GearBits

Auto-X a Total Blast

This year, I started doing something I've wanted to do for a long time: race my car. I'm no Paul Newman, and I don't own a track car, so the most reasonable type of racing I can expect to do is something called autocross (or auto-X) or Solo II, depending on who you talk to.

Autocross is basically individual timed racing around a course laid out with pylons (small traffic cones). There's usually only one (or two) cars on the track at a time, so there's no chance of careening into another driver. The courses are usually laid out in a big parking lot, an unused dragstrip, or any other large body of asphalt.

In June, I started racing with the Ohio Valley Region (OVR) of the Porsche Club of America (PCA). These guys are a real hoot, and some of them are pretty impressive drivers as well. Here's a pic of me in my first ever auto-X event -- notice the complete lack of any suggestion of speed in the photo (I've gotten a fair bit faster since then). :-)

Basically, anyone with a car in good mechanical condition (mandatory), no major health risks, and a desire to learn more about how to handle your vehicle in vigorous maneuvers can participate -- most car clubs don't require participants to be members. So, if you want to read up more on autocrossing, there is some good information at the PCA Autocross site and at the Tire Rack website. Now get out there!