What do I need to do to prepare my car to autocross?
What is involved when going through Technical inspection -"tech"- and how long does that take?
Who do I run against?
What kind of cars can I run in?
Can two people share the same car?
How fast will I be going?
How does the event differ from month to month?
Does my car/homeowners insurance cover this kind of event?
How is my time determined?
How do I know if my time is good?
What if I win my class?
What will this do to my car - tires, suspension, etc.?
What facilities/services are available at the event?
What does it cost to run?
What does it cost join the SCCA & what are the benefits of joining?
What are Regional, Divisional, and National events?
What kind of liability is there?
What is a typical day at the runs like?
Will I have to work the track?
Is there a novice class?
Is the event held in the same place every month?
What is the PAX index?

What do I need to do to prepare my car to autocross?
To run your car, it must pass technical inspection. You must drive wearing a your seat belt and a Snell approved helmet
rated "SA", "K", or "M." If you don't own a helmet, loaners are available. It's usually a good idea to fill up before the event. Make
sure you have at least 1/2 a tank of gas. Anything less might allow all the gas in your tank to move away from your fuel pump causing you to temporarily lose power in the middle of your run and add seconds to your time.
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What is involved when going through Technical inspection -"tech"- and how long does that take?
Technical inspection is used to determine if the vehicle is safe for autocross competition. Inspection takes only a few minutes. The following areas are inspected for good working condition as well an any other deemed appropriate by the individual in charge of Tech that day.

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Who do I run against?
Each competitor is assigned a class according the the car they drive and the level of modifications the car has undergone. You can click here to see car classifications at Jerry Mouton's site. Cars run alone on the course (hence the name Solo) against a timer. Class winner is determined by the lowest time.
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What kind of cars can I run in?
All cars are welcome to run as long as they pass technical inspection. Dixie Region SCCA has welcomed everything from station wagons, to go-karts, to full blown stripped and modified run cars.
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Can two people share the same car?
Yes. Two competitors can drive the same car. One competitor may also drive 2 cars, but they may not be the same car or in the same class.
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How fast will I be going?
SCCA rules dictate that an autocross (Solo 2) course may not be designed to allow cars to exceed posted highway speeds in the state the event is being held. 70 mph is the rule for Florida, but most course designs allow a top speed at any given time of 40mph. This may not seem fast, in a straight line, but try to imagine driving your car at 30mph while going up your driveway and into your
garage without hitting anything. That's what autocrossing feels like. Just about every new driver we've seen gets out of their car after their first run with their hands shaking from all the adrenaline and excitement.
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How does the event differ from month to month?
Each event has a "Event Chairperson". This person has the privilege of designing and setting up the course.
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Does my car/homeowners insurance cover this kind of event?
You must check with your own insurance company to find out. Most likely, they will not cover your vehicle if it's being driven in an "off official roads event which is timed."
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How is my time determined?
The timer is started when you drive through a beam of light set up at the beginning of the course and stopped when you drive through another at the end. The timers are all controlled by a small computer to fairly and evenly time all drivers.
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How do I know if my time is good?
All classes will have at least 2 cars. You will be able to compare your times to different drivers of similar cars in your class and even similar drivers (level of experience) in slightly higher or lower classes. Do not get discouraged if your times are not as fast as you hoped. Many people, myself included, got a very rude awakening to my driving skills compared to other mildly seasoned drivers. With patience, more events, and a willingness to listen to others, you to will see your times get faster at every subsequent event.
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What if I win my class?
Each event ends with a trophy presentation. Each winner of their respective class receives a trophy. A second place trophy is awarded if the class has 4 or five drivers. A third place trophy is awarded if a class has 6 or more drivers.
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What will this do to my car - tires, suspension, etc.?
Most people speculate that a single event may add two weeks to one month of normal wear to your tires and brakes. Most other components of a car are not affected. If you get hooked on autocrossing, purchasing a second set of wheels and tires
to sustain the added wear each month is a good idea, but not necessary.
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What facilities/services are available at the event?
Food - Depending on the event site, you might be able to purchase food, leave the site to get food, or you might want to pack your lunch. During spring and summer events it's important to have enough water on hand to beat the heat.
Restrooms - There will be a port-o-let at the event site.
Air - Many competitors bring small air compressors to add air to their tires.
If you don't own one, don't worry. Most autocrossers are friendly people who don't
mind sharing and helping out a fellow driver.
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What does it cost to run?
Event fees are:
$15 - Members
$20 - Non-members
$17 - Students
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What does it cost join the SCCA & what are the benefits of joining?
An regular individual SCCA membership is $73 annually (Regular Membership 60.00 + Regional Dues 13.00).
A family membership is $115 annually (Family Membership 95.00 + Regional Dues 20.00).

With your membership, you'll receive:
- discount of entree fees at any regional event in the US
- a subscription to Sportscar, the SCCA monthly national magazine
- discounts on goods and services from selected companies that partner with the SCCA
- the right to compete in Divisional and National events.
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What are Regional, Divisional, and National events?
Regional events are put on monthly be each regional organization such as us - the Dixie Region. There are 3-4 Divisional events each season. A division is made up of the regions in a paricualr area in the United States. Our Region is a part of the Southeast division. To compete in a Regional Event you must be an SCCA member. These events are a true treat to compete in or just
watch. Anyone who has ever been to a divisional will recommend it. National events attract the fastest drivers from all over the US. To compete in a national event, you must be an SCCA member and have competed in at least one divisional event that year. Just like divisional events, anyone who has ever attended recommends the experience.
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What kind of liability is there?
SCCA events are required to carry insurance for the site, event, and each driver competing. Your insurance for driving included in your entry fee.
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What is a typical day at the runs like? (first sign in, then tech, then driver's meeting, then line up in grid, then run, etc.)?

Before the event there will be a Novice Walkthrough. Someone will walk the course one last time with all interested drivers and explain the basics of how to drive and not get lost. When your first run comes, if you're still complacent about finding your way around the course, we'll send a more experienced driver with you to help guide you through. Any other help or questions you have, just ask someone. Dixie is a very friendly place to run. We're all here to help each other go fast and have fun. Even drivers competing in our own classes.
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Will I have to work the track?
All drivers have to work. Not all will be working the course, but it is a good place to get close up view as to what's going on. If you've never worked the course before be sure to mention it to the person giving work assignments. The will pair you with someone experienced in working the course to keep you safe and show how to do it.
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Is there a novice class?
When there are enough novices to merit it, yes. A single novice trophy is given out at the end of the day. The winner is determined by your best time factored against the class you in which you drove. The system is referred to as the Pax index. The lowest "Paxed" time wins the novice class. Once you win the novice class, you are no longer eligible to compete in it.
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Is the event held in the same place every month?
The events are currently held at the Commodore-Decatur Industrial Park in Bainbridge, GA unless otherwise specified. Should an event be held at another site, there will be an advance notice to all members and some competitors of the change of venue, along with information on the Web site, newsgroup, the monthly meeting, and the previous month's event.
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What is the PAX index?
Taken from www.tirerack.com
The PAX index, calculated each year by the "Professional Autocross" people (whoever they are) is a commonly used handicapping system for comparing times of cars which are not in the same class. The index is composed of data from across the country, and tries to take the driver out of the equation and compare only the cars.

These indices are based on cars prepared to the limit of the rules and driven by top drivers. (RLS to see the current year's indices, if your region uses them) The index is multiplied against your run time to provide the time you would have had if you had been in an A-Modified car. It is interesting to compare the index of one class to another to see how much time you should gain
if you prepared your car to, for instance, Street Prepared rules. Look in the rule-book to find out where your car would be if you made modifications. You can also see that alphabetically, higher cars are not necessarily faster.
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