How to Read Rallycross Cones

When you show up to your first rallycross, the course can look like a sea of cones; it is normal to be a bit unsure of how to navigate it when it’s your turn to race. This guide will help you understand what the cones mean and give you some tips on how to set yourself up for success.

The Cones

There are two types of cone markers – pointer cones and upright cones.

Upright Cone

Upright means that a cone is standing up normally, the way you would see it out in the world. Think of this cone as the edge of the ‘road’.

Do not hit this cone! Hitting this cone will cost you a 2 second penalty.

Pointer Cone

Pointer cones are those laying on their side telling you where to go. You may see this cone by itself or paired with an upright cone.

Hitting this cone does not incur a penalty.

When you see an upright cone with a pointer cone, the pointer is telling you which way to go around the upright cone. If you go to the wrong side of the cone or hit the upright cone, you will get a penalty.

Hitting the upright cone will result in a 2 second penalty, while going around to the wrong side will result in a 10 second penalty. Going around the wrong side of a code is also called a missed gate. Think of this like driving off the course.

Gate

Gates are when you see two upright cones across from each other with enough distance to drive between them. If you drive to the outside of the gate or hit one of the upright cones making up the gate, you will be assessed a penalty. The penalty for hitting either one of the upright cones is 2 seconds. While the penalty for driving around the wrong side of either of these cones (not going in between them) is 10 seconds.

Slalom

A slalom is a part of the course designed to make you simulate a winding road with turns. It is a series of cones where you must alternate the sides of the cones as you go. There are two types of slaloms- optional slalom and a non-optional slalom.

A slalom with pointer cones is a directional slalom. Each upright cone will be accompanied with a pointer cone, showing you the direction to go. The standard is that the cones will direct you to alternate sides of all subsequent cones; think like an “S.”

A slalom without pointer cones, is also called an optional slalom. An optional slalom allows you to choose the side of the first cone. After the first, you must alternate sides for the following cones. This is done in the “S” pattern but you select the direction with which to start.

If you are interested in seeing a course from the driver’s point of view, check out some of these videos from our competitors.

Reading cones can be tricky your first time around but you will learn quickly. Along with the ability to walk the course at the start of the event and during the lunch break, you will also have a parade lap at the beginning of your run group to get a feel for the course at a low speed. If you have any questions about cones and penalties reach out, we are always happy to help!