For more information on the Sports Car Club of America Wiregrass Region visit www.sccawiregrass.org

HUNT ARMY AIRFIELD - Chris Yearwood weaved his Mazda Miata around orange traffic cones and took a sharp curve before hitting a short straight-away. His passenger gripped the door handle while Yearwood maneuvered the small convertible around more cones, sliding on some loose gravel at one point.

It was over in about a minute, and Yearwood could only guess at his highest speed - maybe 60 mph.

See, speed isn’t the only object of the Solo II autocross race Yearwood and about 60 other drivers participated in on Sunday. They were there to see not only what their cars could do but what they could do as drivers.

"After my first event, I was hooked," said 37-year-old Yearwood, a Tallahassee, Fla., resident.

Drivers race against the clock in the autocross races hosted by the Wiregrass Region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). They show up with their regular street vehicles - a mix of Corvettes, Mustangs, Miatas and other sports cars. Or, they drive cars modified for racing. There’s even some go-carts.

The idea is to maneuver your car as quickly as possible in a course that’s less than a mile long but lined with cones marking big sweeping turns, tight turns and slalom-style zigzags. Drivers get three runs and race in classes and categories based on their vehicle’s performance level and how modified it is for racing. Miatas don’t race Corvettes.

Tall trucks are prohibited, however, due to the risk of rollovers.

The course is designed to keep cars at highway speeds. Traveling at 40 to 50 mph might sound easy, but drivers said it’s a different story when you’re tying to maneuver the course.

Yearwood has been autocross racing for 10 years, and he still remembers his first run. He thought he drove the wheels off his car.

"I was pretty slow," he said.

And when an experienced autocross racer took the wheel of Yearwood’s car, he couldn’t believe how it handled.

"I had no idea my car was capable of doing that," he said. "And you know you’ve arrived when you drive someone else’s car and they say the same thing."

While few outside the circle of autocross racing may know there’s a local group, the Wiregrass Region SCCA has been around for nearly 30 years. Normally the drivers race on the concrete landing pad at Hunt Army Airfield in Dale County. But on Sunday a broken-down helicopter pushed the drivers to a nearby asphalt strip. Many of the drivers who showed up Sunday were there to get some experience on concrete in preparation for division and national races.

SCCA regions even sponsor new driver classes to teach younger drivers how to handle a car in panic situations such as the proper way to brake or turn the steering wheel in an emergency.

The only requirement to become a member is to be 16 years old and have a valid driver’s license. Cars are given safety inspections before they are raced. Typically, the local races are not spectator events due to insurance issues, and both racers and non-racers attending must sign a liability form.

Craig Tillery, assistant regional executive of the SCCA Wiregrass Region, said autocross racing appeals to car enthusiasts who simply like the thrill of the drive as well as those who like to work on cars. Tillery has been a member since 1998. He’s always liked racing, but has never been a big NASCAR fan. Autocross was a good fit.

"It’s an inexpensive way to get into motor sports," Tillery said.

And Sunday’s race attracted drivers from all walks of life and all ages.

James Sexton, 60, was racing his yellow Ford Mustang for the first time. With two runs under his belt, Sexton was having fun.

"This is more of a challenge than aiming your car straight down a drag strip," Sexton said. "... I’m likely to come back."