Start Here: Your First Autocross.

1. The “Empty Nest” Rule (Interior & Trunk)

The most common reason people fail or get delayed at Tech is having loose items in the car.

• What to do: Remove everything that isn’t bolted down. This includes floor mats (especially the driver’s side), loose change, garage door openers, water bottles, and everything in the trunk (spare tire, jack, tool kits).
• Why: Under hard cornering, a stray water bottle can roll under your brake pedal, and a heavy jack in the trunk can become a projectile.

2. The “Battery Shake” Test

The battery must be securely fastened to the chassis. This is the #1 mechanical fail item for stock cars.

• What to do: Open your hood and literally try to wiggle your battery with your hand. If it moves even a fraction of an inch, tighten the bracket.
• Pro-Tip: If your plastic “hold-down” is cracked or missing, a bungee cord is not a legal SCCA fix. You’ll need a proper metal tie-down or a replacement bracket.

3. Check Your “Vital Fluids” & Caps

You don’t need a racing engine, but you do need a sealed one.

• What to do: Ensure your oil dipstick is seated, your brake fluid reservoir is full, and your coolant overflow cap is tight. Look under the car for any active drips (puddles).
• The “No-Go”: If your car is actively leaking oil, coolant, or brake fluid onto the pavement, you will be asked to fix it before you can run.

4. The “Lugs & Limbs” (Wheel & Suspension)

Tech inspectors will check the integrity of your “rolling stock.”

• The Lug Nut Check: Ensure all lug nuts are present and torqued. (No, you can’t run with 4 out of 5 lugs).
• The “Wheel Bearing” Shake: Inspectors often grab the top of your tire and give it a hard shake. They are feeling for “play” or clunking in the suspension or wheel bearings.
• Tires: Your tires don’t need to be racing slicks, but they cannot have cords or metal showing.

5. The Helmet & Numbers

You can’t “pass tech” without showing how you’ll be identified and protected.

• The Sticker: In the SCCA, your helmet must meet specific safety ratings (currently Snell SA2015/M2015 or newer). If you don’t have one, mention the “Loaner Helmet” program on your page!
• Numbers: You need your car number and class (e.g., “42 H-Street”) on both sides of the car.
• DIY Tip: For a newcomer in a stock car, painters’ tape is the “Gold Standard.” Just make sure the color contrasts with your car (blue tape on a white car) so the timing tower can see you!

1. Find the “Gate” (The Waiver Station)

Before you even park, look for the friendly face at the entrance. This is the Waiver Station.

• The Mission: Sign the SCCA release (yes, the “motorsports are dangerous” paper) and get your wristband.
• Pro-Tip: Keep that wristband on! It’s your golden ticket to be on-site. If you have friends or family coming to watch, send them here first, too.

2. Stake Your Claim (Paddock)

Follow the signs (or the line of cool cars) to the Paddock—that’s just “racer speak” for the parking lot.

• The Mission: Find a spot, park, and start your “Empty Nest” routine (see our Prep Guide above).
• Community Note: Introduce yourself to your neighbor! Autocrossers are notoriously helpful and will likely offer you a tire pressure gauge before you even ask for one.

3. Check-In & Tech Inspection

Once your car is empty and your numbers are taped on, it’s time for the official “thumbs up.”

• Registration: Head over to the timing van or tent to check in. We’ll make sure you’re in the right class and give you any last-minute updates.
• Tech: Drive (slowly!) to the Tech Inspection area. Pop your hood and trunk. An inspector will give your car a quick safety “physical.” Once you pass, you’ll get a tech sticker—wear it with pride; your car is officially a race car for the day.

4. The Guided Walkthrough

This is the most important part of your morning.

• The Mission: Join the Novice Course Walk. One of our seasoned drivers will lead the newcomers through the sea of cones, explaining how to “read” the course so you don’t get lost in a forest of orange plastic.
• The Goal: To realize that those “random” cones actually form a very fast, very fun puzzle.

5. The Drivers’ Meeting

When you hear the bullhorn (or the loud “Hey everyone!”), head to the timing trailer.

• The Mission: Listen up. We’ll cover safety, the run order, and the “work” rotations.
• The Vibe: This is where the KYSCCA family officially gathers. It’s professional, it’s mandatory, and it’s the final step before the engines start roaring.

Welcome to the Paddock (that’s just the parking lot where we hang out). To survive your first day like a veteran, here’s what you need to toss in your trunk:

1. The “Support Vehicle” Essentials

• The Plastic Tote: This is the #1 pro-tip. When you “prep for grid” (empty your car of everything loose), put your floor mats, snacks, and registration in a plastic bin. If a surprise rain shower hits while you’re driving, your stuff stays dry on the pavement.
• Blue Painter’s Tape: Unless you have fancy magnets, this is how you’ll “apply your livery.” We use it to put Numbers and Class Letters on your doors. It stays on at 60 mph but won’t hurt your paint.
• Tire Pressure Gauge: In Autocross, air is your best tuning tool. Most “street” tires need a little extra PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) so they don’t “roll over” onto the sidewall during hard turns.

2. The “Course Worker” Gear

In the SCCA, we are a DIY community. When you aren’t driving, you’ll be “Working the Course.” * Comfortable Close-Toed Shoes: You’ll be standing on hot asphalt “shagging cones” (running to reset the ones people hit). Leave the flip-flops at home; your feet will thank you.

• The “Sun-Screen” Strategy: There is zero shade on an Autocross course. Bring a hat and a bottle of high-SPF sunscreen. You don’t want to leave the lot looking like a “Corvette Red” paint job.
• Work Gloves: If you’re sensitive to heat, a light pair of gardening or work gloves is great for picking up cones that have been sitting in the 90-degree Kentucky sun all day.

3. Human Maintenance (The “Pit Stop”)

• A Cooler of “Hydrate”: Bring twice as much water as you think you’ll need. If you start feeling “brain fade” on your third run, you’re probably just dehydrated.
• The “Tailgate” Lunch: Most lots are far from a drive-thru. Pack a sandwich and some snacks. It’s also a great way to make friends—nothing starts a conversation like offering someone a spare Gatorade.

4. Safety & The “Brain Bucket”

• The Helmet: In the SCCA, we call this your “Brain Bucket.” If you have one, it must be Snell-rated (look for a sticker inside that says SA2015/M2015 or newer).
• Loaner Gear: Don’t have a helmet? Don’t sweat it! KYSCCA has Loaner Helmets at the timing van. We’ll even provide a “head sock” (a thin balaclava) to keep things hygienic.