| ARRIVE EARLY! |
| Get your car ready right away. Empty the trunk,
remove floor mats and anything loose inside the car. If
your car has wheel covers or hub caps, remove them, too.
Leave the car unlocked with the hood open to signal the
Tech Crew to come over and tech your car (you can't run if
you don't have a tech sticker). |
| Start walking the course as soon as it is open.
Ask to walk with an experienced competitor and pay
attention! |
| Keep an eye on the registration line and get yourself
registered. |
|
|
| Your sled... |
shouldn't be leaking anything or making strange
noises. Brakes, exhaust, and suspension should be in top shape.
Tires should not be showing any cord. (You'll also need to
increase your tire pressure before you drive in the event and you
should ask an experienced autocross what pressure to use.) Unsafe
cars will be declined by the Tech Crew, so re-check everything!
Confidence in your vehicle will improve your times. |
|
| Fuel... |
Have some. Arrive with at least 1/4 tank which will get you
through most events with fuel to spare. |
|
| A helmet... |
which must be rated at least
"Snell M95"
(greater if you plan to eventually do track events, so check
those requirements before you buy if you think track might be in
your future). "Loaner" helmets may be available at the
event, but you must share (i.e. return it after each run to
where you picked it up) and your size may not always be
available. |
|
| Class and Numbers... |
to mark both sides of your car. You
should get 2 sets of class/numbers made from magnetic material.
Before you buy the magnetic class/numbers, be sure to read about
the Autocross -> Class/Number Specifications. |
|
| Shoes... |
should be lightweight with thin soles. Driving shoes,
wrestling shoes, and indoor soccer shoes come highly recommended.
Running shoes will work. Hiking boots and flip-flops are right
out! |
|
| Driving gloves... |
are not required, but sweaty hands can ruin a good
run. Gloves can help. Plus, they look way cool! |
|
| Jacket or sweatshirt... |
just in case the weather suddenly turns really cool. That
sometimes happens before you know it when you have to be out all
day, especially in the early spring or fall, so bring something
warm. |
|
| Wide-brim hat... |
to keep the sun off of your head and face. Remember, you'll
be working as well as driving. Sunburns suck big time! |
|
| Sunscreen... |
Bring some -- always! You'll need it. Make sure it's
water-proof! Sunburns su...well, you know that. |
|
| Big ol' umbrella... |
It does occasionally rain, you know. Also helps on a
hot, sunny day. |
|
| Rain suit... |
It does occasionally rain, you know. Oh, we said
that. Well, it doesn't help keep the sun off, but it sucks to be
soaking wet all day. |
|
| Tarp... |
Yeah, it does occasionally rain, and it sucks to
have all of your stuff drenched, too. Remember, you have to remove
everything from your car that's not attached, and in a
heap on the ground is where it all usually goes. |
|
| Plastic bags... |
are good for keepin' stuff dry, too, but most importantly,
you need 'em to take your trash home with you. We need to leave
sites cleaner than the way we find 'em. Even if you don't
have an environmental conscience, if we don't keep the site owners
happy, we don't have sites; if we don't have sites, we don't have
autocrosses! Get it? Be sure to take at least your
own trash home with you. If you see somebody leaving trash,
remind 'em about this; if you see trash that's already been
orphaned, give it a home! Seriously, this is important and trash
clean-up is everybody's responsibility, including yours! |
|
| Folding chair... |
to relax a little. Standing up on hot pavement all day is not
all that fun. |
|
| Water and snacks... |
Bring some -- at least a gallon of water. It's a long day and
dehydration is not cool! |
|
| Tools 'n stuff... |
Keep a separate tool bag just for autocrossing. Include the
specific wrenches and sockets for your car. Bring an air
compressor (one of those small, 12-volt jobs that plugs into your
cigarette lighter will do just fine), a good tire pressure gauge,
and some work gloves -- no, these are not the same as
your new driving gloves! If you'll be changing your tires,
bring a hydraulic jack (not a bottle jack!), and a torque
wrench with proper-size socket for your lugnuts and an extender if
needed. |
|
| A sense of responsibility... |
Have one!! Once again, if we don't have sites, we don't have
autocrosses so
BE RESPONSIBLE ! ! Speeding, tire warming, brake checking,
drag racing your buddy, "cutting up" in a vehicle,
destroying any property, or investigating non-event parts of a
site are ALL MAJOR NO-NOs! If you don't bring anything
else with you to a event, please bring a sense
of responsibility. It will make yours and everyone else's day
a lot more fun! |