I am going to bring up the old head restraint seat and/or window net thread topic again. Here is a video from VIR this past weekend at the BMWCCA Club Race. The cars involved in this incident are Spec-E36 cars. For a lap time around VIR they turn in the 2:15 range so nothing too fast or crazy. The incident is a very simple one where a car spins at the start of the brake zone from oil being on the track on the racing line. This is a crash that everyone in here could possibly experience at some point in their racing careers. Very scary.




Both drivers from the incident are okay. The driver in the red and white car is rumored to have suffered a concussion as he blacked out at the time of the incident. He did have a Head Restraint Seat in the car. From the looks of the incident this was a life saver as he probably would have come into contact with the b-pillar on the driver's side. A simple window net would not have kept his head from moving in that direction or from not making contact. This in my opinion is why they are worth the extra money in a racecar. You never know when something like this can happen to you.

 

Ouch. Absolutely right about the full containment seat. The left window net however is simply to keep limbs, etc. inside the car. A net more akin to to what is run on the right side would also help prevent helmet to b-pillar impact.

 

Removed the video link.
If you have permission from the drivers involved let me know so that I can restore it.

Thanks

John

 

Does that need to be permission with a notary public stamp on it too?

Yes I have permission and there is an open discussion about the incident on Bimmer_Forums in the Club Racing section under Club Race at VIR. All parties involved are posting there.

Here is a quote from my friend in the white and red SE36:
Sri Haputantri Said:
"I am feeling a bit better today. Felt dizzy and Had to get a CT scan and x-rays Sunday, have a brucd rib and soar as hell. My seat expired in January and Jason influenced me to get a halo seat, for that I am very thankful. My car is total loss, the cage and all the safety equipment did its job....."

 

Your post is enough no need for stamp. ; )

link restored.

http://vimeo.com/22306701

 

With the direction that hit took place a B pillar impact wouldn't be a primary concern or possibly even secondary. The impact would have forced his body to move to the car's centerline directly away from the pillar. A right side net's and halo seats usefulness is however shown in this kind of impact. That was a serious hit.

Saw the aftermath in the paddock and didn't realize how it happened and how violent it looked. The red car looked like a 318ti that had then been shortened in the back it was so mushed. Glad to know that all cages worked as they were supposed to and that people walked away.

 

OK...I did not see that coming.

 

Joe, you are correct in this incident but your head doesn't move in one single direction in a incident like this. It will get rattled around in multiple directions after the initial impact (I have experienced this and used to have it on video from a similar crash at Lime Rock). The Head Restraint Seat will keep your head in a dedicated area hitting foam padding in the seat instead of moving around striking what ever is within reach.

Also if this hit were on the driver's side of the car, the initial impact for Sri would have been a lot worse without a Head Restraint Seat. My whole point in all of this is to not skimp on safety equipment for the reason of this will never happen to me. Nobody saw this coming.

 

Oh yes, I completely agree and this is a great example that I'm glad you brought over here and that the parties involved are more than willing to let everyone learn from. It is a GREAT teaching moment and as you point out you don't see everything coming.

 

I saw absolutely nothing on the video that made this only a "racing" issue. Any reason this exact shunt could not occur in a DE? I am a DE-only driver, use a 6-point and HANS. This makes me wonder if I am foolish not to have a dedicated track car with cage. As pointed out, if the turn at the end of the straight had been left instead of right, and the same type accident occurred, that sort of hit on the driver's door, even with door bars, would result in injury.

Even if there is no change in equipment or behavior, track drivers need to be aware of the potential risks they incur, and make informed choices. Thanks for posting!

 

And we have another WINNER! Not only could this exact same incedent happen, IMHO it could occur with the same frequency.

 

+1. What a hit...wow.

 

Thanks for the educational video. Reminders are always good. Glad I have my Racetech halo seat and Hans. Need to think about nets now.....front dash board may be in jeopardy.

 

Hence my position on no longer doing DEs- "All of the danger of Club Racing and only half of the fun!"

 

I have seen video, possibly here, showing a guy in a BMW with a halo seat have head hit his window net.

Even though I have a halo seat, Hans Device, and the required window net, I am seriously considering installing a center net as well.

Scott