For DE an open face SA certified helmet is best. A full face helmet with the visor in the "up" position is very bad when used with a car with airbags. A very serious cervical spine injury can result from this setup if the airbags deploy.

Regarding fire extinguishers: A good thing to have. In addition to the posts above, check out Sharkwerks (a sponsor of 6 speed). I think I read that they have an extinguisher mount for your model of seat(s).

Food for thought:

Your "street" car at speed on the race track is less safe than a full-on race prepared car: (no fuel cell, no full roll over protection, no "aeroquip" type fuel and oil hoses) yet you are not required to have a fire suit for most DE events.

I suggest the wearing of an SFI approved fire suit.

 

Arai Jet Helmet has HANS mounting points, as does the Stand21 open face helmet. Both top-of-the line SA helmets. Stand21 even have an open face/HANS helmet in their Porsche collection. Check your "facts" vs opinoins....

 

So when you say 'outlawed' and NJ, I assume you mean the clubs/association of New Jersey has mandated for its events, a full helmet.

I doubt the state legislature would get involved with regulating the finer points of private track racing (but its Jersey, so they might), and a club/association doesn't have the authority to pass any laws.

 

So question... what was the big cause of the 'roll over'? The back end came out, either from excessive speed or lifting off or whatever, but then after that, there seemed enough time to counter steer and correct, or skid into the grass. I'm curious what caused the car to roll.. .I'm guessing the wheels sideways to direction of travel digging in to the grass/soil is key... so either catch it before you get sideways, or steer the other way to make sure you rotate through and end up pointed backwards.

 

he did an early apex where it had to be way way more late, applied too much brakes, had probably little experience on catching up slide when it starts, when it was in mid-slide he could do pretty much nothing so he probably did put both feet down finally but unfortunately car was pushed on a grass sideways and according to laws of physics turned over. plus it is an uphill turn there.
just a dictionary sample of how not to break entereing a corner - trailbraking does not mean 'turn a wheel and press brake pedal to the floor'.

essentially he should have jerked wheel to left very fast with releasing brakes to 'catch' car from slide, then as traction restored set wheel straight and squeeze down brakes to threshold level to reduce speed at those last 20-30ft left, then continue trailbraking trying to get into the left corner at left side of asphalt where elevation starts as uphill change and more camber would probably catch a car OK and make it turn in.
that is real code brown as it would get him very close to left wall there, but, he probably would be just fine.
moral is - do a lot of AX and a lot of spins in safe environemnt and learn on instinct level how fast to react when car starts loosing its ***. he overwaited until it was nothing left to do.

hopefully may be some instructor here who actually know lime rock will explain it better.

 

Not enough real-time pedal information - throttle, brake, clutch - to make a good guess although your speculation is probably well founded.

Two things to remember:
1. Once you've lost it, "In a spin, both feet in", i.e. brakes engaged and clutch disengaged. Slow the car but unload the axles thereby allowing the car to roll unimpeded other than the (ABS controlled) brakes. Make the best out of a bad situation - you have no control and are now just along for the ride. Enjoy the show - you're the Star!

2. When the car is sliding and you're having fun and still thinking "I can catch this" remember; "When in doubt, both feet out", i.e. stay in the throttle (easy to say, harder to do), off the brakes and clutch, and drive that bad boy! If that doesn't work, revisit number 1 - quickly.

A third thing; Stuff happens to everyone! Learn from it. A spin or tank slapper is not the end of the world and probably will do more damage to your short-term psyche than the car. A rollover is extremely rare in a DE environment so don't dwell on it. Go fast, be safe, have great fun! Best,

 

Utkinpol:
The Lico High Fire shoes you bought are fire resistant and are SFI certified and legal for competition use. Lico products were made by Sparco and marketed as an entry level brand, but with Sparco quality. In 2010 after Sparco management decided to drop the Lico name, but have continued producing the products as part of the Sparco line. The Lico shoes are good quality and you should get several seasons of use out of the shoes.

Regarding the use of open faced helmets and HANS Devices, yes you can. As previously stated, the Arai GP-Jet helmet comes pre-drilled. Some clubs are still allowing SA2000 through June so you do have time to update them if you haven't already. Also, I have heard that NJMP will not be allowing open-faced helmets. The NJ State Police have jurisdiction over the track (don't live in NJ so I can't explain why). They have been known to check dates on belts in the grid tech line and randomly in the paddock, as well as checking helmets and other safety gear items for dates and compliance.

 

"trailbraking does not mean 'turn a wheel and press brake pedal to the floor'."

^LMAO ^, How true! The fine art of subtlety revisited in real time and with real consequences! Priceless!

 

or sometimes - quick left jerk, smooth back to center, then smooth left and full gas. but problem with that if you catch it like this and go with your *** on a side on throttle is that car will violently jerk *** in the opposite direction as soon as rear end will grab and that will spin you if you miss that moment and it is quite difficult to catch at speed, so, well...

problem with both feet in is that is does not really work as it used to be on old cars with no ABS anymore - instead of locking all wheels and spinning in the original direction you will go kinda sideways across the track as ABS will keep 'helping' locking and unlocking wheels and you chances to hit the wall are very high.

really great excercise is to do some winter driving on snow/ice oval , if anybody had a chance - you let your *** there to slide to the right before corner by steering input and hit on a gas then veeery smoothly you keep feeding gas and working steering to maintain constant slip angle and then recover car to straight. I probably will not be able to do any of that now but this overall drifting technique is priceless to know. on asphalt it is all the same really, only diff is that all transitions happen 100 times faster.

 

that is great news, I did not expect that from $39 shoes. Nice to know, thanks.

I tried them up yesterday on a fun drive, they do fit fine and seem to have proper soles, so, to me it looks like best $39 i spent so far.

 

Hi everyone and thank you for all of the advice, counsel, and learned secrets both on and off this string. I went to OG Racing today and came home with a closed face Bell M4 SA2010 in flat black. I was really surprised how variable sizes were between brands and how minor differences in strap placement became an issue. One helmet I tried had the strap so far back that it made my gag reflex go when I tightened up the chin strap. Anyway, I'm hoping to try my new Bell out at my first event on April 3 at Baysox Stadium here in the DC Area for the PCA Potomac Autocross School.

On a side note, the staff at OG, Brian Hair in particular, were very professional and not in the least a hard sell. I will certainly be a repeat customer if I progress with this.

Craig

 

this was a directive from the NJ State Police

 

NJ is a certifiably crazy state.
What police got to do with autosports anyway? Do they even have jurisdiction on a private race tracks?

 

Not an opinion, it's a fact that a closed face helmet is safer. If you don't keep the Visor down take it off. But if you do crash and there is a fire, having the visor closed gives you added time to get out.

I have raced with the SCCA for almost 20 years, unfortunately have seen many mishaps, and have been part of a few. I would never wear an open face helmet again.

 

The state police govern the track. At one event they checked harnesses in the advanced groups and did not allow those drivers on the track who were using out of date equipment.