Road course vs. auto cross

[KCRN12]

I apologize if this is something that has been asked/answered a thousand times, but I can't seem to find a straight forward answer... What exactly is the difference between road course racing and auto crossing? For a while I was under the impression that they were just different names for the same thing. I've now realized that's not the case, but I'm unsure of what the difference is. Sorry, I'm sure I sound like an idiot, but I gotta learn somehow, right?

 

[XPTB]

Autocross is very tight, twisty courses designed to keep the car at relatively low speeds. They are much safer (generally in a giant open area), use cones to mark out a course, and are great for beginners learning how to drive. The course also changes every time so you can't ever memorize it. The course is run as a time trial, with one car on the track at a time. Usually the runs only last about minute.

Road courses are much more open, allowing much higher top speeds. Think Forza or Gran Turismo games. You will hit speeds of over 100 mph generally. Multiple cars will race at the same time, and usually there are multiple laps.

 

[KCRN12]

Ok. That's what I had in mind for road course, but I wasn't sure what the difference in that and autocross was. Thanks!

Also, is "open track" another name for road course or is that something else, as well?

 

[XPTB]

i think that just means a race circuit that is open to the public to race... but i'm not 100% sure.

 

[KCRN12]

Ok, cool. Thanks.

 

[Stanger58]

Autocross (or Solo II) is a timed competition on a course outlined by orange cones. You compete with cars of similar performance capabilities (within your "class" or group). Autocross is a GREAT way to learn about the lower-speed performance and handling characteristics of your car...while competing for the fastest time. Hit or knock over one of the course markers (rubber orange cones) and a time penalty is added to your raw time.

More info here: Autocross.com Autocross Index, also Called Solo

Road Course: Technically, a road course is the track where several different types of road racing and road course driving events take place.

Road Racing: sanctioned, wheel-to-wheel racing, typically run with groups of cars of similar performance capabilities. However, multiple "classes" of cars can compete simultaneously. (very entertaining to watch). Again, several places to get more info: Road racing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SCCA, NASA, Grand Am, NARRA are just a few of the groups that sanction road racing events.

Open Track: Sort of a generic term for "bring your car to a road course and drive". These events can be a lot of fun, but most "open track" events I have been to lack any formal driver's training and the rules / operation of the event may not be ideal for a beginning driver. A first-time driver could find themselves on the track with full-on road race cars/drivers/teams. (think newborn calf surrounded by a pack of hungry coyotes...)

High Performance Driver's Education: A more formalized driving school where participants are divided into "run groups" based upon their previous experience. Most of these events also include classroom sessions and in-car instructors for beginning and novice drivers, while the more advanced drivers work on their "lines and technique" on their own or with advanced level instructors. The best thing about these events is that they are "non-competitive" events - no trophies, no awards, just everyone out learning and practicing their techniques.

Other terms: driving schools, on-track driver's ed., performance driving school, etc, etc. There are numerous clubs, groups and companies that conduct these events at road course facilities all over the country.

Look for my "Road Course 101" article coming up in a future issue of MM&FF...

Keep askin' questions... :read:

 

[ba#97]

ok so if you want good ways to get on the road course in a good environment, look for hpde like he said or, look into NASA's version of it, also...hooked on driving does a great beginner course. just ask around on here for the good groups to do 'track days' with for a beginner and go from there. usually every track day I've been to has multiple groups split into experience. so just look around....as for autox...find your local SCCA solo region and hit it up. that's where I started but most of us get the itch to go faster and hit the road courses at some point. also...do NOT get road courses confused solely with wheel2wheel racing...track days with the right groups are held for us to go out, and make laps at speed without having to worry about getting in a wreck...(still can happen) and usually have stricter rules on how passing is allowed etc, without needing a full racing license, racecar, cage etc just to get out there.

 

[sn95Cobrakai]

Autocross is a great platform to prepare you for a road coarse. It allows you to practice a lot of the same techniques you need to implement on a track, but at lower speeds and with minimal chances of colliding with an object. (still seen it happen though... 3 times). If you learn the ins and outs of autox than there is a good chance you will do well on a road coarse. Not saying auto x is easy, just a great way to build fundamentals at a low cost and at low risk.

 

[BraMas]

And AutoX is alot cheaper to do Our club charges $20 per event for non members and $15 for members. I think SCCA is usually $25 or more
HPDE (Open Track) is usually $150 or more but some tracks have test and tune during the week My local track (Gingerman) charges $75 from 5 to 8:30 Tue,Wed,Thur

 

[Driver500]

After you've hit an HPDE open track event you'll never go back to autox. You will spend more at the HPDE but the cost/driving time is way better.

 

[ba#97]

this is true...I almost like to say that with the amount of track and seat time you get it's better for the price to track your car. that being said I mostly did scca which takes autox seriously...so if you do go through scca, it should cost 30 for members, 40 on the first day and 30 the next for non members, scca always runs two days from what I've experienced and then you get 4 runs each day. for time. that's it. if you want fun runs after...permitting time constraints they will do it for a small fee the region chooses. so if you want tons of going out and running non stop...don't go with scca. if you want to learn a lot from some very good racers then yes...go with scca. I just got tired of driving an hour or two to a location, paying $30, doing 4 runs and pulling chocks to do it again. track days are much better bang for your buck to me.

 

[RoscoP]

I spent several years at SCCA and enjoyed the information the experienced drivers had to offer. You get very little seat time so it takes time to calibrate your butt to our car. I went o a Lapping Days open track day and have never been back to an auto cross. There are instructors at the open track days that are included in the price of the event. $300 for 3.5 hours of track time. That's a lot of laps to get your butt calibrated. Do the math compared to auto cross, 1 minute lap, 4 laps a day for $30. 15 events costing $450!

 

[ba#97]

we have full track days with very good groups out here for $100 a day. so yeah. bang for your buck is a bit better I think.

 

[Lethalchem]

I also feel Autocross events are GREAT ways for you to learn how to handle your car in emergency situations as well. Just one or two events in your daily driver will put your skills in your car WAY ahead of where you were before you attended. Even if you have no intention of running events on a regular basis it's still an invaluable experience I highly recommend. :thumbsup:

 

[Boss002]

After you've hit an HPDE open track event you'll never go back to autox. You will spend more at the HPDE but the cost/driving time is way better.

That's not true for everyone. I actually did 3 hpde before autocross and now I'm hooked on autocross for the last 2 years. I've done 1 hpde since at ginger an which is fun, but the autocross has more going on rapidly and I enjoy that more.

I figure if I could afford some real road racing I would enjoy that over auto x , but since I don have that bank roll then I'm kind of stuck.

I do plan on trying to run at mid Ohio this year, that will be a change.

 

[Lethalchem]

That's not true for everyone. I actually did 3 hpde before autocross and now I'm hooked on autocross for the last 2 years. I've done 1 hpde since at ginger an which is fun, but the autocross has more going on rapidly and I enjoy that more.

I figure if I could afford some real road racing I would enjoy that over auto x , but since I don have that bank roll then I'm kind of stuck.

I do plan on trying to run at mid Ohio this year, that will be a change.

Yeah, and you don't feel like you're beating the snot out of your pride and joy when autocrossing either. :beer:

 

[rachelanne4579]

And AutoX is alot cheaper to do Our club charges $20 per event for non members and $15 for members. I think SCCA is usually $25 or more
HPDE (Open Track) is usually $150 or more but some tracks have test and tune during the week My local track (Gingerman) charges $75 from 5 to 8:30 Tue,Wed,Thur

I've been wanting to do autocross for some time now, but unsure how to get involved. Given, I don't have a worthy car, yet, but still think its something that I could benefit from and thoroughly enjoy. Anyone know of any clubs in the Dallas/Fort Worth area??

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

 

[David Hester]

I had a '83 Mustang 2.3 at first autocross I went to... Have had a few others since.
http://rheacermotorsports.com/racerbios.html
I raced AMA enduros and hare scrambles from 1977 to 1984. Broke a LOT of bones. Thought motorcycle road racing would be less taxing on the body..yeah, well I was young then, so went down to Road Atlanta to check it out. Met a SCCA worker and figured out a roof over your head was mo better than banging your own body parts off trees, rocks and the ground. Joined SCCA in 1984 and I've been autocrossing since then ( Ran with Randy Pobst and Jeff Altenburg back then, too in the South East.) Proud of Jeff, in that he won SCCA SOLO class championship, SCCA Pro-SOLO championship AND SCCA National Class championship ALL in the same year. Great guy. Pirelli World Challenge
Started TimeTrials/ Hillclimbs in '94 and road racing in 2003. Still autoX, still hillclimb from time to time, still road race, and still do track days/ instruct when I can. It's all fun. Never did circle track, although we did test one weekend on a 1/4 circle track with a figure 8 crossover when I was racing formula fords. Front straight, turn 1-2 drop into center section, back up to 3-4 and then down front straight again.

 

[DaleM]

One has cones, the other has walls.
Sebring is a road course.
Your mall parking lot can be an auto-cross course.