Sport Features

There's an old sporting adage that says the best way to make a small fortune in motor sport is to start with an even bigger one.  But as any autocross competitor will tell you, this doesn't have to be the case.

All types or ages of car can be used in Autocross

Autocross is an off-road, against-the-clock discipline that takes place on a grass or hay field between May and August and is specifically designed to provide all the thrills of off-road competition, for as little cost as possible.

Events take place across the country, and there are a number of events at venues in Essex - in Braintree and Langley.

Charlotte Landon, from Laindon, has been competing successfully in autocross for two years and has won a number of championships. She's now preparing to move on to stage rallying and believes that autocross is the ideal way to get involved in the sport.

Charlotte proves that the girls can beat the boys

"Last year I did autocross and won the championship, which was really good fun," says Charlotte. "Now I've got my stage rally car, so I'm going to progress and do stage rallies this year, which is really exciting."

She continues: "This is probably the cheapest form of motor sport. You need a bog standard car - a roll cage is advisable, but not necessary. You need your general overalls, your helmet and your licence and then your good to go."

It's not just for the boys and their toys either, a point that Charlotte is keen to make: "There's myself and Melanie who've competed in autocross and we've both walked away with trophies, so it's not just the men who compete. But I have to say the men are always very supportive and they'll always boost you."

You don't need to spend a fotune to have a go

Once you've bought the equipment, you'll also need to be affiliated to a motor club in order to get a competition licence. There are three clubs in Essex that host autocross events - Green Belt Motor Club, Chelmsford Motor Club and Wickford Auto Club.

Charlotte is a member of the Chelmsford and Wickford clubs and, as she explains, even if you don't have the funds for a car or don't wish to drive, there's still plenty to be doing; "They hold their own events, which can range from road rallies, auto tests, autocross, stage rallies, gymkhanas - a real variety of disciplines."

She continues: "We're always looking for volunteers for marshalling at events..... and that can be at any type of event - autocross or stage rallying. Alternatively, we have club nights and you can learn how to be a navigator.....so there is plenty to do."