Q: What is Autocross (Auto-X)?

A: If you have never tried autocross before, now is the time to try! We are pretty laid back when it comes to autocross at the NFME, and our rules with regards to classes are rather simplified: You probably will not be disqualified if someone happens to notice that your spring perch spacers are missing. However, we will not bend the rules when it comes to safety. Our courses tend to favor larger rear-wheel-drive cars, and we like them open and fast.

Q: Who makes up the Auto-X Support Team?

A: The one and only Patrick Joyce

Q: What are the Rules and Regulations for the Drivers?

A: Scoring and Competition – Cars will be run through a course laid out by either the Autocross organizer or the assistant organizer. The course will be as long as possible and the track allows us to make it very big. Each car will be allowed a minimum of three practice passes and three competition passes through the course for the duration of the event. The quicker we can get organized, the more runs you get. Runs will be timed, and the quickest run will be used for standings.

Anyone late for the competition on Saturday (or whatever day it occurs) will most likely get only half of the competition runs. Typically we run 6 competition runs in groups of 3. Three runs each for Stock/Street Prepared then 3 runs each for Prepared, then back to Stock/SP, etc…

If someone signs up for Auto-X, but can only attend for practice runs, they cannot ask for their competition times to be derived from the practice runs. This is to try and combat the possibility of differing weather conditions between days.(Indy 2003 is an example. Sunny and nice on practice day, monsoons on competition day)

Tips & Suggestions – The course will be available to walk before the races each day. The course might change from day to day (it has in many past years events) so you are highly encouraged to use this time to familiarize yourself with the course.

If you are new to autocross, make sure that you hook up with an experienced autocrosser while walking the course. Most people will be more than happy to share tips and techniques. Also, ask if an experienced autocrosser will ride with you to give you tips. Beginners may also want to check out the Solo II Beginners Handbook.

Cars with Two Drivers – Cars that two drivers are sharing shall have both driver numbers on the windshield. An arrow drawn with shoe polish shall denote which driver is behind the wheel. This will help solve a problem of timers trying to guess which driver is behind the wheel. Also, cars with more than one driver will have their runs split up. For Example, if the car has two drivers and is in the stock/street prepared class: one driver will run in the stock/street prepared class and the other will run with the prepared cars.

Helmets & Safety Gear – This event is for fun but that does not mean you can be reckless! All participants MUST WEAR A CERTIFIED HELMET THAT HAS A SNELL RATING OF 2000 OR NEWER. A helmet listed just with D.O.T. is NOT allowed. Allowable certifications shall be the same as what is required for Road Course School (for a complete list, click here then scroll down to “Non-negotiable Rules”).

Clothing should be loose fitting yet safe. Closed toed shoes should always be worn when competing in a motorsports event. Passengers are allowed as long as they have a helmet and a working seatbelt.

Q: What are the Rules and Regulations for the Cars?

A: Competition Tires – To keep things even, cars running a DOT-rated, competition tire (i.e. VictorRacers, Hoosiers, BFG-R1), will be assessed a 1.5 second penalty in their class. Street tires such as BFG KD, Goodyear GSC/F1, etc will be assessed no penalties.

Organizers may decide to modify these rules dependent upon weather conditions. If a competitor does not want to change tires to street tires during inclement weather, we may decide NOT to assess a penalty. Obviously, in rain, race tires offer no benefit. Of course, this will be a blanket ruling to all cars with race tires.

Tech Inspection – All cars will undergo a tech inspection by an experienced Auto-Xer before they are allowed  to run. Road Race Tech will be honored for the Auto-X event. Drag Racing tech will not.

Major items that will be checked include:

 

• Ball Joints.
• Battery Hold Down.
• Seat Belts.
• Floor Mats (must be removed).
• Loose items floating around in car must be removed.
• No fluids may be leaking.
• All wheel studs must be present.
• Rollcages are not required.
• Cars may run with their windows down (better to hear the groans of drivers killing cones), T-tops out, or convertible tops down unless there is water falling from the sky. .
• Tires and rims must be in acceptable condition.
• No loose body panels or parts that can fall off.
• Wheel trim rings and centercaps should be removed to prevent damage or injury.

For your safety and the safety of others, we suggest following all rules and regulations at all times and carefully listening to the instructors at all times.

It is recommended that if you are running street tires, you add +5 PSI over your standard pressure to the front tires for starters.

Q: What different Classes are run in AutoX?

A: We will have three separate classes, Stock, Street Prepared, and Prepared. Each car will be classified during tech. Classes will compete amongst themselves, with a winner derived from each class. Modifications basically determine which class a car falls into. Here are how we will determine the classes.

STOCK:
Allowed modifications in Solo II Stock classes:

• You are permitted to run -treaded- DOT approved racing tires (but rims of stock size and offset must be used).
• Replacement of the front anti-roll bar.
• Suspension adjustments possible without modification of mount points.
• Replacements (air filter, shocks, muffler, spark plugs) that are considered commonplace.
• Anything can be done to the exhaust after the catalytic converter.

Disallowed modifications in Solo II Stock classes:

• Ride height cannot be lowered and the computer chip cannot be replaced.
• The air induction system cannot be altered in any way.

STREET PREPARED:
This is a class whose philosophy is to allow only a specific list of modifications that might be commonly found on street cars that have been hopped up in some way. Wider rims, rear anti-sway bar, cold air induction, and computer changes are some examples of changes that move you from Stock to Street Prepared. Power adders are not allowed in this class, nor are heads/cam modifications allowed. Subframe connectors are not allowed in this class.

PREPARED:
Anything that does not fit into the above classes will be placed in the Prepared class.

Q: What is the AutoX Schedule during the event?

A: TBA:  We will post a master schedule for all events.

 

Q: If I am signed up for the other events, especially drag racing, will I have time to do both?

A: Yes. In past years, only the drag race time trials have been affected slightly.

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