Gary R.

The problem with the right side net in a 911 is that you will have to hack up your dash in order to get the front mount in the proper location. His car looks pretty cherry inside, I would go with a containment seat. It will work as well (better in a lot of cases as the nets are seldom installed correctly in cars I have seen) and will cost less in the end if you consider the price to replace a dash..

Carrera51

I agree with Gary. Pick up a HANS, harnesses, and a head containment seat with it's own side mounts and sliders and swap it in and out for DEs. Though you could just use your Pole Positions in your photo. Don't put a full cage into the car since you use it on the street.

With your current roll bar and seats, you are half way there already.

kurt M

Add in a installed fire supression system to the above mix. No street use downside only real downside is one time cost. The bolt on hand held bottles are only useful for saving the car not you.

Maxhouse97

I think you guys make some good points - I like the ideas of showing crash videos and people walking away. Hopefully it won't backfire though by giving her the idea that off track events happen a lot.

Yes I was thinking about a separate halo seat as well as that would specifically remove the possibility of the same type of injury that our friend experienced. I could swap them out as you suggested. Would I have to get two to match safety equipment for an instructor, or would the passenger PP be enough?

Good point about the dash and right side net - I was thinking about that.

As far as the roll bar it helps that I am pretty short (5'6").


David - thanks and congrats to you! Yes I would love to VIR but I have to get my wife comfortable with the concept of tracking first. The new addition doesn't help but I need her to be happy with it if I am going to do it long term. Thanks.

Say hi to Erin for me

Gary R.

As for the instructor, as long as both seats have the same harnesses I would not have issue with one being halo and one a regular race seat, but check with the region you run with to be sure.. Hopefully you have an outlet near you that has several different brands, sizes, and types of halo seats for you to actually sit in as they can be very different, even if labeled the same size. Plan on about $1500.00 all in with brackets and new sliders and you should be safe.

TwentySix

So sorry to hear about your friend and a good time to get your equipment in order as the new season starts. All good advice here regarding sticking with the roll bar, halo seat, Hans, 6pt harness etc.... so things to say which may ease her mind? That the Porsche is built like a tank compared a Honda S2000 (no flames please!) One reason we went to the GT3 Cup was safety, we have a little guy too

RickBetterley

Very sorry to hear about your wife's friend; that should never happen, but when it does...
On a happier note - congrats on the new baby girl!
And on the beautiful car.
You asked about statistics and although they probably won't make the case to your wife, I've done 230+ days at DE and have yet to see a real injury. I have seen a few folks go off in the ambulance but they came back with at worst a sore neck.
I have been at the track when a driver had a medical event and hit the wall. That could happen anywhere, but may be more likely to reach the catastrophe level on the track. In one case it was a heart attack leading to a fatality (it was an older person).
I drove a street 3.2 with a roll bar and 6 point harnesses for years and always felt reasonably safe. That was back in my days of White run group. If you are doing 2-3 days a year, your run group level might be White (or below).
I am not arguing that the lower run groups don't call for safety gear, but I suspect the likelihood of a fatality is lessened. But its not zero.
Hope this helps; I can sympathize with your wife's concern, especially as a new mother. I'll bet there are a lot of potential DE drivers that aren't out with us because their husband or wife isn'tcomfortable with the risk.
Have fun with that baby!

rlm328

My $0.02, now you are good to go.

g-50cab

statistically you are in more danger driving to the track.

I'll agree with the HANS - and the roll bar - and the HALO seat - The rest is to drive within your limits. The 911 is a pretty robust car as it is. I have seats, 6 point harnesses, HANS, Rollbar and a battery cut off switch. On my short list - fire extinguishing system and a driving suit (although it gets hot in Florida)

Sorry about your friend, but in reality, whenever you decide to get up in the morning, and swing your feet over the side of your bed, your risks start. The number of people that slip and fall in the bathroom (and die) far exceeds those that enjoy this crazy hobby and end up getting hurt.

Maxhouse97

Thanks everyone - I love the baby seat. I wanted to get a Recaro one for our daughter, but couldn't find a newborn version. When she's old enough to be forward facing I will be investing in one of those.

Good point on the S2000 - convertible and all...

Just in case anyone is curious like me, I found this old link on SCCA forums. Someone actually did the math and found that in club racing you are statistically as safe racing as driving on a highway in 1966, but 15x more safe than driving a motorcycle on the road today. The analysis was done back in 2004, so I bet it's even better today with the prevalence of HANS and Halo.

http://www.sccaforums.com/forums/aft/6903

I was also wondering if it would make her feel better if I went to a professional school (i.e. Skip Barber) such that she would be confident I know what I am doing. We are both pilots (she still flies Navy Helicopters, I used to fly F-18s) so she is well versed in proper training mitigating risk. I feel a plan coming together

TXE36

Taking my wife for a spin at the track was one of the best things I've ever done. She has always been very supportive but thought I was going out being a daredevil. Riding with me and a couple of instructors has taught her how serious we are about safety and how I won't push the care if I'm not comfortable. She also realized just how much fun it is and that I knew what I was doing.

Flying F-18s? Ok, I'm officially jealous. I used to work at McDonnell Aircraft on the F-18 program and it has always been one of my favorites. Stopped many a morning on the way to work to watch a brand new F-18 or F-15 do a Viking takeoff from St. Louis airport - many times without even a coat of paint.

-Mike

IcemanG17

HANS and proper HALO seats increase safety quite a bit.....the bummer is the "safest" track car is also the WORST to live with on the street....as others have mentioned climbing around a full cage, with halo seat to run errands SUCKS.... However a solid 4 point cage, race seat and hans is a pretty good start while still being reasonable on the street

Another thought....my new daily driver is a 2013 Scion FR-S.....without a doubt the single best handling "Street" car I have ever driven on track....not very powerful (200hp), but light in full street trim (2700lbs)...its also cheap at $25k, has a full warranty and modern safety equipment.....throw some better brake pads and R comps and its a BEAST on track.....

Sterling Doc

Tell her that if you have to give up racing, she has to give up flying. Flying a private plane carries significantly more risk. From an insurance point of view, I understand that hang gliding, sky diving, scuba diving, and flying in a private plane are considered very high risk. DE events are an order of magnitude lower risk, on the level of boating.

We all seen people die in plane crashes. The fact that this accident was close to home is more an emotional issue than a rational one.

With a Hans, halo seat, and half-cage, you have managed your risk well.

Gary R.

He is talking DE's, beginner level DE's at that!

J richard

Not so fast, this is the list I got from my insurance company, many take auto racing out of the mix:

1. Amateur race car driving.
2. Hang gliding.
3. Bungee jumping.
4. Private Pilot.
5. Mountain or rock climbing.
7. Skydiving.
8. Boating.
9. Motorcycle riding.
10. Scuba Diving.

Should you or any member of your team be caught or killed we will disavow all knowledge ...this message will self destruct in 10 seconds...