Autocross, which is commonly abbreviated to autoX, is a sport in which drivers complete time trials around a course made up of cones. It sounds extremely easy, but the reality is that the courses are usually very tight and the cones come at you very quickly and you realize at the last moment that you are set up completely incorrectly for the corner you are about to enter which will only put you in an even worse position for the following corner. It’s a slippery slope that ends up with either spinning and hitting all the cones, or plowing straight through a corner and hitting all the cones.

Whether or not you enjoy the sport itself, it is impossible to deny that autocross is one of the most accessible ways to get into motor sports. The cost of entry is lower than most other car events, the risk is probably the lowest, there are very few requirements for vehicles, and the basic concepts apply to any motor sports event. For this reason I try and push people who call themselves “car people” but have never gone to a competitive driving event into coming with me when I go. The following is the advice I usually give them:

1. Arrive early. Getting to an autocross early will allow you to get the administration (signing up, and vehicle inspection) out of the way and free up time to walk the course. The longer you spend on the course the less lost you will be. It is also possible you’ll need to make some last minute change, such as tighten some lug nuts, or remove a loose cupholder. In which case, those extra 20 minutes might come in really handy.
2. Buy white shoe-polish and some paper towels and bring them with you. You will have to put a number on your car. Writing the number on your window with shoe polish is the best way to do this, and it’s a lot better to have your own than to borrow. If you bring paper towels you can remove the polish after the event before it has time to cake on.
3. Empty your car out the night before. If you are like me, you probably keep your car empty of anything. It is a terrible feeling to hit an on-ramp and hear a clunk from something shifting in the backseat. However, an autocross requires the car be void of anything not bolted down. This includes floor mats, gauges that aren’t secured and loose change. Completely empty the car!
4. Bring a garbage bag. You will probably find the need to take some things out of the car. A garbage bag gives you a convenient spot to store everything while you are out on the course. It is also very helpful if it rains.
5. Make sure your car will pass tech the night before. The tech inspectors have a very difficult job. They have to get all the cars inspected as quickly as possible because every minute they spend doing tech is one less minute of racing. So make their lives easier, and yours in turn, by looking up the rules of the organization and making sure you are compliant. Typically this means:
   • Having your battery securely tied down. If it moves around, go to a car parts store and buy a battery tie-down kit. You really should have one anyway.
   • Your brake fluid is properly bled and your brake pedal does not lose pressure after being pressed a few times. This is another must-have for daily driving.
   • You have a helmet. Most clubs have loaners, but you might need to email ahead and request one. Make sure you know the rules here.
6. Talk to people. Everybody there has something in common with you: they love cars. So find somebody who has a car that piques your interest. For me, I really enjoy the cars that have everything ripped out of them. I love asking people about what they have removed and getting ideas from them. For other people its finding people with the latest and greatest sports cars. There are all types of car-people at a car event, and who doesn’t like to talk shop? So find somebody and talk to them.
7. Get an instructor. Everybody can use an instructor, especially their first time. The main thing an instructor will teach you is to look ahead. You might think you are looking far enough ahead but an instructor will show you that you are not.
8. Look ahead. The trick with autocross, just like a track day, is to look ahead. The further ahead you look the more likely you are to complete the course successfully.
9. Don’t get caught up in the details. So many newbies spend the night before the autocross on the forums finding out what tire pressure people run, or what gear to use. When you have gone to many autocrosses, make a habit of chalking your tires, and won an event yourself, then you can worry about tire pressure. For now, learn to look ahead.
10. Don’t worry about what you think people will think about your car. You don’t need a Miata to enjoy an autocross. Especially in the beginning, autocross is a personal battle between you and some cones so who cares if you are going in a Camry? My first autocrosser was a 1990 Mazda 626, and my worst autocrosser was a 1994 Nissan Sentra E. Both times I had lots of fun.
11. Bring water. You will have to spend a session working. This consists of standing in the sun flipping cones over if they get hit. It is no fun to do this while dying of thirst.
12. Do not be upset by a poor performance. Autocross is much harder than it appears. I get lost very easily on the autocross course and nothing is more frustrating than driving the car perfectly only to find out that I went right instead of left and the time does not count. It’s a skill you pick up over time so don’t worry about it.
13. Do not get fixated on the start. Autocrosses start from a standstill. A common beginner trait is to talk with your friends about how you will launch the car. Well, the truth is that at this level completing the course is enough of a victory and you will save nothing by launching aggressively, so don’t worry about it.
14. Leave it in second. Most people think they are really good at shifting. However, they aren’t. They might be good at shifting on a highway with no pressure (although if you can’t drive around town without the clutch then don’t talk about shifting skills), but downshifting under hard braking going into a corner is difficult. The revs drop quickly and it is easy to grab the wrong gear, miss the gear entirely, etc. So just leave the car in second. The time you gain by focusing on looking ahead instead of shifting will more than make up for the times when you are not in the power band.
15. Go to have fun. You are not going to win. You might not even complete the course successfully. So make sure your goal is to meet new people, drive in a safe environment with no cops, and learn something.

Good luck!