Cross of the Auto

This past Sunday marked my first AutoX event with a couple of buddies at Atlanta Motor Speedway. While the day was hot, sweaty, and hungover (thanks to Jay’s He-Man Juice the night before), it was an absolute blast.

The experience was very different than HPDE events I’ve done in the past, arguably AutoX is a different animal all-together. Honestly the most challenging aspect is actually finding the course on the first couple of runs. Unlike HPDE events which are on road courses (which have little to no variability in the route), Auto Cross (or AutoX for the initiated) uses large parking lots and “gates” defined by marker cones, where the driver has to learn the course while trying to set their best time on that course. Each vehicle is “spaced” safely from the vehicle running the course ahead and behind them, so there’s no pressure of other drivers or risk of collision. Additionally, unlike HPDE, the drivers are also required to “work the course” when their run group is not running, by noting cone hits or DNFs, and ensuring the cones are in their correct position.

BMW CCAs AutoX allowed 8 runs, with a time penalty of 1 second for any cone hit and a DNF for any “missed” gates. Comparing HPDE to AutoX, I’d highlight the pros and cons of AutoX as follows:

Pros
• Less risk of colliding or damaging your or others' vehicles
• More ability to "push the limits" of traction and control
• No pressure from other vehicles on the course, having to provide "point-bys" or anticipate other driver's behavior or course
• Less risk of a "money shift" since you can pretty much stay in the same one to two gears throughout the course
• Greater "appreciation" for the event since you are both a participant and a course worker
• Exercise (e.g. running to pickup cones, monitoring your assigned sector, and "on your feet")
• Less expensive

Cons
• Challenge of finding the route/course crowds out/distracts from the ability to identify braking zones, apexes, etc
• Lower speed and less distance does not lend itself to better understanding your vehicle's handling characteristics in dynamic environment
• No "persistence," so once you learn a course, it's only good for that day - the next time you return, it will be a different course
• Less seat time
• Less technical in driving requirements (e.g. no shifting or heal-toe required, limited benefit or opportunity for trail braking, little to no elevation change)
• HOT!

I will absolutely attend another AutoX event, although I may wait for sub-90F weather and I will likely better limit my alcohol intake the night before.