The local PCA club requires SA/SM-2000 rated helmets. Given SA-2010 is just around the corner, will that requirement shortly move to SA-2005 or better?

Given I only need a helmet to satisfy the requirement to participate (if I destroy the car, I'd rather die in the crash personally).. whats the most economical SA-2005 helmet out there?

For the Driver Education days.. what are the options, beyond blue painters tape, for protecting the lights and front edge? Is there something that can be applied and removed easily enough? A roll of something like a clearbra cover that doesn't have to be pretty, just effective. It can be any color.

 

pyrotects are relatively cheap and they are SA2005 rated helmets. you can get them here.

http://www.ioportracing.com/Merchant...tegory_Code=PH


unless you're doing wheel to wheel racing, blue taping the front end is overrated, imo. you're not going to be bump drafting anyone at the track. the tar marks comes off easy with goo removers.

 

most marks (except for cones...but don't hit those) can rub off with your finger.

As for the helmet, if you are planning on doing more track events I would buy a helmet that won't be out dated next year, with a 2005 you should be good until 2015,

I see you are in the PNW, are you going to the PNWR DE on April 10? I am signed up for that one.

 

Bell Helmet's Sports series meet SA2005 specs at a reasonable price ($249) for a good quality helmet. Check out their website and look at the overstock section. I just picked up an M3 for a little over $300 bucks.

 

I'm going to skills day in Bremerton this Saturday to start. Then probably another skills day later in the year... and maybe a DE at some point late in the year. I'm not looking to race, I just want to have fun in the car without having to worry I'll be pulled over or ticketed all the while. I miss the autobahn, mainly, and DE days will give me a little of that freedom back eventually.

 

The DE's are not races, I have no desire to race, but love the DE's. Your local club has some great instructors and they are very good at keeping drivers within there skill level. You should give it a try.

 

I always wondered if some of the magnetic sign tape that they use for racing numbers can be applied where the blue painters tape usually goes. Maybe not a good idea for really high speed tracks, but maybe for autocross???
And I think the SA2005 spec will probably be honored as adequate for a few years after the 2010 spec. I probably wouldn't buy a $1200 model, but the pyrotecs are cheap enough!

 

Anything that can slide on the surface to be easily removed can move accidentally and cause a scratch. If you are really worried about paint damage you may want to plunk down the cash for a 3M paint protection film. If you do a bunch of DE's and follow really close before going by other cars you will get some paint injuries, the film will minimize the dammage. Never follow close in the rain even on the street! That is when you get the most paint dammage on the front of the car. If you want to race and get really close, get a racecar and go racing. It sounds like you are not interested in that right now. I wasn't either in the beginning, I did a bunch of DE's in my road cars for years before going racing and never had a problem with paint damage to them on the track. Regarding the 3M film, I just don't think this is worth it for cars not on the track often. In my experience from many DE's the comments made earlier about most marks coming off easily is very true. Keep the car clean before you start running and use turtle wax bug & tar remover or whatever you like for getting off tar marks for street driving. This stuff works excellent for getting off the tire marks too. You won't be contacting anything if you are doing this right... so it is just the occasional flying rubber turd that makes a small black mark and can be rubbed off like bug guts. Keep some quick detailing spray to wipe down the car often so that less dust etc. is on the car to begin with then you can just rub off the marks off after each session. Or you can do what I do and just wait til the end of the weekend and clean the whole car once you get home. Plan on taking a whole day! Have fun enjoying your car. It sounds like you are not going to have a problem with that.

 

An additional helmet question: is there a certain make or model that meets the regulations, but is the "thinnest"? I just barely fit in my car now (my head is against the roof liner already) and I don't want to rip the roof liner with a helmet adding a couple of inches to my height. My first DE events will be this year.

Thanks for any suggestions.
John

 

I would suggest going to a helmet shop and trying them on in your car. They all seem to be about the same thickness.

You could also try changing your seats to a set that sit a little lower.

 

+1 on that, go to a helmet shop and see what you like. A lot of folks use Bell, they have a number of helmet series for you to choose from, sport - least expensive, racer - mid level and pro series, their most expensive. If you cannot get to a shop use their online size chart.

As for ride height, you need to be low in the seat especially on the track since it will help you feel more of what is going on and lower the cg a bit.

The feel is more important, your first few times on the track will put you into sensory overload but the little things start to count as you spend more time on the track.

 

Thanks for the tips. For the forseeable future, and in this car, racing isn't anything I'm interested in, nor will be doing. Just a decent helmet will be all I need from the sound of it.

To that end, I'll see what happens this weekend with the rental and the experience and go from there. If doing DE's, a full face seems like a good investment to get that face protection from the rogue flying rubber bullet.

 

you can't possibly get a rock chip from an autocross. if you do, don't ever go back to that club anymore. it means there are 1 too many cars on the course.