Sunday, June 14, 2009

What is Autocross?

Willamette Motor Club Autocross
June 14, 2009
Oregon State Fair & Expo Center
Carnival Lot
2330 17th Street NE
Salem, OR 97301-0601

Per Wiki...Autocross is a form of motorsports that emphasizes safe, low-cost competition and active participation. An autocross is a timed competition where drivers navigate one at a time through a temporary course marked by traffic cones, rather than racing on a track with multiple other cars, as in road racing or oval racing. Autocross tends to place more emphasis on car handling and driver skill than on sheer horsepower, and events typically have many classes which allow almost any vehicle, from economy sedans to purpose-built vehicles, to compete. Speeds are slower in absolute terms when compared to other forms of motorsports, usually not exceeding highway speeds, but the activity level (measured in discrete turns per minute) can be higher than even Formula One due to the large number of elements packed into each course. Autocross courses are typically 40 to 70 seconds in length. In addition to being a national-level motorsport in its own right, autocrossing is a good way to learn skills that transfer to road racing, as drivers learn vehicle control and club ethics.

Autocross events are usually held in large paved areas like parking lots or airfields. Typically, new courses are created for each event so drivers must learn a new course each time they compete. Prior to driving, a competitor will walk the course, taking mental notes, and developing a strategy to be refined upon subsequent runs.

3 comments:

Don and Krise said...

I know several people who autocross. They take it as seriously as any other form of competition. Every driver should go to an autocross, at least once. Excellent post and description.

That is the chicken said...

Well now I know! I always thought autocross was like cross-country running...but for cars! Fascinating!

Jane Hards Photography said...

I confess to having no idea previously what autocross was exactly. I certainly do now. Very informative post.