helmet (or even a loaner), anyone can feel the rush of adrenaline as they push their vehicle to the limit in a safe environment. Through the decades, autocross has arguably become the backbone of the Club, being a sport that’s as easy to access as it is difficult to master. And recently, Hagerty took notice of the sport in a feature on their Hagerty Media website.
Penned by automotive journalist and motorsports supporter Steven Cole Smith, Hagerty’s “Autocross: Gateway to motorsports” article touches on the basics of SCCA’s Solo competition. As the article says early on:
“Imagine a big parking lot with a car-sized path laid out in a course, using more orange cones than you’ve ever seen. At the green flag, you’ll start your trip around the course until you come to the end. You’ll engage a timer at start and finish, and when you complete your lap, someone will hand you a slip with your time on it. Runs generally take about a minute, and you’ll get six to eight runs in a given day. Speeds usually top out around 55-60 mph, which means it can be done almost entirely in second gear for many cars.”
The article goes on to cover how to find nearby events, some of the tools someone new to the sport will want to take to the event, and what a course walk is. This article is ideal for forwarding to any “Solo curious” friend who just needs a little push to get out there and participate in their first SCCA Autocross.
Read the entire article by clicking the button below.
Photo courtesy of Hagerty and Flick/David Hunter
