ROMRD Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 I am curious about something. What do the racers and the people who help build race cars think is the most important part you can put in car to insure the driver is as safe as possible? I know first hand that you are never 100 percent safe in one, but what is the one thing you should take into consideration when it comes to the driver's safety? Terry Romco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacecar Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Hung throttle linkage due to air cleaner interference or air cleaner coming loose, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest texracer Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Quality of cage design and quality of welds. Seat and belt mounting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVCMNGR1 Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Roll cage, brakes, seat belts, fuel cell. Not necessarily in that order, depending on your situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyhorse Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 TRY NOT TO UPSET THE INTEGRITY OF THE CAGE , PROPPER MOUNTING OF THE SEAT AND BELTS . LIKE PACECAR SAID DEFINITELY NO INTERFERENCE WITH THROTTLE LINKAGE, AND COMMON SENSE BEHIND THE QUICK RELEASE STEERING WHEEL... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Crumple Zones built into the chassis. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Softwalls at SAS, HMP, THR (what little wall they have), and CCMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt5858 Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Roll Cage, Seat mounting, Saftey Equipment & make sure that the things that are in the cockpit are fastened down and wont come loose. FOR EXAMPLE, Fire extinguisher, Battery. Also make sure that your seat fits you properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-Crew Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Roll Cage, seat mounting, crumple zones. fuel cell - pretty much in that order. It's like walking off a cliff, the first step is easy, it's the second step that hurts.. F=MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewRacer Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Crumple Zones are a must front & rear , but proper triangularizion of the bars, with gussets re-enforcing the intersections of all bars in , and around the Green House (drivers Compartment) is a must for safety of the driver. NO thin wall tubing in the green House area. Victory Lane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvette john Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Don't foget the fire suit,fire shoes, gloves, quality helmet and neck restraint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROMRD Posted March 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 The whole idea for this question has to do with a problem I see occuring in some series about seat belts. a couple of weeks ago I was at a track where some cars were practicing, and noticed while walking around and looking at the cars, there were cars there with seat belts that wore out and dated more thn 15 years old. Now, I don't know about ya'll, but I think this is STUPID!!!!!!!!!! My personal feeling is that no race car should have seat belts older than 5 years. Drivers if you DON'T care enough about your own life think about the lives that will be affected if something happens to you. There is no reason to cut cost when it comes to safety. I am not trying to start any trouble with anyone but I hope that all tracks and series take a closer look at the safety items they require on the racecars. Thank everyone for letting me vent my concerns about this. Terry romco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 To me, there is one design flaw in every stock car that I have ever seen. Two or three years ago, everyone was all hyped up about getting the weight rules were perimiter cars would be competative because they are "supposed" to be safer. Have you ever seen a driver get hurt when hit on the right side while in a staight rail? I doubt it, and if they did, it was probably the impact and not the car crushing in on them. With that said, where is the worst place to get hit? The answer is the drivers door. Why is this? Because the driver sits just inches from the door plate and there is no crush zone. Move the drivers over and give some room for a crush zone. Unfortuneatly, this would require an extensive redesign of the chassis. The easiest thing to increase saftey right now would be to reduce the cars total weight. Most good latemodels carry 200-300 pounds of ballast, we carry over 400. When you build a car, you want to build it as light as possible and place as much mass as possible in a location I can not disclose (I am sure Nick would be happy to tell you this location in his semminar). When your racecar impacts another car, the kinetic energy from your car transfers into the car your hitting. This may sound good for you (the old 'I'll drive a bigger truck than everybody else I'll be safe' way of thinking), but the problem is that all cars on the track weigh the same , so not only are you impacting the other car harder, the other is harder to move. The bottom line is alot more energy is released during the impact and alot more damage is sustainded during the wreck. Winston Cup, sorry, Nextel Cup cars are safer and heavier, but there rules are written in a way that makes the bulilder put more mass into the strength of the chassis and body, not big blocks of lead or tungsten mounted to the chassis acting like a slide hammer. A lighter cars is easier on the drivetrain and the brakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 in the truck series the seat belt rule is 2years -even the dwarf cars have a 3 year rule on belts-there should be a rule on years a firesuit can be worn-seen some at tracks that were red and now they are pink from being washed so many times- seen drivers under a car working with their suit on and get oil and fuel on it and race with it-nothing like adding fuel to the fire- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
direct-flo Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 I think the belts should be changed every 2 years....A very small price to pay. I have seen old worn out fire suits, helmets, tennis shoes, etc..I must admit I was just as bad, but with a lovely wife and 2 wonderful children, I put safety ahead of everything else. I want to be around to see them grow up. Sure these things cost money, but a very small price to pay for your safety and the well being of your loved ones. TomH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Terry -- I am not trying to start any trouble with anyone but I hope that all tracks and series take a closer look at the safety items they require on the racecars. I agree that drivers need to pay more attention to their safety equipment. But tracks and sanctioning bodies rarely ever "require" specific safety equipment or safety standards. They usually "recommend" this or that instead. If NASCAR has taught racing promoters anything, they have taught them how to avoid losing personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits. Go through any NASCAR rule book and when it comes to the safety section it's always "recommend" and never "require." That being said, tracks and sanctioning bodies must take appropriate steps to insure that the cars under their control are as safe as possible. For instance, you can't stop someone from racing because their seat belts are over a certain age, but you can call them into the pits for a consultation about their safety concerns right during the middle of a race... Bandit -- Years ago I designed a solid foam-filled triangular aluminum piece that was rivited to the driver's roll cage and fit between the driver's roll cage and the driver's door. It was about four inches wide, four inches tall and a foot or two long. We used them on Anthony Jetters SAS Late Model. Thankfully we never got to test them out under racing conditions, but I bet they would provide at least some energy absorption. I have a picture of them around here somewhere. When (and if) I find it I'll send you a jpeg of it. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazmachine69 Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 I think its your helmet, how much do you think your head is worth? I can live with a broken arm, leg, etc. but not much of a life when your brain damaged. Of course I feel that the fire suit, seat belts, seat, etc. are equaly important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
direct-flo Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Nick, I think the "recommend" vs "require" may be a legal issue. Lets say a track required you to have a certain belt etc. instead of recommended these certain items. Then god forbid you got hurt or even killed, they would come back with we only recommended and not required a item that failed and caused the loss. everyone is lawsuit happy these days. Hell how did I know if I jumped in a race car, put on my crappy worn out M2000 helmet, 3 year old weather worn belts, fire suit that I ran through the washing machine 100's of times, and ran around the track doing a hundred plus, hit the wall, broke a limb or worse...I did not think there was any danger. I think it boils down to the drivers to insure they are safe. The track will not support my family after I am gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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