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Trackcross FAQ

Updated Jan ’24. Please click on each question below to see the answer:

Q: What is a Trackcross?

A: Trackcross, TrackCross, Circuitcross – these are different names for the same events we’ve been providing since the mid-2000s mostly at Summit Point. The idea is that we put on two half-day autocrosses for street cars except they’re not in a parking lot with cones, they’re on a twisty section of permanent road course without cones – and without work assignments! “Lots of runs and lots of fast fun” has always been the plan; these events are perfect for beginner/novice drivers and there is literally no cheaper or easier way to run for times on an actual racetrack. We do these every year as separate championships…
SUMMIT POINT WINTER SERIES: click here
SUMMIT POINT SPRING/SUMMER SERIES: click here

Q: Where are these events held?

A: We currently hold Trackcrosses at Summit Point Motorsports Park outside Winchester, VA on the 2.2 mile Shenandoah Circuit, the 1.7 mile Jefferson Circuit, and occasionally the 2.0 mile Main Circuit.

Q: When are these events held?

A: Trackcrosses are held on Saturdays or occasionally Sundays, we typically do them year-round as separate championships:
SUMMIT POINT WINTER SERIES: click here
SUMMIT POINT SPRING/SUMMER SERIES: click here

Q: Who can drive at these events?

A: Trackcrosses are open to any age 18+ driver with a valid street drivers license, a legal helmet, and a car that will pass a tech inspection. No prior experience is necessary and beginners/novices are welcome. There is no better, safer, or cheaper way to start driving fast on road courses!

Q: How much does it cost to drive at these?

A: Entry fees usually range from $85 to $225 per driver depending on where/when the event takes place as well as when/how you register. The low end of that range would be an off-season event at which you pre-register early for a discount and take a work assignment for a discount; the high end would be a peak season event entry with no work assignment via late at-track registration that morning.

Q: Do I need a racecar to participate?

A: You definitely do not need a racecar, in fact the majority of participants are in stock(ish) street cars or track prepared cars that are often still street legal. Any kind of car, from Kia to Koenigsegg, is usually fine as long as it passes tech. You only directly compete on the results against similar cars – or similar drivers if you are a beginner – thanks to our classing system. We do allow some car-based crossovers as well, please inquire. For safety reasons we don’t allow trucks or 4x4s, and convertible cars need significant rollover protection (explained elsewhere on this page.) Summit Point will no longer allow electric or hybrid-electric vehicles to participate as of April 2023.

Q: How fast do we go on each run?

A: Top speed is set by driver skill, course used that day, type of car, modifications to car, and more. With this series we focus on “the twisty bits” (i.e. multiple technical sets of corners per run) instead of long straightaways. That said, you can certainly go much faster at these than you ever could legally on a public street and/or at a regular autocross. Click here to watch our Youtube playlist of Trackcross in-car videos and see how fast some drivers are going.

Q: What’s the schedule/format each day?

A: Once everyone has been through registration and tech and the mandatory drivers meeting early in the morning, we effectively run these as two half-day events for two heats each of not more than 40-45 cars each with a lunch break in between. The morning vs afternoon course may be a different track, a different section of the same track, a longer section of the same track, or the same section in the other direction. We divide the group in half based on class, and an entry usually gets you the ability to run in one morning heat and one afternoon heat. Each heat averages about 90-120 minutes long; some are shorter (i.e. Sunday morning heats on Shenandoah when we have mandatory 11am church quiet hour) and some can be longer (i.e. afternoon heats when we have daylight until 6pm or later and are trying to make up for time lost in the morning.) It depends on the day and the event. Sample schedules look like…

7:00a – registration & tech open
8:00a – drivers meeting/novice classroom
est 8:45a – heat A on course 1
est 10:30a – heat B on course 1
12:00p – lunch/touring laps
1:00p – heat C on course 2 (heat A drivers again)
est 2:30p – heat D on course 2 (heat B drivers again)

Q: How many people drive at these events?

A: We limit registration so we can average about 80-90 drivers per event, this is to make sure everyone gets plenty of runs on the courses. Some events are slightly bigger due to demand/season and some are smaller but typically you can expect not more than 40-45 cars in each heat.

Q: You really don’t have work assignments like at an autocross?

A: Correct, we hire dedicated staff so your fee is usually just to drive not to work, and you take breaks during the two heats you’re not driving in. No standing out in the heat chasing cones – this makes the day much more pleasant and fun. NOTE: we usually need a few extra sets of hands to help with tech in the morning then start/grid/timing during each heat. We offer a discounted entry fee as thanks for your time. Please contact Jon Felton BEFORE REGISTERING to get the worker discount code then sign up for one of the worker spots. Note: no beginners, novices, or first-timers please – must have significant experience from our trackcrosses to get this deal.

Q: How many runs do we get on the track?

A: Number of runs depends on variables including daily schedule, car counts, course design/length, weather, and number of problems/cleanups. There is a 1 or 2 lap drive-through behind a pace car before each heat and your first run in each heat is a warmup/doesn’t count toward results. After that, three to five runs per heat is average. Sometimes it’s more when things are running smoothly and/or in the afternoon heats when time allows, but it’s usually not less unless things have really gone wrong. So for your day spent away from home you can usually expect at least 7-10 runs total, but hopefully more!

Q: What are the tech inspection rules for entered cars?

A: Tech inspection is a check to make sure each car is in good working condition. We strongly encourage participants to “pre-tech” their cars before each event or have a shop or trusted professional do it. For Summit Point events, the tech inspection rules can be found here. Pre-tech the car if you know exactly what to look for or have that done by a qualified shop or person, we will then re-check the car that morning. You DO need to bring a completed/signed tech form to each event. Sorry there are no refunds or credits for cars that fail tech.

APRIL ’23 UPDATE: electric and hybrid-electric vehicles are no longer allowed on track at Summit Point therefore they no longer pass tech for these trackcrosses, sorry!

Q: Can I drive my convertible at these events?

A: Convertible rules for Summit Point events as per the tech rules are – rollbars are required unless the car is factory equipped with rollover protection, and it must state such in the manual. Drivers must bring manual and present it at tech. Mazda MX5/Miata, Honda S2000, and Dodge Viper convertibles (among others) all need 4 point roll bars added. All convertibles should pass a “broomstick test” as well.

NOTE: Cars with t-tops or targa tops that are removable from an otherwise fixed/structural roof are NOT considered convertibles.

ALSO NOTE: convertibles with hard tops (especially Mazda Miata PRHT or RF trim levels) are still convertibles and the rollbar rules still apply because hard tops are typically not structural.

Please inquire before registering if you have any question about the legality of your convertible. Sorry there are no refunds or credits if you register and/or show up with a convertible that doesn’t pass tech.

Q: What are your helmet requirements?

A: We only recommend full-face helmets with the latest Snell SA rating. Open face helmets are not recommended and may be prohibited soon. All helmets should have at least the Snell M2010/SA2010 or newer rating and be in good condition. Please verify that your helmet has the brown or orange Snell sticker inside under the liner because that’s what we look for. NOTE: sorry we no longer provide rental helmets but our friends at OG Racing near Dulles may have some available in advance.

Q: Do I really have to put numbers on my car?

A: Yes – your unique car number is your identifier at each event, you pick it when you register. Those numbers need to be “big and visible” on both sides of your car please, on doors not windows – the bigger the better; at least 12 inches tall, and vinyl is highly recommended. Painters tape/masking tape is allowed but not recommended because it comes off so easily (especially when it rains.) Magnetic numbers typically don’t work well for trackcross either. Contrasting colors are good – blue tape on a blue car or white shoe polish on glass isn’t visible enough. Note that you won’t get times or be on the results if you have any number on your car other than the one on the entry list, or if we can’t see your numbers on your car for whatever reason. What we can see on the car is what helps us make accurate results, thanks in advance!

Q: When can my child participate in these events?

A: Sorry – due to insurance regulations your child may only participate when they’re legally an adult. Drivers and passengers at all Trackcrosses must be age 18+ with a current US-state-issued drivers license to participate, for safety and liability reasons.

Q: What are your rules about passengers?

A: These are solo events by design, and for safety reasons of course – but at some events, passengers may ride with experienced non-novice drivers during the afternoon runs only. Entered drivers may not take passengers during the morning runs and novice drivers specifically may not take passengers at any time (unless it’s one of our instructors), again for safety reasons. If any driver spins or goes 4-off, they lose passenger privileges for the day. In all cases the passengers must be at least 18 years old, must be wearing a legal helmet, and must have the same level of safety/protection as the driver. Passengers must also not cause delays at the starting line getting strapped in, must keep hands and arms inside the car, and may not bring/use handheld recording devices inside the car.

Q: Can we share a car at these events?

A: Car sharing/co-driving at trackcrosses is possible, but not recommended. Two drivers may register one car if they sign themselves up separately as two different entries in the same class and each pick car numbers they can change quickly with vinyl or tape (51 and 151, for example.) We don’t recommend it especially for beginners/novices because it’s always much harder on the car – no time to cool down between runs – and it’s sometimes logistically difficult with the limited space of our pre-grid arrangements to get two runs on the car for every one rotation of the group inside of a heat. It’s 100% on the drivers to make this happen, we won’t have time at the end of the heat to make up lost runs for co-drivers. Also the car number needs to be changed every few minutes to reflect who’s in the car for the next run and that’s often forgotten, meaning our final times/results will be incorrect. Sometimes we will manually put one of the drivers into the other two heats to make things easier, but again then the car gets fewer breaks all day. So it can be done but it’s complicated and not recommended especially if you haven’t done our events before or done co-driving before. Long story short, please each bring your own cars instead!

Q: What’s your car classing system all about?

A: We use our own homemade “common sense” system that separates cars into 20 classes based on engine size, drivetrain configuration, modifications, level of competition preparation, tire choice, and driver experience level. We calculate championship points for each class in each series and award season trophies to the highest finishers in the classes with the most competition. Classing is truly to have a more specific way to look at results. It is each competitor’s responsibility to class themselves correctly and to help class all other participants correctly. Please click here to visit our page about car classing.

Q: How do I see my times and results?

A: To see times and results during a trackcross day we typically operate live timing at this link. Just use your phone to check/refresh the page after each run (it updates every 60sec.) Then we email and/or post results online afterward, usually at this link for summer events or this link for winter events. Also if we’re doing a season points championship, those results are posted on the same pages.

Q: How do I sign myself up for these events?

A: Trackcrosses are like concerts or sports games – online pre-registration/pre-payment is typically required and many events sell out well in advance. We use an outside system called Motorsportreg, please click here to register for our events on MSR.

Q: Registration is full, how does the Waiting List work?

A: We may use two kinds of waiting lists depending on the event. If you register as a PWL (Paid Waiting List) entry because the regular spots are already full, we will email you by 24 hours prior (i.e. 7am Friday or Saturday) if we have a spot for you. If not, that entry will automatically be applied to the next Trackcross. If you register as a UWL (Unpaid Waiting List) entry because the PWL is already full, we will email you by 24 hours prior (i.e. 7am Friday or Saturday) if a spot becomes available. You will then need to register and pay online OR register and pay trackside, depending on timeframe. NOTE – if you are on either waiting list, you are NOT yet officially accepted into the event until you hear from us, even if your entry is showing on the published entry list…

Q: Is camping allowed the night before these events?

Sorry, we are not insured or staffed to offer RV or tent camping in the paddock the night before these events. Gates typically open by 6:45am and close by 6:45pm. Summit Point has plenty of hotels and campgrounds within a reasonable distance.

Q: Are car/trailer drops allowed the night before an event?

A: Sorry – because the paddocks are often in use with other events, trailer or car dropoffs are typically NOT allowed the day/night before these events – gates typically open by 6:45am on the listed event day.

Q: Do I get an instructor at these events?

A: Sorry, these Trackcrosses are non-instructed events by design. They were literally invented as “solo” transition events between autocross and track days. If you would like in-car instruction please register for one of our many HPDEs instead.

Q: How much does it cost to spectate?

A: 2022 UPDATE – we are generally not able to allow spectators or non-essential personnel due to ever-changing COVID-19 restrictions but limited additional guests may be allowed again on a case-by-case basis per event, please inquire. [PRE COVID ANSWER: Sorry, Trackcrosses are not really considered “spectator events” for insurance, liability, and security reasons. You also can’t get near the the action unless you’re a driver/participant and don’t have much way to know what’s going on unless you’re directly a part of the activity, so please register to drive instead of just coming to watch!]

Q: I signed up to drive, can I bring my wife/friend/kids?

A:  2022 UPDATE – we are generally not able to allow spectators or non-essential personnel due to ever-changing COVID-19 restrictions but limited additional guests may be allowed again on a case-by-case basis per event, please inquire. [PRE COVID ANSWER: Registered drivers may bring one or two guests and/or crew for no additional cost as long as they all sign the waiver at the front gate on the way in and get a wristband. Drivers are responsible for the location and behavior of their guests/crew at all times. Children must not be left unattended and pets must be leashed/cleaned up after.]

Q: What’s this I hear about free skidpad and/or $20 touring laps?

A: When we run on the Shenandoah Circuit at Summit Point, the wet skidpad in the paddock is usually open free of charge for registered drivers in tech inspected cars after the first heat gets going (think 9am ish to 4pm ish), as long as it’s at least ~40 degrees outside. It’s great fun to slide around and hopefully learn something. Meanwhile, touring laps are a 15-30 minute session of “highway speeds” orientation/parade laps between pace cars, with no helmets and no passing, done during our lunch break. Cost is usually $20 per car. The driver must be a registered participant and the car must have a valid tech sticker; passengers are welcome as long as they each have a seat belt. Note: lunch laps are only available at some events depending on track and season, and skidpad is only available at our Shenandoah events.

Q: What is SKID VIC?

A: As mentioned above, when we run on the Shenandoah Circuit at Summit Point, the wet skidpad in the paddock is usually open free of charge for registered drivers in tech inspected cars. SKID VIC is our optional program – available for an additional fee when you register in MSR – to provide a car for registered participants to use on the Shenandoah skidpad during the trackcross event day instead of (or in addition to) their own cars, and we provide in-car instruction as well. We use Ford Crown Victoria P71 Police Interceptors i.e. old cop cars, and we teach drivers how to fix understeer and oversteer then show/teach them (hopefully) how to drift all the way around the skidpad. It’s a lot of fun!

Q: Why can’t I arrive late and still participate?

A: One of our “sorry, no exceptions” rules is that everyone must be through registration and tech no later than the drivers meeting start time – usually 8am. This is because all staff and officials scatter to restricted areas around the circuit to put on the event by a fixed schedule. So after ~8am there is nobody around to help you register/tech and no time to give another drivers meeting because all the people who perform those activities are now a mile from the paddock doing some other mission-critical task to make the event run smoothly. We are also not able to offer entry fee refunds or credits for those who arrive late, so you forfeit your entry if you can’t get there on time. Please think of your entry like non-refundable airline tickets. If you’re not on the plane when the doors close, the tickets have no value. The best way to not have this problem is to stay in a nearby hotel the night before and/or leave early to give yourself a good time buffer if you’re driving in that morning. All participants really should be there by ~7am!

Q: What is your bad weather policy?

A: All Trackcrosses will take place as scheduled “rain or shine, hot or cold.” We would only postpone an event for frozen weather or a significant system like a hurricane, and your entry would automatically apply to the rescheduled date while still being subject to the normal cancellation policy. For the winter events at Summit Point that reschedule is usually 1 week later. Note: during any event day we do pause for thunderstorms (to get corner workers out of possible lightning strike areas) and resume once they have passed. Regardless, we can’t control the weather so please be prepared for wet or dry and hot or cold conditions!

Q: What happens when an event gets postponed or cancelled?

A: In the rare case of a Trackcross postponement for some significant issue, typically everything is simply moved forward. So if you registered for the postponed event you are automatically registered for the rescheduled event as well, and all else is the same. In the very rare case of an outright cancellation for some major problem, typically full entry credits are issued or replacement signups are handled privately. In either case, registered drivers are notified ASAP via email so please make sure your profile/address is current.

Q: What is your registration cancellation policy?

A: For all Trackcrosses the policy you agree to when you register is “All sales final – no cancellation, refund, or credit. Entry is transferrable to another person for this event only.” We are truly sorry if you disagree but there are no exceptions to this policy so please don’t ask. Think of your registration like concert tickets or sporting event passes – they get you a seat at a specific place and time for a usually sold-out event, and that’s all. If you are having car problems, your best option is to bring a different car. If you find you cannot attend for any other reason, your best option is to sell or give the spot to someone else qualified to participate, then let us know whose name to put on it by NOON ON THE TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY PRIOR i.e. 72 hours prior to our arrival at the track to set up (noon Tuesday if a Saturday event, noon Wednesday if a Sunday event.)

This policy is financially necessary – we run trackcrosses very close to “at cost to put on” by design, so our entry fees can be as low as possible. If we have to factor in refunds or credits we’re then taking dollars away from later events. That would make our entry fees go up and fewer people would get to come drive which means less fun for everyone. The down-side of this arrangement is that sometimes people just have to lose an entry due to circumstances beyond their control, it’s unfortunate but necessary. So our entries are as cheap as possible, but they are treated like sold-out plane tickets or concert tickets or similar – if you’re not there, regardless of reason, they have no value. Thanks very much for understanding!

Also please note, the deadline for putting someone else’s name on your entry or otherwise updating said entry is NOON ON THE TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY PRIOR i.e. 72 hours prior to our arrival at the track to set up (noon Tuesday if a Saturday event, noon Wednesday if a Sunday event.) The ONLY changes we will be able to facilitate after that time (including at the track on an event morning) are ONLY if you need to change classes or bring a different car…

Q: What are you doing about Coronavirus?

A: The health of our participants and staff remains everyone’s top priority. Many events have been postponed or cancelled. Our intention is to resume only as soon as it’s safe to do so. Hopefully that will be during late spring or early summer 2020. 

May 2020 Update: As we all start thinking about holding events again, click here to review our outline of event procedural changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We plan to follow those guidelines until further notice.

June 2020 Update: events are getting back underway and going fine with everyone wearing masks, practicing social distancing, washing hands and/or using hand sanitizer frequently, etc. This shall continue indefinitely…

July 2020 Update: click here for Summit Point’s own COVID-19 restrictions outline which will apply to all our events going forward.

December 2021 Update: we continue to operate with various precautions in place, TBA per event.

For questions not answered above please email Get Fast Info