Since you’ve already gotten past the first novice hurdle of simply making the decision to enter an autocross, the rest is easy! Well, perhaps not ” easy”. Many books have been written and schools taught on the finer points of autocross driving, and it takes YEARS of experience and dedication to really get good at it. With that in mind, I’ll try to put this gently… there’s about a 99% chance that you’re not going to impress anybody your first time out. And that’s okay! Even the fastest autocrosser had a first time, and every one of us is somewhere on the same learning curve. Most important first-timer advice: Relax and have fun!
And to make relaxation and fun easier, we can offer our Novice Coodinator to you. At each event, there will be someone who leads a coursewalk just for novices and who will actively seek out the first-timers, coordinate ride-alongs for you before you take your first run, ride with you or find someone to ride with you for your first run or two and more if you need or want it. The goal is the offering of guidance and instruction, building confidence, and generally helping you find your way around the course, avoids DNFs, and to make the overall FAST autocross experience that much more enjoyable.
Sometimes people ask, “how do I know if I’m a novice?” FAST defines “novice” as anyone who has competed in 4 or fewer autocross events, anywhere, anytime. If that’s you, when you register for an event, just choose “yes” for the “are you a Novice” question. That way, we’ll have an easier time identifying you and offering the perks we mentioned above.
