Unsung Heroes of Grip: 2017 NMCA Hotchkis Autocross by Nitto Tire
Autocross is the Rodney Dangerfield of racing — it gets no respect. It has neither the big-dollar sponsor or team involvement of professional sports car racing, nor the death-defying speeds of MotoGP, nor the celebrity cache of Formula 1, nor the screaming, smoke-billowing spectator allure of drifting. You’ll probably never see live network coverage of an autocross event or its drivers hounded (or even asked...once) for autographs. But for those who know and appreciate the sport for what it is, that’s perfectly fine.
Let’s make one thing clear about autocross: It’s every bit as much a serious motorsport as any of the aforementioned. And whatever it may lack in hype or extremes, it makes up with one attribute (among many) it presents in spades: Democratization.
A Motorsport for Everyone
You won't see big-dollar involvement in autocross because its competitors don’t need that to be successful. They don’t need to risk life and limb (or more importantly, their cars) to climb the podium, and the sport doesn’t live or die by its spectator appeal. To make it in autocross, you simply need a well set-up vehicle — pretty much any vehicle — and the ability to drive the wheels off it.
The goal here is simple: Navigate a cone-defined, usually very technical course in as little time as possible, in whatever vehicle you choose that adheres to the rules of a wide variety of competition classes. Speed and power usually take a back seat to strategies of braking performance, handling, weight distribution, low-speed acceleration, grip and driver skill.
Autocross is where a 100 hp Miata can outperform a 400 hp Mustang GT, or where a well-prepared Mustang GT and experienced driver can smoke a turbo/AWD sport-compact with a rookie behind the wheel. And it’s also where a vintage farm truck can run more quickly around the course than both, with the right work. This year’s Hotchkiss Autocross at the NMCA West presented by Nitto Tire at Fontana’s Auto Club Speedway gave those in the know two full days to witness and partake in stuff just like that.
Nuts and Bolts, Springs and Rubber
When purveyors of top-quality suspension components (Hotchkis Sport Suspension) meet the high-performance driving world’s best rubber retailers (Nitto Tire) for an event emphasizing handling and grip above all else, you know something awesome will happen. Held in tandem with the NMCA West’s West Coast Shootout event at Auto Club’s adjacent dragway, this year’s Hotchkis Autocross event spanned two days, each consisting of eight competitions for six classes of vehicles, ranging from classic muscle to compact car, truck and more.
Sports Car Class
When the dust settled at the end of it all, coming out on top were Tom Kammanv (Saturday) and John Lazorack III (Sunday) in the Sports Car Class, with a 40.928-second run in an ‘02 Chevrolet Corvette and 40.875 in an ‘88 Dodge Conquest, respectively...
Classic Muscle Class
...Greg Thurmond in an immaculate 1965 Corvette with back-to-back wins (41.258 on Saturday 41.278 on Sunday) in Classic Muscle...
Modern Muscle Class
...Paul Molina with a 41.616 from a brand-new ‘17 Mustang and Greg Biddlingmeier with a 41.136 in an ‘88 Fox Body in Modern Muscle...
Compact Class
...James Gassor with a 44.380 in his ‘08 Saturn Sky and Pat Sheely with a 43.367 from a new ‘17 Ford Focus ST in Compact...
Truck Class
...Wes Drelleshak with a 42.572 from his crowd-favorite ‘59 Apache (remember that farm truck from earlier?) and Mike Sullivan and his ‘65 El Camino with a 42.590 in Truck...
Exhibition
...Michael Ahlstrom and his ‘65 VW Buggy taking top honors both days in Exhibition, with a 42.632 and 42.285, respectively...
Hotchkis Cup
...Mike Cuthbertson and his ‘68 Camaro winning the Hotchkis Cup with a best time of 41.346 for the weekend...
Fastest Overall
...and John and his Conquest clocking the single fastest lap of the event early Sunday to the tune of a blistering 40.875.
Key Learnings
So yes, while autocross might not offer the extremes or glory of other forms of motorsport, its high reward versus risk and investment makes it one of the most fun — and most creative — forms of motorsport in existence. If you’ve got smarts, dedication and skill, and have a taste for the finer products on the market, you can build just about anything into a competitive autocross machine and enjoy it for years to come.
