Helmet and Seat belt rules

[SteveD]

We do NHRA and AHRA racing and we will be ready.  The LSR people seem to be more relaxed on saftey.
SteveD
in Houston TX

[Sumner]

We do NHRA and AHRA racing and we will be ready.  The LSR people seem to be more relaxed on saftey.
SteveD
in Houston TX

What makes you say that??

Sum

[GH]

I used to race NHRA, after they teched the car, they could care less is you had your seat belts on and tightened. They were more concerned that you had your windows up. The starters at the salt, are a lot more concerned about your safety than the boys at the NHRA events, even a national event.

[JackD]

Your take on "relaxed" seems a little confused, and is not a good place to start.
Each organization has it's own requirements that are dictated by the conditions.
AHRA is really relaxed because they have been dead for years.

[thundersalt]

We do NHRA and AHRA racing and we will be ready.  The LSR people seem to be more relaxed on saftey.
SteveD
in Houston TX

I have to question if you have ever been to a LSR event. I have some drag racing back ground and have never seen the attention to safty that SCTA has. All you have to do is look at the window nets on TF Funnycar or Pro Stock to see that they probably don't do alot. Also you never see a drag racing official checking to see if you are straped in the car correctly.

[revolutionary]

Quick question fer ya.  I got a Snell M2005 helmet at the beginning of this year and at the first Maxton meet the tech guy was making a big deal that it was an 'M' helmet and not an 'A' helmet.  Seems most people I talk to have 'M' helmets and the racing gear companies push them and even design them for the car guys.  So, what gives?  Do you think the 'A' helmets are that much better?

[dwarner]

It is my understanding that the SA, Special Application, helmets are made to different standards than the M, Motorcycle, helmet. These differences include Nomex lining and crush standards among other specifics.

Jack?

DW

[maguromic]

Dan you are right about them being different for those reasons and others.  Also some of the newer car helmets have a air pouch built in to lift the helmet off gently with a air pump when you are unconscious without damaging anything in the neck or spine. It was mandated by some of the professional series.

[JackD]

The testing from Snell is very much the same for both SA and M .
The MC lid has an additional test it must pass that simulates a puncture from  sharp object like you might hit on contact with a guard rail or metal edge on yours or another vehicle.
The tight fitting fire skirt got manufacturers in trouble when after a crash, the driver would upchuck and the fluid could not escape and went into the lungs.
The flat back that was so aero revolutionary for awhile, was found to contribute to neck trauma when it caused the head motion to accelerate as it turned in some crashes.
It was designed and patented by an SCTA racer.
Snell is not the only good standard and all of them learn as they go as does SCTA. 

[Stainless1]

I was told at speedweek that a M helmet was acceptable in cars, but the A helmet was not acceptable for bikes.  Of course it seems a lot easier to find the M, lots of bike shops everywhere...

[JackD]

SCTA has it appropriately covered in their rules but clarification from Snell and consistency in inspection will improve the result.

[dwarner]

I believe that the SA helmet as used in cars does not the same "roll off" standard as the M. That is the reason M helmets can go both ways.(California reference here)

DW

[JackD]

With the SCTA required fire retardant head sock, the M is a good choice for most applications in part because the selection and pricing is more competitive with simular materials and standards.

[LVMAXX]