Eric in Chicago

Joe, dont buy a M if your planning on doing any track days with PCA (or most national groups for that matter) Most groups will not accept a M helmet for track use.

93 FireHawk 968

Thanks Eric! I was really hoping to get one of the M rated helmets based on design and what I thought would be equal protection. I've been using an M rated helmet for 2 plus years in DE. I am planning to do a couple of club races and I figure that's where it will become an issue. What is PCA's rationale behind no M rated helmets? Any clue?

Thanks!

Joe

Eric in Chicago

Joe,
The PCA club race newsletter just came out with a description on the rating rationale:
I am suprised the M helmet passed tech for DE, better than nothing but in CR'ing it must be SA
Good luck with your club racing!

Helmet: There are two principles governing our
helmet requirements: 1) Snell “SA” testing specifications
are the appropriate ones for sports car racing; and 2)
helmets should not be used for more than 5 years. The
last one might not be obvious, because we won’t require
SA2000 or later certification until the SA2005s are
available, but we know that helmets purchased in 2000
were mostly SA95s, hence these helmets are still less than
5 years old. However, if your SA95 was purchased in
1996, chances are the liner is in very poor shape and the
helmet should be replaced. One of the features of “SA”
certification is a fire-retardant liner. If your liner is
disintegrating, it is no longer fire-retardant.
Occasionally, someone floats the interesting
hypothesis that Snell “M” certified helmets are really the
same as the “SA” helmets. This is technically not
impossible, but you will never prove it. Snell Memorial
Foundation tests and testing standards for “SA” and
“M” (motorcycle) helmets are quite different, because the
nature of the impacts are likely to be different: sports car
racers usually experience a primary hard impact with
something close inside the car; motorcycle riders are
more likely to experience repetitive impacts after sliding
There is a wide range of prices for SA-certified
helmets. Price generally correlates to weight, plus other
features such as the ability to supply cooling air to the
helmet. From the standpoint of testing, all SA2000
helmets have passed the same tests. Higher cost doesn’t
mean that the test results were any “better.” However,
higher cost does generally mean lower weight, and physics
says the force on your neck will be lower if the helmet
weight is less.

ltc

http://www.pca-ggr.org/tthandbook/safety.html

There are two types of Snell certifications. These are "M" for "motorcycle" and SA for "special application." Both are acceptable for use in GGR Time Trials.
In most ways the tests and manufacturing requirements are the same.

However, there are these differences between the two:

1. SA is required to have fire-retardant inner lining
2. The required field of vision is wider on the M
3. SA helmet must pass a 4th impact test. The tests for flat, edge and point impacts are the same, but the SA must pass a test of impact on a bar of tubing.

http://www.na-motorsports.com/Journa.../3/Helmet.html

Anir

James,

My Arai helmet also served me very well in a motorcycle crash 3 years ago. It also fit my head better than the Bell M3 auto helmet. Maybe, my noggin is oblong.

93 FireHawk 968

Guys;

Thanks for the info! I'm convinced that SA is the way to go and I'll be making the purchase before the start of the track season. The Bell M3 Ultra looks pretty good for the money. I'll be at Summit Point in March where OG has a race shop to allow me to try different styles on.

Regards,

Joe

K964

Hey Joe, other than the fire-retardant lining, what was so compelling that you have decided against the M rated helmet?

turboGary

This guy has the best deals, my friend just bought a helmet off him and was very happy.

flyin Brian

93 FireHawk 968

K964;

Looking at the SNELL site, Louis's summary of differences between what types of impact the helmet is designed to withstand and comments from other Rennlister's. The SA helmets are designed to withstand large impacts within short distances, such as hitting the cross bar vs. repetitive bounces incurred when falling off a bike. Plus, the thought of being diaqualified from any of the DE's for having the wrong type of helmet. I just wish the car helmets had better designs.

Joe

offroadr35

Kevin,

I may be able to get you one at a discount from Speedware. They discounted mine but i'm not totally sure if he'll do it for me again. Worth a shot. The GP5K has a larger eye port, less ventilation, and is just slightly heavier. In a closed cockpit car the extra money for the GP5 really isn't worth it IMO.

-Steve

4 Kurves

Thanks Steve - I ordered A GP-5 last week from Saferacer.com for 10% off ($899) but now I'm think that I should have gotten the GP5K. Perhaps I will return it for the K.

mitch236

Thanks for the discount code.

penguinking

in regards to the M vs SA debate...

M helmets are designed for a crash where you would slide along the ground scraping the helmet, ie in a motorcycle crash. SA helmets keep you safe in a direct impact inside a car where your head might hit a roll cage bar or roof or steering wheel.