Ask Dale Earnhardt how he likes his open face Helmet...

Oh, that's right.. You can't.. Sorry..

Sorry Dale fans, but I thought he set a very bad example racing Nascar with the open face. I'm glad his son woke up and went with full coverage. Sure, we don't go 220 but a hit is a hit..

 

Snell's testing program is different for M and SA hats. The SA is subjected to multiple , lower impact strikes, simulating your melon bouncing off the roll bar. Ms are subjected to a single, more intense strike, as in your melon meets the curb. SAs are lined with flame retardent materials and Ms are not. This is a very simplified explanation. As I recall you can find a much more detailed explanation at the Snell web site.

 

I don't know the specifics of Dale Earnhardt's crash, but I doubt having a closed helmet would have saved his life.
There's a world of difference between spinning out at 45 mph on an autoX skidpad and bumping your head on the B pillar and taking a stock car into a wall at 200+ mph.
If he's driving a 911GT1, then he should invest in a high end helmet and suit, but not for autocrosses and HPDE.

 

Absolutely the best answer in the thread. I'm not sure if the intensity of the impacts are different in each test, but the SA test includes an additional anvil strike. Furthermore, SA helmets are allowed a smaller eye port than the M helmets, although most SA eye ports would meet the M regs.

For more (and of course, correct) information, go the the Snell Memorial Foundation website:

http://www.smf.org

Oh, and skip the open face helmets. They are tempting and I was tempted by them. But, people can and do make face plants in the steering wheel in a crash - even with 6 point competition harnesses. I'm not kidding. If you value your face, get a full-face helmet.

 

This helmet is a full face helmet. I don't know if I'll run with the face shield or not. But at least for this event coming up, and maybe a few early Auto-X's next season, I will use this helmet. After that, I will look for an SA helmet, since it is indeed designed with a car crash in mind.

 

Try here, this is where I bought my helmet, as have a lot of guys in my PCA region:

http://www.racerwholesale.com/Mercha...Racing+Helmets


Tifo

 

How? My wheel is two feet from my face. My harness or wheel would have to break for my head to hit the wheel.

 

Belts stretch. So does the human body. There have been many reports of people hitting the steering wheel with their face. Even Champ Car drivers have hit the wheel with their helmet. It happens.

 

Try Dave Schardt at www.fast44.com Dave knows the business well. I bought my Bieffe from him last year. It has a removable lining which is nice in the hot-humid climates.

PS. for most DE's your long sleeve cotton T's and denim jeans will fry long before the lining in your M helmet.

Alan C.

 

They must sit closer. I think the force required to stretch my harness that much would be more than enough to snap my neck first, in which case, I won't care about a broken nose.
If/when I start spec944 racing, I'll wear a full helmet. On the autocross course, I feel safe enough with the open helmet.

 

I regularly dance near 140mph at HPDE's, with no full cage or safety devices besides what the factory gave me (OK, a roll bar and DE's fav, Simpson belts) Dale ran 200+ in a full cage on tracks designed for high speeds in a car designed to save his ***. Are you trying to say Dale didn't need a full face? My opinion was he set a terrible example running around with his face hanging out. A lot of safety officials, Nascar included, feel this way too. I won't comment on the needs for Auto-X because I have no experience there, but I'd rather patronize a crack ho unsheathed than run DE open face. (OK, maybe that is an extreme example) So what if it feels stuffy. Your life is on the line, not your comfort. Then again, the Darwin awards are always accepting apps.. DE jr. saw the light..finally.

Tonight, devils advocate.......

 

That's right.....

"It couldn't happen to me."

 

Actually, this is no excuse. You can get a forced air helmet. Was considering running without the shield in my Bell before I read many, many accounts of people getting hit in the face sheild with things while on the track in a closed cockpit car (well, open side windows). I just picked up a G-Force forced air helmet. The quality is every bit as good as my Bell (one of my concerns). They also sell a forced air unit that attaches to the helmet if you don't want to have one that installs in the car itself.

Like I said, there is no reason to suffer a stuffy helmet anymore. Price and availability are there for the amateur now.

(as soon as I get my new helmet painted, I'll need to change my avatar ).

 

Hey George,

Any way I could get you to bring that helmet to Kevin's tomorrow? I'd like to see it. I need a helmet. Maybe we could have a little helmet tech-session. (?)

Thanks,

B

 

Sure. I'll try to remember to bring both my current helmets.