[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by joeyazzata29

The HANS and Simpson are often called uncomfortable untill you use one, a proper fitting HANS under tight shoulder belts doesn't really feel too different than without one, I have a hybrid S and I cant feel it in my street car but in a race car with a metal seat back you can feel the hybrid. they make a foam seat insert to cure this.

Eh.. I disagree (on the HANS, or variants there of, the necksgen v1 was the worse in that you got the discomfort but it also felt inadequate) but I use them for 2 hour stints usually.

I'll use all my safety gear in a race (obviously.. rules and shit). Maybe stupid but I don't use it in an HPDE. Especially in Florida in a street car without a cooling system.

[NickyRacerBoy]

Safety #1
That's why I did full cage.

[Timbo-1LE]

I wear a suit and Simpson hybrid S. I do this for fun, and really don't care what people think. We probably all hit speeds of 150+ and there are concrete walls... To each their own, but I believe younger people worry what others think, do what you feel you need to do to be safe.


https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-a...events-12.html

A good read on topic someone sent me to when I started...

[Move_Over]

I wear an A stars GP tech, gloves, shoes, necksgen but also have a racing seat and roll bar. Not too concerned about what others in the paddock think, i definitely don’t want to be the guy who died from a fire incident. When synthetic carpet lights up it burns quite quickly (much quicker than a gutted race car down to the metal. I try to drive at 9/10ths getting better each lap, stuff happens.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by joeyazzata29

I understand all track days/clubs/hdpe are different with different safety rules, but do people wear fire suits to HPDE? Or is that just too far?

Some do, many do not. From what I've seen it seems to break down by experience level/run group with the suited-up guys mainly being the advanced and instructors plus maybe a few running as intermediates.

I wouldn't expect to see a full suit on a novice driver.

I really dont care what the people in the pits think about me wearing a full blown race suit, but even personally, with out others opinions, I myself dont want to be out there trying to look like Michael Schumacher with my street car lol.

I think it'll quickly become apparent that you're no stranger to driving fast and hard on the track, and your appearance in paddock should only serve to show to anybody with half a brain that you know what you're doing.


Norm

[driven2exceSS]

I wear a Schroth SHR Flex Head Restraint, paired with a roll bar and harness, arm restraints, and obvious helmet. I also use a single layer sfi rated fire suit to satisfy the classification I run in with my primary HPDE/TT club. My shoes and gloves are not sfi rated, although should be... shhhh!! I honestly don't wear the suit and gloves or arm restraints with the other clubs that don't require them. Then it's ratcheting down with long sleeves (if required) and pants.

[joeyazzata29]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

Eh.. I disagree (on the HANS, or variants there of, the necksgen v1 was the worse in that you got the discomfort but it also felt inadequate) but I use them for 2 hour stints usually.

I'll use all my safety gear in a race (obviously.. rules and shit). Maybe stupid but I don't use it in an HPDE. Especially in Florida in a street car without a cooling system.

Ive only worn the HANS w full belts and I was never bothered by it, but I also started racing with it so I don't really know what its like with out it

[HogmanZL1]

Originally Posted by driven2exceSS

I wear a Schroth SHR Flex Head Restraint, paired with a roll bar and harness, arm restraints, and obvious helmet. I also use a single layer sfi rated fire suit to satisfy the classification I run in with my primary HPDE/TT club. My shoes and gloves are not sfi rated, although should be... shhhh!! I honestly don't wear the suit and gloves or arm restraints with the other clubs that don't require them. Then it's ratcheting down with long sleeves (if required) and pants.

Did you go with the RPM rollbar? or someone else? would you mind sharing a pic of that setup? I'm strongly considering getting one installed this spring so i can enter more local HPDE events this year. -Thanks

[driven2exceSS]

Originally Posted by HogmanZL1

Did you go with the RPM rollbar? or someone else? would you mind sharing a pic of that setup? I'm strongly considering getting one installed this spring so i can enter more local HPDE events this year. -Thanks

I did not go with the RPM due to delays on their convertible build at the time. I finally went to a local fabricator... I did stick with the bolt-in concept. Having the safety structure has not let me down as of yet with any HPDE club or Dragway.

[ssmofo]

Even though its a production car, I wear a two layer fire suit, shoes, gloves and a Nomex helmet, I've been on fire before, its scary AF and can kill you easy. I wear the same setup in my F-body when I race her too. It's not that your car may catch on fire, but the POS that's in the lane next to you, that slams into you at half track. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN BE PREPARED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE MOUTHS TO FEED.

[MatthewAMEL]

HANS device at a minimum. These cars are capable of such high speeds on track.


At my local events with SCCA, Chin and NASA, about 50% of the guys wear suits. Optima (USCAR) now requires a suit and HANS.

[Timbo-1LE]

Originally Posted by ssmofo

Even though its a production car, I wear a two layer fire suit, shoes, gloves and a Nomex helmet, I've been on fire before, its scary AF and can kill you easy. I wear the same setup in my F-body when I race her too. It's not that your car may catch on fire, but the POS that's in the lane next to you, that slams into you at half track. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN BE PREPARED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE MOUTHS TO FEED.

Well said, also using the gear keeps the wife from worry, if she did not care, I might have to check on the pool boy (kidding)...

[joeyazzata29]

great input from everybody. thanks everyone

[TrackClub]

Well guys, here it goes, in my "rant style"

OP: holy moly...

Firstly, there is a fundamental (and hopefully obvious to everyone) difference between racing and HPDE events. I'd also go further and say there is a fundemental difference between amateur circle track vs road course racing. The attached vid is a good example of that, where punting folks "outta the way" is a frequent occurance in circle track racing, as seen from a driver's POV (and i have seen tons myself in RL). But, if one tried it in a road racing club event they would most likely get barred for a season. Or longer. Anyone following too closely at an HPDE will get a black flag. Any aggression will lead to being expelled. If it isn't, change your HPDE provider pronto!!!

Secondly, ive been at it for a while, mostly HPDE, but also some competitive events of different types and i am happy to say ive never witnessed anyone die, nor have i ever seen a single production street car on fire. Yet i have witnessed a few cars wreck and even roll. Happy to say all drivers walked away without a scratch. Just bruised egos and tons of explaining to do to their wives and insurance companies. And towing bills to pay.

Production street cars, unlike purpose race cars are build very differently - safety wise - from a ground up. Crumple zones, fire walls, dozen+ airbags, etc vs rigid full frame, cage, fuel cell, fire suppression, etc.* Ive seen high speed hiway crashes where cars were a mangled piece if scrap, yet folks walked away.
Or maybe that's why...I also know of folks getting killed in pro race cars with full safety systems.

Bottom line, safety is a personal decision and there are no guarantees as to the outcome.
*Personally*, if i track a street car (as a dual purpose car), i prefer to keep it stock and rely on factory designed protection. Note that FIA tested and successfully passed safety of helmets with 3 points and airbags a long time ago (NB open face helmets got a pass first).
Without additional neck protection. That's not to say that wearing one (specifically designed for a 3 point) is not a good idea. Of course it is! Also note all materials inside a production car (carpets, headliner, seats, etc) must pass specific fire retardation standards. So a notion they would just light up like a Xmas tree is false.

Now if somebody installs a roll bar, a fixed seat, a harness and starts pulling airbag fuses out: they better know what the heck they are doing. Including seeking validation tests for any roll bar and especially if it is attached to a floor by screws/bolts vs frame welds. If i ever did it, i would again have a reputable race shop do the job according to full race standards (a la Nicky Bobby) vs relying on a bolt on kit that arrives in a box...
Also, *personally* I would not street any car with a roll bar because of proximity of hard iron vs soft noggin...Going "half way" is the most troublesome solution. IMO.

As far as fire suit at HPDEs: likelihood of any production car catching fire (perhaps some EVs excepted?) is extremely unlikely. Heat and dehydration is often a prime cause of poor judgement and in turn poor judgement is often a cause of mistakes and wrecks. So some pros vs cons to consider here, heat management wise. Either way, pure cotton attire only and no synthetics (which melt and stick to skin). Also UNLOCK the doors before going out. Just in case somebody has to open them from the outside.

A single layer fire suit offers about 3 second protection. Even the best suits that cost thousands are measured in seconds. To have meaningful fire protection (vs keeping wife happy and looking like a pro) one must wear additional Nomex layers under a suit. Otherwise it is mostly a fashion statement and a good way to sap one's energy on a hot day.

Either way, whatever you do, educate yourself and use your head, as it is your a$$. And dont forget everyone is an "expert" - me included (tongue in cheek of course!).