The Autocross.com web site has a pretty complete autocross calendar that includes non-SCCA clubs and links to some other helpful sites. Richard Welty's very nice North American Motorsports Pages include information about the SCCA and and a long page of information about contacting the SCCA or its Regions.
Since I first wrote this, an increasing fraction of SCCA regions are on the web or have electronic contacts. If that does not work for you, you can get regional contacts for Solo autocross competition by calling the Sports Car Club of America at 303-694-7222 between 8 and 5 mountain time weekdays and ask them for names and phone numbers for your region. Be sure to tell them (or the regional contact) your main interest is in Solo II.
It does not need to be a fast sports car. A lightweight small sedan is easier to drive well than a powerful heavy sports car on the tight courses used for autocross. I think it is easier to learn the sport in an underpowered car, as long as it has good handling characteristics.
I think you need a parental waiver if you are under 18.
No special safety mods are required on any but the oldest cars; some of those must have seat belts added to be legal. Every car must pass a basic technical inspection that checks whether key safety items are in place and functional.
Drivers are required to have a valid driver's license, wear a seatbelt, and use a Snell-approved helmet. (Snell-approved motorcycle helmets from 1985 or later are OK, "DOT" motorcycle helmets are not.) Loaner helmets are available.
Absolutely no use of alcohol or controlled substances is allowed.
You should clean it up, remove any loose junk from the trunk or passenger compartment, and be sure it is ready to be driven hard. Check all fluid levels, change the oil and filter if it is coming due, and check your tires and alignment. If you are going to use street tires, it is a good idea to inflate them to the manufacturers suggested maximum. You can bleed air later if needed to adjust the handling of the car. You can get all sorts of advice on this detail from your fellow competitors!
You are better off not making any performance modifications to your car until you know what the car classification rules permit. Most mods people like to make will push the car into the "street prepared" category where competition is tough, but this is not really an issue until you are ready to really compete. If you are out to have fun and learn, it does not matter if you are in CSP instead of CS. Also, many regions run a Novice class for people in the same situation.
Many drivers are like me: they run the same car they drive to work. The first big investment is usually in a separate set of autocross tires that are designed for racing purposes.
One advantage to driving your regular car is that you can learn how to handle it under emergency conditions. I remember one story about a guy seeing some traffic disaster ahead and treating it like a slalom. He said that, before autocross, he would probably have locked up the brakes and slid into an accident.
You and your car are all alone on the course. There is no traffic to worry about, and the nearest curb or pole or unpaved surface is at least 25 feet, often much more, from where you are supposed to be.
An autocross course is designed to minimize the chance that a car can contact a curb or any fixed object, even if the car spins out of the marked course. It should be safe for fast competitive driving by experienced competitors. A Safety Steward checks out each course to ensure that it is consistent with the rules concerning top speed and that it provides an additional safety margin in critical areas, but there are no guarantees. I have never seen a crash, and hope I never do, but they can happen. Fast driving does not have to be reckless driving; reckless driving is not tolerated.
For novice drivers, safety means driving a lot slower than you think might be possible until you learn the course and get a better feel for what your car is doing in these new circumstances. It also means not letting adrenaline blind you to where you are going, which is not easy the first time out.
I get pumped just watching the large (1.5 Mb) MPEG movie that Mark Bradakis has on the web.
It can be. An autocross course looks intimidating the first time out.
After you figure out where you are going, and learn to read the language of the cones, it is not really very hard but it sure can be challenging! That is, after a few runs you will think you know what you are doing, and after a few years, you might be right.
If this is your first time at an autocross, there are lots of friendly folks in our club that will gladly help you figure out what to do. This is true at every SCCA region. There are not too many sports left where your competitors help you learn how to beat them. This is one of them.
Last updated circa August 2000 by Jim Carr, who autocrosses his Miata in C Stock.