I have never autocrossed before; where do I start?

First, just come to an event. At any autocross, you'll find a large group of helpful people.  Look for the "Help Desk" near the registration trailer and you can always ask for Tom Sotiropoulos, the 2010 Novice Chief.

You'll need a mechanically sound car, a valid driver's license and the money for an entry fee (cash, check, and credit accepted).

To make sure your car is properly numbered, check out the series supplemental Regulations (see Rules/Documents).

You'll remember your first event for a long time. The adrenaline that makes you shake at the start-line before your first run, and the even bigger surge of adrenaline you feel when you finish. That excitement is part of the sport, and it's why we all do this.

Don't let being a novice overwhelm you! Every driver, including the National Champions, had a first day and a novice season. Autocrossing is a skill that requires instruction and practice to see improvements. If it was easy, it wouldn't be so competitive, or so fun. In fact, when experienced road racers come to Solo for the first time, we often put them in Novice Class. It's not like falling off a log for them, either. The great thing about this sport, though, is that even when you're going slowly, it's still fun driving.

The course may seem busy at first, because it's tighter than what you see on the street, and you're trying to attack it faster than you could in traffic. You'll have fun learning the sport and learning to keep the car in control as you get faster and better with more seat-time.

With that said, here are some tips to give you the right novice attitude, so you don't become discouraged:

Your goal is to have fun! That's why everyone is here.

Your goal for the first run is to avoid getting lost on course (see course-walking tips)

Your goal for the rest of the day is to improve your time on each run

Your goal for the second event is the same as the first.

Your goal for the rest of the season is to beat somebody (anybody!) and continue to make each run faster than the last.

At this point, you are learning a lot on each run, and you may be 10 seconds behind the class leader. That's not unusual! You're still doing OK.

Generally speaking, the veteran drivers like to help the novices. The magic words "I am a novice" will get you extra instruction from other competitors, who can critique your run. Just be careful not to interrupt a driver on a course walk, or while he or she is concentrating on going over the course in his or her head (see Solo Etiquette).

Don't forget, there is a Novice Chief available to answer your questions and help you get started.

Also, check out this great article at Autocross.com called "Getting Started in Autocross"!

Other pages on this site to visit:

• Event Info: Entry fees and a daily event schedule
• Membership: Membership requirements and event format
• Safety Info & Minor Waivers: Required paperword for drivers (Waivers) and waivers for minors
• Helpful Links
• Series Points FAQ's: How points are determined and awarded for trophy placement
• Rules & Documents