CINCINNATI — Autocross is one of the largest and safest forms of motorsports. Competitors navigate a meticulously designed course, often set up in a large, open lot.

What You Need To Know

  • Traffic cones outline the course and are set as obstacles to weave in and out of

  • Gina Ma began her autocrossing journey in 2018
  • Ma said if a competitor knocks down a traffic cone, it will add two seconds to their final time
  • Autocross participants typically drive a course five or six times, but only their fastest run is considered for the competition

 

Traffic cones outline the course and are set as obstacles to weave in and out of. The objective is to complete the course as quickly as possible, while skillfully avoiding knocking over any cones.

While it’s a fast-paced, high adrenaline sport, it’s all designed to limit the top speed to what you would experience in normal driving conditions. Each contestant runs the track alone, so there’s virtually no risk of crashing into another vehicle. 

Gina Ma began her autocrossing journey in 2018. It’s an outlet from her job as a resident physician at The Ohio State University Hospital. She said if a competitor knocks down a traffic cone, it will add two seconds to their final time.

“And that can be pretty significant because sometimes people are separated by just tenths of a second or hundredths of a second,” said Ma.

Ma’s passion extends to instructing novice drivers, like 82 year old Jack Cecil. He proves that age knows no bounds in autocross.

“This is all new to me and my reflexes are not very good. But she’s very good, a very good instructor,” he said.

Ma finds it rewarding when her students see a tangible difference and are able to shave time off the clock. 

Autocross participants typically drive a course five or six times, but only their fastest run is considered for the competition. 

“It doesn't matter how poorly you did on the other runs, if you're hitting cones, as long as you have one good run in there, that's the only one that's going to count for the day. So it really encourages you to step out of your comfort zone, try different things, try new things and see how they work," Ma said.

Autocross is relatively accessible if you have a car. Drivers often compete with the vehicle they drive on a daily basis. It just needs to be a vehicle that’s low to the ground so you don’t have the risk of rolling over. Ma says she’s driven everything from a Toyota Camry to a Corvette on the track. 

If you’d like to try autocross, it's recommended to attend an event as a spectator first. You can learn more about the Cincinnati Region SCCA here and the Ohio Valley Region SCCA here if you’d like to get behind the wheel. 

Related Stories