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Trigun7469

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NO you dont need a suit for hpde. But i do recommend it but not necessary. One thing i do reccomend is getting racing shoes and gloves at least. and a SA-2000 rated helmet.

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I was up at Sears Point for HPDE a couple weekends ago. You do not need a suit, but I'd recommend gloves, long pants and a long sleeved shirt (cotton is good). For the first few times that should suffice, but, as you get more serious, you should think about getting a suit (you can get a two piece for fairly reasonable). ITAIntegraLS also makes a good point about the helmet: M helmets are designed for motorcycles and are designed for a different type of head trauma than an SA (which is for autos). Again, though: for your first couple of weekends, that should work fine.

 

 

After having done this for a couple years, I always recommend that you do only what is sensible: this can be very different than what you might expect and I have know several people who have gone all out only to realize that it isn't what they thought (you really have to take it seriously - it stops being a casual sport the first time you go into a corner at speed!).

 

At Sears Point I was amazed to see a couple people in shorts and short sleeves!! That just seems insane to me, especially after a guy put it into the wall at Turn 10 - HARD... Before I ever got in the car on a track, I decided to go all out on safety (after all, you can certainly replace the car, but...) and, since I do plan on doing this awhile, it worked out for me. I also find that getting prepped is a mental exercise for me: I go from hanging out in the paddock to being very focussed on what I'm about to do.

 

Good luck and have a blast!!

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SNELL MA vs. SA

 

MA and SA protect your head identically. The difference is the lining. The SA is fire retardant while the MA is not. That is the only difference. For details on the Snell ratings, see: http://www.smf.org/stds.html

 

It goes into detail on testing of helmets. Very interesting rwead if you have the time to read it all.

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Good info on that Snell Foundation site - I never saw that before, thanks for the link!

 

I thought there had to be some other difference between the two and I found this (on the same site). That last one is the most applicable to us!

 

 

What are the differences between the SA and M standards?

 

SA Standard was designed for auto racing while M Standard was for motorcycling and other motorsports. There are three major differences between them:

 

SA standard requires flammability test while the M standard does not;

 

SA standard allows narrower visual field than M standard (Some SA helmets may not be street legal);

 

SA standard has rollbar impact test while M standard does not.

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  • 4 months later...

I have a suit, but I don't know if I should wear it to the HPDE since I am only in group 1. I don't want to look like a goof. Has anyone seen other guys in group one wear a nomex suit?

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I've worn a suit since the day I started in Open Track. The way I look at it, you might feel a little silly wearing a suit when you aren't even racing, but you'll feel real stupid (or worse) if something happens and that suit is sitting in your equipment bag...

 

I used to feel the same way about my shoulder harnesses on the street (I don't drive my track car on the street much), but I decided it was better to be safe and have somebody else think I look silly than to wonder why I wasn't using all of the safety equipment available to me...

 

For what it's worth, the last NASA event I went to someone put it into turn 10 at Sears Point - hard (he was in HPDE 1 or 2). He went to the hospital and, while the car didn't catch fire (it was a new Subaru WRX), it very well could have.

 

My vote says wear it!

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Good info on that Snell Foundation site - I never saw that before, thanks for the link!

 

I thought there had to be some other difference between the two and I found this (on the same site). That last one is the most applicable to us!

 

 

What are the differences between the SA and M standards?

 

SA Standard was designed for auto racing while M Standard was for motorcycling and other motorsports. There are three major differences between them:

 

SA standard requires flammability test while the M standard does not;

 

SA standard allows narrower visual field than M standard (Some SA helmets may not be street legal);

 

SA standard has rollbar impact test while M standard does not.

 

Exactly right. A motor cycle helmet test is done with three anvils and the auto helmet test is done with four: "A fourth anvil is used to test impact protection for repeated strikes against a roll cage assembly"

 

In a motorcycle accident you usually just have one big hit, but in a car roll, you may have many smaller impacts.

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I have a suit, but I don't know if I should wear it to the HPDE since I am only in group 1. I don't want to look like a goof. Has anyone seen other guys in group one wear a nomex suit?

 

I've seen a lot of drivers in all different HPDE levels wear their suits.

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  • 3 months later...

Just to make sure there is no confusion on the differences between an M-rated and SA-rated helmet. I see a couple of expanations said differently but probably means the same thing.

 

An M-rated helmet stands for motorcycle and is tested for multiple impacts (3) across the surface of the helmet. The strap is also tested for retention and the shield for how much resistance to piercing. On full-face helmets the chinbar is also tested for impact resistance. The M-rating allows for a thinner shield than an SA-rated helmet, although most helmet manufacturers use their thicker SA helmet shield on their M-rated helmets. By the way, an M-rated helmet with the thicker SA shield qualifies for a K-rated helmet.

 

An SA-rated helmet stands for Special Application and goes through the same exact testing as the M-rated helmet with the addition of an a rollbar impact test and fire retardency. The liners, strap, shield, trim and paint are tested for fire retardency. Fire retardency not only means resistant to fire but how quickly it self-extinquishes.

 

Howard Bennett

Racer Wholesale

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a suit (you can get a two piece for fairly reasonable)

 

As both a driver and a corner worker, I strongly urge everyone to get single piece suits rather than two piece. Since you'll typically be in the seat when we come to pull you out of a burning car, and unconscious or disoriented, since you didn't get out already, we'll usually grab you under the arm pits and pull up. This will typically expose your midriff to any fire in the cockpit if you're wearing a two-piece suit.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Let me throw my .02 FWIW.

 

When I started getting into open track days a couple of years ago I initally did not a suit or any fancy safety equipment. I did have a SA rated helmet though, simply because I thought that the nomex lining was more comfortable than the nylon lining in the M rated helmet.

 

At my first open track event at Thunderhill I had a fellow go off the outside of the track, come back across the track backwards, back off the other side of the track and then barrell rolled about 5 times. Needless to say that made a huge impression on my view of safety items.

 

The very next day I went out and bought myself an inexpensive 2 piece suit and some gloves. And a roll cage, seat, etc.....all just to participate in open track events.

 

As a side light, every time an instructor/passenger has gotten into my car they have been appreciative of my attention to safety. Not only for myself but for their sake as well.

 

I guess what I want you to take from all of this rambling is that your safety is more important than any sort of image you might have hanging around the pit area. If somebody makes fun of you for wearing a suit to an open track event, I am not sure that I want to be on the track at the same time as that individual.

 

Get yourself a suit, the best you can afford, and wear it with pride.

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