First Time Autocross

Longhorn PCA Jan 2026

When you arrive at the autocross, you'll see a course set up on a large parking lot. Soft, rubber traffic cones will be used to form the course, which consists of turns, slaloms, and straights. Arrive at 12:00 PM but not earlier.

 

Prepare your car before you arrive

 

Ideally, you should prepare your car before you arrive. Review the Safety Inspection and Car Prep and rules links on the website.  Remove all loose items from your car — floor mats, driver’s carpet, coffee cups, etc. Check tire pressures and tire tread/condition.

 

When you arrive

 

1. Find the registration area and check in/sign the waiver (know your car number)

2. Get your car inspected by Tech (car number must match registration desk)

3. When the course is open for walking, help chalk the cones and sweep the course

4. Before the drivers meeting look at white board for work assignment and run group

5. Attend the Drivers Meeting

 

Course Walk

Walk the course with an experienced driver (also known as walking the line):

1. Study the course map, and then walk the course. If no map is provided, make your own.

2.  You will be given 10 - 20 minutes to walk the course before run sessions start. The first problem every autocrosser faces is staying on course, so the first step is to learn where it goes. Take opportunities to walk the course before the driver's meeting once the course is open.

3. Walk the line (path through the course) you plan to drive as if you were sitting in the driver's seat.

4. Check for surface bumps, loose gravel and stones, uneven pavement, joints, etc.

5. Take your time. Avoid following a crowd that blocks your view.

6. Stop and study difficult or optional sections of the course to plan your line. Observe other drivers and note where they hit pylons or have difficulty staying on course. Move around the course to observe problem areas from different locations.

7. At this point, decide how you want to drive the course (with help from your instructor and/or other experienced autocrossers). How to drive the course calls for a plan. And remember, an imperfect plan is always better than no plan at all.

8. The question autocrossers ask most often is: "How do I determine the best line or path around the course?”  Starting off, concentrate only on determining the best line, which may be compared to slalom skiing.

9. In an autocross, we are concerned with three things: time, distance, and speed.  The formula time = distance / speed expresses the relationship of three key factors in autocross. To drive the course in the least possible amount of time, the line must offer the shortest distance and permit the greatest speed. As the formula illustrates, time can be decreased by either shortening the distance or increasing the speed

— or better yet, both. Many times it becomes impossible to drive at the highest speed over the shortest distance. When this occurs, the best path is a compromise somewhere between the two extremes.

 

 

Driver's Meeting

Check the course map at the timing trailer and attend the driver's meeting where you will learn about the course:

1. Safety

2. Danger zones

3. Tight corners

4. Wet or oil spots

5. Uneven or rough pavement

6. Flagging and corner worker instructions

7. Availability of instructors

 

 

 

 

Once the Competition Starts

Watch other drivers

- What line are they driving?

- Where are the braking points?

- Where are the shifting points (up and down)?

Now it's your turn

- Bring your car to the staging area

- Proceed to start line

- Check your seat belt and chin strap

- Double-check that all loose objects are out of the car

- Focus on how you want to drive the course

Starter gives the OK!

- Launch the car quickly (weigh pros and cons of driveline abuse vs preservation)

- Look several turns ahead if possible

- Know where you want to place the car

- Remember when to brake and shift

If you should spin

- BOTH FEET IN — depress the clutch and brake fully

- Stop the car and don't start again until corner workers re-start you — Finish the course

If you see a Flag

- Quickly come to a COMPLETE STOP

- Look for corner workers to re-start you

Drive the First Run at Reduced Throttle

- Learn to stay on course — go to the correct side of every cone

- Drive a good line — the further you look ahead the better you will do

- Drive smoothly

1. Have a good time!

 

Sample Classification System

Stock

Cars must have been series produced and capable of being licensed for normal road use in the US. Cars should be equipped with street-legal equipment normally sold and delivered through manufacturer retail sales outlets in the US.

Allowable Modifications

1 Accessories, guages, indicators, lights and other appearance modifications which have no effect on performance and/or handling and do not materially reduce the weight of the car are permitted.

2. Alternate steering wheels are allowed provided the outside diameter is not changed by more than one inch from the standard size.

3. Any tire which is OEM on a car eligible for Stock class may be used. Unpermitted tires are: Hoosier (all), M&H (all), McCreary, and Mickey Thompson Indy Profile and Indy Profile S/S.

4. Any type of wheel may be used provided: It is the same width and diameter as stock and it does not have an offset more than +/- .25 inch from the standard wheel for the car. Wheel spacers are not allowed.

5. Any shock absorber may be substituted provided the number, type, and system of attachment points are not altered. Suspension geometry and range travel may not be altered.

6. Substitution, addition, or removal of any front anti-roll bars is permitted.

7. The make of spark plugs, points ignition, coil, and high tension wires is free.

8. Air filters may be removed, however, no other components of the air induction system may be removed, replaced, or modified.

 

Street Prepared

Equipment and/or modifications may be exchanged between different years and models of a vehicle if the item is standard on the year/model from which it was taken. Vehicle attachment point(s) may not be altered, modified, machined, or otherwise changed to facilitate installation and function of any part that is updated/backdated. The updating/backdating of engines, transmissions, or transaxles must be done as a unit; component parts of these units may not be interchanged.

Allowable Modifications

1. Fenders and bumpers may be modified for tire clearance.

2. Any fully padded and upholstered front seat may be used.

3. Any steering wheel may be used.

4. Aerodynamic devices are permitted, however, wings are not allowed.

5. Wheels of any diameter, width, or offset may be used.

6. Shock absorber bump stops may be altered or removed.

7. Any anti-roll bar is permitted.

8. Suspension bushings may be replaced with bushings of any material (except metal) as long as they fit in the original location.

9. Relocation of battery or batteries is permitted.

10. Carburetors, fuel injection, intercoolers, and intake manifolds are unrestricted. Turbos may not be changed or modified.

11. Limited-slip differentials are permitted.

 

Prepared

Allowable Modifications

1. Removal of glass and/or headlights and front parking/turn signal light assemblies. Operational tail/brake lights are required.

2. Mirrors are not required.

3. Grilles may be removed.

4. Any fuel tank may be used.

5. Passenger seats are not required.

6. Driver and passenger door glass may be removed.

7. Floor covering and all interior trim may be removed.

8. Component parts of the body may be lightened or replaced by ones of alternative materials.

9. Roll bars and roll cages may be added.

 

Modified

Allowable Modifications

1. Interiors may be gutted.

2. Suspension systems and wheels are free.

3. Windscreen, side mirrors, and tail/brake lights are not required