Updated July 2026

​

Welcome to the South Plains Autocross (SPAX). Our number one goal is for everyone to have a great time safely exploring the limits of their vehicle. We request that you read this document thoroughly and carefully.

​

 

A. REGISTRATION:

​

1. Pre-registration for SPAX events are required and you can access online at motorsportreg.com. All events have a registration cap off at 50 drivers. Online registration for each event commences 1 month prior to the event and subsequently closes on the Wednesday just prior to the event. On-site registration is generally not available at the event.

​

2. The entry fee for each event is $77. Reach out to us for our season passes.

 

3. Refunds are only granted if the event is cancelled by the organizers.

• if you cancel 1 week or more prior to the event 100% will go to the next event.

• if you cancel 7 day before the event 50% will go to the next event.

 

4. Signed parental consent is required for licensed minors 16 or 17 years of age in order to participate (as driver or passenger) in the event. Minor waivers are available on site. The parent or legal guardian must be present at the event.

 

5. All persons present at the event must sign a release waiver. Drivers must present a valid driver’s license when signing the waiver. Minors (under 18) must have the waiver signed by their parent or guardian.

​

​

B. GENERAL RULES:

​

1. The S.P.A.X. will not tolerate unsafe behavior at our events. We will require that anyone violating these rules to immediately leave the premises and forfeit any registration fees.

 

2. No alcohol or drugs are permitted on the premises during the event. This includes course setup and registration, run sessions, breaks, fun runs, and course breakdown.

​

3. No fire arms. You must not race with a fire arm in your car and can't have it on you either for safety reasons.

 

3. SPAX autocross events occur RAIN OR SHINE. In the event that severe weather causes, the cancellation of an event (ice, tornado, etc), SPAX will make every effort to notify attendees, generally via a posting to the SPAX website (www.southplainsautocross.org), the SPAX Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/608116278751990), and the e-mail list from the registration on https://motorsport.reg.com. If lightning occurs in the area during an event, all participants will be encouraged to take shelter for the length of the storm.

 

4. Fences and other site structures and property are not covered by SPAX insurance. You must pay for any damage to the property and its structures.

 

5. If you are late for the Drivers Meeting, then you forfeit your AM run sessions.

​

​

C. SAFETY & TECHNICAL INSPECTION:

 

1. Event participants are ultimately responsible for their car being in safe operating condition. All vehicles must complete the Technical Inspection process (tech inspection) during the time allocated prior to the Drivers Meeting.

 

2. You must remove all loose or non-permanent objects from your vehicle’s interior, glove box/storage bin, and trunk in order for the vehicle to pass tech inspection. Do not forget to check under the seats. You must remove all hubcaps and wheel covers.3. Each car is required to display a unique number placed on the driver’s and passenger’s doors in order to complete tech inspection. The number must be legible from 100 feet and be at least eight inches high with at least a one inch stroke. You must use the number that you selected during the on-line registration process.

 

4. Each car must have a tech inspection sticker affixed to the upper driver-side corner of the windshield by the tech inspector.

 

5. The driver and all vehicle passengers must each wear a helmet with Snell M-2010 or SA-2010 (or newer) certification. We have a limited amount of loaner helmets on site.

 

6. There is a 5 MPH speed limit in the paddock and grid areas. There is no tolerance for infractions and no warnings are given. If you can see your speedometer needle moving, then you are driving too fast.

 

7. All vehicle occupants must wear seat belts at all times on the course.

 

8. Off track excursions, striking the timing hardware, or any other actions considered reckless will result in a mandatory meeting between the driver and the event coordinator prior to the driver beginning any additional runs. Drivers are responsible for the replacement cost of any timing hardware that is destroyed because of contact with their vehicle.

 

 

D. COMPETITION FORMAT

 

1. The event schedule is as follows:

7 AM – 8 AM Check-in and mandatory Tech Inspection.

(You must arrive in time to check in and pass tech inspection prior to 8:30 AM).

8:00 AM – 8:40 AM Course open for walking.

8:30 AM Novice Meeting (mandatory, if new to autocross).

8:40 AM Drivers Meeting (mandatory for all).

9:00 AM First car out.

There will be a 30-minute break between the morning and afternoon sessions.

 

2. The day will be divided into four sessions where you drive in two sessions (one morning and one afternoon) and work in two sessions (one morning and one afternoon). Each driver will complete six timed runs per session, totaling twelve runs per event.

 

3. If you are not driving a session, then you must perform your work assignment. Work assignments include timing/scoring, grid coordination, instructing, and corner working.

 

4. Each entrant may only compete and earn points in one class per event.

​

5. Time penalties:

Two seconds per each cone knocked ‘down and out’ of its chalked boundaries. A penalty is not incurred if the cone is still standing and any part of the cone is within or touching the chalked boundary. This includes cones that form a wall or a stop box, and it also includes the cones before and after the timing lights. This does not include directional cones, which are not counted towards penalties. There is no maximum number of cone penalties per run. 

A vehicle is disqualified for a given run with a DNF (Did Not Finish) if it leaves the course and does not re-enter the course at the same location (or prior to) where it left the course. Significant deviation from the proscribed path can result in a DNF or, in extreme cases, considered reckless and submitted to the safety manager. If you incur a DNF, continueyour run through the remaining course at a reasonable and prudent pace and cross the finish line. This ensures that you do not impede drivers behind you or create a timing mismatch.

 

 

E. EVENT SCORING SYSTEM & CAR CLASSIFICATION:

 

1. Every car whose driver completes all required corner work duties is eligible to receive scoring points per the time standing in the driver’s class. A driver can receive points in only one class and one position per event. Points will be scored as follows. Position Points per Class:

9 points - First place

6 points - Second place

4 points - Third place

3 points - Fourth place

2 points - Fifth place

1 point - Sixth place and all other participants in class

 

2. The club will award points during each of the autocross events with a final championship trophy being awarded at the end of the season. Awards will be presented to competitors who have attended at least 75% (rounded up) events in the same class. If a driver changes classes during the season, any points accumulated in each class will remain with that class and cannot be combined with points in any other class. In the event of a position points tie at the end of the year in a class, each driver’s best times from all events in which the tying competitors both competed will be added up and the lowest aggregate time will determine the winner of that position.

 

3. S.P.A.X. uses SCCA’s classing system. For detailed classing, visit: https://www.scca-classifier.com/​

 

4. No vehicle can be taller than the average width of the vehicle’s track. Each vehicle's track width (average width of vehicle’s front and rear axles, tire-center to tire-center) must be greater than the height of the tallest point of the vehicle’s main structure from the ground.

 

​

F. PROCEDURES

 

1. Event Job Assignments:

Some assignments will be eliminated or combined based on event attendance and venue.

• Event Master 

• Safety

• Driver Check-in

• Tech Inspection

• Course setup/tear-down

• Corners

• Timing/Worker Check-in

• Starter

​

2. Radio Operation and Procedures:

• Your radio should be on at all times.

• Push the button on the side to talk, and release the button to listen. Please see the event coordinator if you need additional assistance.

• Use the radio to contact timing/control with only the necessary information...

• When a car hits a pylon, transmit, "Timing, this is corner X. Car #N hit one cone."

• Wait for acknowledgment from timing (may take a few seconds...they get busy at times).

• If no acknowledgment is received, call timing again.

• When a car is impeded, transmit, "Timing, this is corner X. Car #N was impeded by Car#M."

• Again, wait for and insist on an acknowledgment.

• When you notice something (car smoking, loose parts, car not running, etc), transmit,
  "Timing, this is corner X, Car #N".

​

3. Corner Worker Instructions:

• The first set of workers takes a flag, radio, and fire extinguisher to the work area, if not already placed at the stations during course setup.

• Corner workers should use the yellow flag to warn a driver of a problem with their car, or if there is danger of two cars coming to close to each other.

• When you first arrive at your work assignment, check in with timing on the radio.

• The course worker operating the radio must hold the yellow flag. This person oversees the course station. If you are not comfortable with this responsibility, then please find a replacement.

• Be alert! Always watch the cars.

• Try hard to safely erect or replace any cones that are knocked down by the previous driver before the next driver passes. Unhandled cones cause reruns, which extend your work assignment.

• However, if you cannot handle a cone in a safe manner prior to the next driver approaching, then byall means, leave it as is until the driver has passed. If needed, ask control to pause the event if you require extra time to clean up.

• You cannot sit or kneel while working on the course while the course is hot.

• Course workers are not allowed to bring mobile phones or cameras with them to their work station.

• No vehicles are allowed at course workstations.

• If a vehicle stalls on the course and cannot immediately restart, push the vehicle off the course, if possible.

• Safety order:

  • 1. Protect yourself

  • 2. Protect your partner(s)

  • 3. Protect the driver(s)

  • 4. Protect the car

  • 5. Protect the equipment

 

4. Grid/Starter Operation:

• Each driver will perform 6 runs in the AM session and 6 runs in the PM session. Drivers do not return to the grind between each run, but instead proceed back to the starter queue.

• Two driver vehicles must grid together in a designated area in order to include the initial drivers in the first group of vehicles out on the course. The second drivers will make their runs in later groups.

• The grid coordinator will break the drivers up into groups within the grid. The group size will vary with venue and course. Each group will complete their 6 runs for the session prior to the next group beginning their runs. As vehicles finish their 6th run, the grid coordinator will begin to cycle in vehicles from the next group in order to maintain a steady flow of vehicles to the starter queue.

• The starter will instruct vehicles to stage where the front of their car is even with the starting line.

• The number of cars to be waiting in queue at the starting line and driving concurrently on the course will be decided by the Safety Manager on an event basis.

• When the grid is empty, it is closed.

 

5. Driver Instruction: 

• Instructors are available. If you want to ride along with an instructor or have an instructor ride along with you, then alert the grid coordinator after gridding your car and before the session

• While in grid, stay in or near your vehicle until instructed to proceed to the queue at the staring line.

• The starter will direct you to the starting line. Wait at the starting line until you are told to start your run. Your time does not start until you cross the timing lights, so you do not need to immediately begin your run when instructed to start, but you do not want to wait long enough to cause a delay in the event.

• If you are a novice and feel you might need more time on the course, then alert the starter so they can allow a longer interval between you and the next vehicle behind you. Conversely, if youfeel that you are catching up to the car in front of you during previous runs, then alert the starter so they can compensate.

• When you begin your run, concentrate on your driving. Drive as fast as you can within the boundaries of the course and its components. Try to look ahead as you drive and plan your reactions and drive line before reaching the corner or component. Most importantly, be safe and have fun!

• Driving sideways (drifting), while fun, is not the fastest way around the course and it is considered unsafe when excessive. In general, the fastest line is the shortest line. You want to hear a slight rrrrrrrr from your tires as you round corners, but not a loud screech.

• If you hit a cone, forget about it and keep going as if nothing happened. If you feel a cone dragging under your car, ignore it and keep going as if nothing happened. The course workers are there to pick up the cones and handle any damage to the course, so do not worry about it. Besides, a little running will do them good.

• If you notice a down or out of place cone while driving on the course, then alert the corner workers by stopping. If the cone was misplaced, then you will get a rerun. If the cone was not misplaced, then you do not get a rerun. Finish the rest of the run at ¾ speed in order to not impede the person behind you.

• If you spin-out during your run, try to recover and continue as quickly as you can in order to avoid causing a red flag.

• If your vehicle stalls on the course and fails to restart, stay in your vehicle, but alert the closest corner worker. They can suspend the event until your vehicle is safely off the course.

• If you get lost on the course, stop and look for a course worker. They will point you in the right direction. Try to continue as quickly as you can (within your abilities) in order to avoid causing a red flag.

• Corner workers will wave a yellow flag at cars on the course if something has occurred on the course that requires an immediate and temporary halt to the event. If you are on course and you see a red flag, then come to an immediate, controlled stop (do not panic brake), stay in your car, and await further instruction from the corner worker. When the corner worker instructs you to continue, drive the remaining course at about ¾ speed until you cross the finish line. This ensures that you do not impede drivers behind you (who might not have received a red flag) or create a timing mismatch. You will get a rerun if you were not the cause of the yellow flag.

• When you cross the finish line, immediately apply your brakes and decrease your speed to about 5 MPH while still in the braking zone. Do not carry extra speed outside of the braking zone.

• Alert the grid coordinator if you determine that the braking zone is inadequate for you.

• You get 6 runs per session, so after exiting the course, return to the starter queue and begin preparing for your next run. Do not return to grid. If you completed your last run for the session, then you can go straight to the paddock, but you might want to first verify with the grid coordinator that you have not been granted a rerun.

• Please pull into the designated vehicle maintenance area if you need to “water” your tires or perform any vehicle adjustments.

• Alert the grid coordinator if you have any questions or concerns about your run and they will assist you. Do not approach the timing area as they are busy running the event.