The one and only race car fire I've had was on a test day.
Photography Credit: Dave Green
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After a good friend successfully survived a major fire during a high-profile race, he dropped a tidbit of knowledge that has lived rent-free in our brains ever since: “Fire burns just as hot on a test day as on race day.”
[How I became a human torch and survived]
In other words, any time you’re in a car at speed on track, your risk of injury–or worse–increases. Those walls are just as hard, that fire is just as fiery, and a disaster is just as disastrous whether the clocks are running or not.
Yet personal safety regulations for non-competitive track days and even competitive time trials are less stringent than they are for wheel-to-wheel road racing.
On one hand, these lighter requirements lower the barrier to entry for these events, which ultimately contributes to the growth and future of our sports.
On the other hand, there’s no rule that says you can’t exceed the minimum requirements and protect yourself to a higher level. Why not take advantage of a full, road race-style personal safety loadout whenever you go on track? That’s the easy, no-excuses path.
But we live in the real world of budgets and varying commitment levels, so we’ll discuss a few approaches here that don’t comprise a head-to-toe, FIA-spec safety kit. Still, understand that anything less is a compromise.
Now that you’ve been fully disclaimed, let’s work from top to bottom to get you kitted out.
The helmet is a crucial piece of any kit, so our recommendation here is a rigid one: Buy a Snell SA-rated helmet of the current generation or no more than one generation out of date. Nearly all track sanctioning bodies allow Snell SA helmets that are one or even two generations old, so this guideline is rooted in both theory and practice.
Buying an out-of-date helmet can sometimes save you a few bucks, but that savings never seems to make up for the lack of approved lifespan. So always favor newer–unless the deal is just too good to be true.
Joe Marko, owner of motorsports supply house HMS Motorsport, backs us up on our helmet philosophy while providing some additional insight. “A helmet at any price level with a Snell rating is going to have the same protection against impact as any other helmet with that same rating,” Marko explains, “so that’s reassuring if you’re on a budget.
“But what you get when you spend more money is usually a more comfortable helmet with more custom fitting options and, most importantly, less weight. And that mass attached to your neck can really come into play from a safety perspective in a crash. A heavier helmet is going to have more inertia than a light helmet, so keep that in mind.”
We also recommend a full-face helmet over an open one. The shield against debris, insects, moisture and other potential hazards make a full-face helmet a worthwhile purchase. Plus, face protection in the event of air bag deployment is a nice bonus, particularly since so many cars on track are equipped with air bags.
Marko has overseen some air bag testing using helmeted drivers, and some of the results were surprising. “One thing that stood out was that a sun visor or an open visor on a full-face helmet gives the air bag an additional point of leverage against your head. So best practice in a car with air bags is a full-face helmet with the visor down and locked, or removed.”
But removal has its risks. Marko recounts an incident at VIR where “a car went passenger side into a wall, and the side mirror broke off, came through the window and left a big gouge on the driver’s visor–which was, thankfully, down–on its trip through the car.”
We’re also proponents of always donning a balaclava before pulling on that helmet. It serves as an additional layer of safety, as hair–including facial hair–is extremely flammable. Plus, this small investment will make your expensive helmet last a lot longer by keeping the skull funk at bay. Nothing destroys helmet liners like head sweat, and that’s pretty much all we expose them to.
The next piece of equipment we consider non-negotiable on track is proper head-and-neck support. The downside here is that there’s really just one choice for folks without a proper roll bar and harnesses: the Simpson Hybrid system. The upside is that it’s a really good choice.
Unlike most head-and-neck systems, which rely on your over-the-shoulder harnesses for support, the Simpson Hybrid transfers your neck’s load to straps wrapped around your torso. This allows the unit to work with OEM-style, three-point harnesses. (It also works just fine with competition-style harnesses.)
We wear a Simpson Hybrid during all our new-car track testing. While we occasionally look like dorks for being the only people wearing one at new car launches, we’ll take that simple safety step over the alternative. We’ll also add that we’ve used our Hybrid in a wide variety of cars with a wide range of seats, and it’s never been intrusive or uncomfortable.
You’re also going to need some protection for your body, and here’s where the regulations of various clubs diverge the most. Some clubs have fewer regulations for clothing than you’d face walking into an Arby’s, while others specify a minimal amount of body coverage.
T.J. Huston, product specialist at OG Racing, a long-time supplier of safety equipment for motorsports, provided the following caution: “The first thing I’d recommend is to avoid synthetic materials for sure. Skin grafts suck. Nylon and polyester melt, and in any sort of fire situation that’s going to be a bad scene.”
Sticking with natural fibers is your first course of best practices, but obviously, an SFI-rated suit offers the best protection. “Even the most basic SFI 3.2A/1 suit provides 3 additional seconds of protection against second-degree burns versus no protection,” Huston explains, “and that’s a lot of time when you’re bailing out of a car.”
A multi-layer setup offers even more time to escape, with today’s rather common 3.2A/5-rated suit offering more than three times the protection: 10 seconds until second-degree burns.
A modern, three-layer suit can offer several luxurious seconds of fire protection. Photography Credit: Perry Bennett
But even safety industry pros realize that getting everyone at a casual track day into a suit is a challenge. Cost, heat and additional complication are all common objections, and the safety industry is conscious of them.
Huston notes, for example, that there are lower-cost alternatives that are still better than pure street clothes. “Just wearing a fireproof base layer of underwear is going to provide a substantial amount of protection over regular clothing,” he explains. “And with modern materials, there’s more and more choices of fireproof underwear that looks more like ‘civilian’ athletic gear instead of pajamas.”
He points to the TraqGear brand in particular. This company offers a lineup of tops and bottoms that resemble workout gear more than racing underwear, with fire-retardant tops starting at less than $125.
Marko reiterates the caution against synthetics: “Synthetic materials aren’t just not as good as natural fibers; they’re an active hazard that will cause additional damage in any fire situation. People love wearing athletic gear during track days, but the reality is avoiding those should be your bare minimum best practice for any clothing. Plenty of newer choices exist that are actually comfortable and temperature-controlling, like the Walero gear I wear for non-competitive track days.”
You should protect your hands, too, right? “Gloves are somewhere I’m probably going to recommend you go with a motorsport-specific item as well,” Huston notes. “Basically, you want your hands properly protected in a fire, so avoiding synthetics is particularly critical.”
But he also admits that racing gloves can sometimes be a burden in a track day car. “Most race gloves make it impossible to use touchscreens,” he continues, “but companies are recognizing that and releasing touchscreen-compatible gloves, like the Sparco Arrow.”
While SFI-rated, mechanic-style gloves exist on the market, Huston notes they’re often not well suited for steering. “Most of the SFI gloves designed for mechanics are designed with handling hot parts in mind, not good tactile feel,” he notes. “So while some people like that they don’t have the long gauntlet, they tend to be really thick and not great for driving.”
Huston brought up another important point about gloves used specifically in non-competitive track environments: “Remember that during a track day, you’re communicating a lot with your hands, giving point-bys and interacting with other drivers on track. So a pair of brightly colored gloves that are easy to see might be better than the solid-black gloves so many drivers seem to like.”
Our advice when it comes to footwear should sound familiar: Avoid synthetic materials. “Remember,” Huston adds, “SCCA doesn’t actually specify an SFI rating for shoes for wheel-to-wheel competition. Their shoe standard is an all-leather upper with a natural sole. So that brings a lot of athletic shoes into play. Pair that with some SFI-rated socks, and you’re eligible for an SCCA national road race.”
What about the shoes specifically designed for racing? “Most pure racing shoes are lousy at being real shoes,” Huston admits. “Wearing them outside the car is hard on your feet and hard on the shoes.”
A few companies, however, have been dropping kicks that can serve as all-day wear at the track–in and out of the car. “The Sparco Race 2 has decent support, but it’s still more of a race shoe that you can wear outside the car, not one you necessarily want to,” Huston says. “The Sparco Pit Stop crew shoes are SFI-rated, too, and they’re more like an athletic shoe that’s still really good in the car as well.”
Finally, Huston shouted out a new brand he’s just discovered called Chicane: “They’re premium priced, but they come out of the outdoor shoe space, and they’re the first motorsport shoes I’ve worn that feel like they were designed by an actual shoe designer. They have some of the best arch support in a racing shoe I’ve ever experienced.”
Head-and-neck protection for just a track day? We wear ours. Photography Credit: Perry Bennett
“Sure, all these recommendations are great, but how should I prioritize them?” you say. Fair question, so we’ll defer to the experts. Joe Marko stresses three areas that are crucial to staying safe. “I always recommend people get proper gloves, proper shoes and the best helmet they can. Those are your main points of control with the car, so in addition to keeping you safe, they’re also going to help you practice proper technique.”
The one and only race car fire I've had was on a test day.
Knit shirt on fella in last picture of the article is definitely either all synthetic fiber, or at best a cotton/poly blend. (At least to my eye... My dad owned a men's clothing store when I was growing up, so have some basis for my bold claim)
No that anyone should follow my lead but I tend to wear more safety gear the further the car is from a factory street car. If I had a HANS that worked with 3 point belts I'd wear that most of the time but I don't.
If I'm in an unmodified car I wear a helmet. I don't wear full gear in my Spec. Miata if I'm scuffing tires or giving rides. My thinking is that all of the stuff that might catch on fire is factory and in good shape and I'm only driving at 7 10ths.
If I'm in a full on race car I wear full gear regardless of whether it's a test day/session or a race. An untested car is more likely to have problems than one that's been proven.
What about street racing? It's going to happen if track racing is too expensive.
Perfection is the enemy of good enough.
In a lifetime of racing I had one fire. Working on the car in the pits. Gas sprayed all over me and a spark ignited everything.
WHOOSH!!! I dropped to the ground and rolled the fire out. My eyebrows were shorter and a little of my hair got a little shorter. But no burns.
I had a very expensive fire suppression system that If I'd tried to set it off I'd be dead.
Rules and money to solve them aren't always the answer In fact they can make things worse.
I refer to street racing.
Before any rule should be made. Ask what it will cost and is there a less expensive way to solve the issue.
Look at HPDE how many fatalities and serious injuries doing that has there been with zero requirements?
In reply to frenchyd :
Are you actually saying that your fire suppression system would have killed you while putting out a fire?
In reply to APEowner :
There's some good advice there, and I would agree that the more of a stripped-out, high-strung race car you're driving, the more safety gear you should probably have on you.
In the end, you might look a little silly and feel overdressed for the event, but I'd rather be safe than "one of the cool kids."
I was behind someone at a trackday event and as we slowed for a hard left turn, his car suddenly veered left, cutting the turn, crossed back over the track and went straight into a concrete wall. Cause was traced to either a broken brake disc or a popped brake hose, don't remember which. Was just dumb luck that no one was on that segment of track that he crossed, as it would then have involved multiple cars. Point being, even in "low speed" untimed amateur events, stuff can and does happen, and it's not always driver error. So, yes, be prepared to get wrecked.
Colin Wood said:In reply to APEowner :
There's some good advice there, and I would agree that the more of a stripped-out, high-strung race car you're driving, the more safety gear you should probably have on you.
In the end, you might look a little silly and feel overdressed for the event, but I'd rather be safe than "one of the cool kids."
When I'm not wearing safety gear it's not because I don't want to look silly and overdressed it's because I don't want to take the time to change (or maybe I'm just lazy) and I don't like to wear gloves. I do try and make deliberate decisions about safety gear based on the risk of what I'm doing but I would never, ever criticize someone for wearing more gear than the rules require or having a lower comfort level than I do for something.
APEowner said:Colin Wood said:In reply to APEowner :
There's some good advice there, and I would agree that the more of a stripped-out, high-strung race car you're driving, the more safety gear you should probably have on you.
In the end, you might look a little silly and feel overdressed for the event, but I'd rather be safe than "one of the cool kids."
When I'm not wearing safety gear it's not because I don't want to look silly and overdressed it's because I don't want to take the time to change (or maybe I'm just lazy) and I don't like to wear gloves. I do try and make deliberate decisions about safety gear based on the risk of what I'm doing but I would never, ever criticize someone for wearing more gear than the rules require or having a lower comfort level than I do for something.
Personally I wear all my safety gear every time I go out on track -- I'd feel really stupid (if only for a short period of time) if I died in a fire when I had a race suit hanging in the trailer.
The two items not mentioned in the article are socks and balaclavas. They're pretty inexpensive and easy to deal with, but one thing that's worth noting is that SFI socks tend to be a lot thinner than many street socks, so if you're trying on race shoes you want to make sure it do it with the kind of socks you'll be wearing on track.
codrus (Forum Supporter) said:APEowner said:Colin Wood said:In reply to APEowner :
There's some good advice there, and I would agree that the more of a stripped-out, high-strung race car you're driving, the more safety gear you should probably have on you.
In the end, you might look a little silly and feel overdressed for the event, but I'd rather be safe than "one of the cool kids."
When I'm not wearing safety gear it's not because I don't want to look silly and overdressed it's because I don't want to take the time to change (or maybe I'm just lazy) and I don't like to wear gloves. I do try and make deliberate decisions about safety gear based on the risk of what I'm doing but I would never, ever criticize someone for wearing more gear than the rules require or having a lower comfort level than I do for something.
Personally I wear all my safety gear every time I go out on track -- I'd feel really stupid (if only for a short period of time) if I died in a fire when I had a race suit hanging in the trailer.
The two items not mentioned in the article are socks and balaclavas. They're pretty inexpensive and easy to deal with, but one thing that's worth noting is that SFI socks tend to be a lot thinner than many street socks, so if you're trying on race shoes you want to make sure it do it with the kind of socks you'll be wearing on track.
Except it did mention both:
"Pair that with some SFI-rated socks, and you’re eligible for an SCCA national road race.”
"We’re also proponents of always donning a balaclava before pulling on that helmet. It serves as an additional layer of safety, as hair–including facial hair–is extremely flammable. Plus, this small investment will make your expensive helmet last a lot longer by keeping the skull funk at bay. Nothing destroys helmet liners like head sweat, and that’s pretty much all we expose them to."
I typically tell people it's ill advised to be running a street car 10/10ths at a track unless you are sporting all the gear.
The point of a track day is being able to drive the car fast in a safe environment; not trying to get the last tenth of a second out of the car. If you're doing that you need at least a half cage / roll hoop and all of the drivers gear.
If you want to drive flat out then you need a fully prepped car and all the gear.
z31maniac said:Except it did mention both:
"Pair that with some SFI-rated socks, and you’re eligible for an SCCA national road race.”
"We’re also proponents of always donning a balaclava before pulling on that helmet. It serves as an additional layer of safety, as hair–including facial hair–is extremely flammable. Plus, this small investment will make your expensive helmet last a lot longer by keeping the skull funk at bay. Nothing destroys helmet liners like head sweat, and that’s pretty much all we expose them to."
Huh, I wonder how I missed that. Very well, I stand corrected. :)
In reply to kb58 :
I was at an event where one car had brake failure that resulted in it t-boning a miata at over 100. Within 6 months of that, I had a full cage and full race gear. Even if your car is 100%, stuff can still happen. I don't think any of the gear (other than helmet) should be required, but it should be strongly recommended. As @frenchyd mentioned, if track days get too expensive with required gear, people with find another outlet. Driving on the track in shorts and a t-shirt is safer than street racing (IMO).
alfadriver said:In reply to frenchyd :
Are you actually saying that your fire suppression system would have killed you while putting out a fire?
Time
I was on the opposite side of the car from being able to activate it. ( by the right rear wheel) I did the right thing, stop drop and roll.
If I'd tried to activate the system I'd have been dead.
Colin Wood said:In reply to APEowner :
There's some good advice there, and I would agree that the more of a stripped-out, high-strung race car you're driving, the more safety gear you should probably have on you.
In the end, you might look a little silly and feel overdressed for the event, but I'd rather be safe than "one of the cool kids."
But not while you work on your car. Grease and oil on your fire suit kinda defeats the purpose of a fire suit.
tomtomgt356 (Tommy) said:In reply to kb58 :
I was at an event where one car had brake failure that resulted in it t-boning a miata at over 100. Within 6 months of that, I had a full cage and full race gear. Even if your car is 100%, stuff can still happen. I don't think any of the gear (other than helmet) should be required, but it should be strongly recommended. As @frenchyd mentioned, if track days get too expensive with required gear, people with find another outlet. Driving on the track in shorts and a t-shirt is safer than street racing (IMO).
The problem is the street racers Just need an outlet. If we say Wait, do this and this plus make sure this and that conform. And so on, so on.
They'll go down the block and around the corner anyway.
We'll have a degree of responsibility for anything that happens.
I like SCCA putting on Track night. HPDE.
You do know when they had showroom stock racing the cars didn't have fuel cells, LeMons and Champ car don't require a stock gas tank to be removed. And replaced with a fuel cell. Helmets don't fail sitting in a closet and racing seat belts really should last longer than the same belt in the family sedan.
I realize we need to steadily improve things because the cars are getting faster but it shouldn't be on the back of somebody who is young and broke.
We simply have to have cheap ways for people to go to a race track rather than racing on the streets.
How about a rule like NHRA has? This fast, this much equipment and safety. Faster , you need more and better.
frenchyd said:How about a rule like NHRA has? This fast, this much equipment and safety. Faster , you need more and better.
I've always been dubious about those kinds of rules, there's nothing magic about those breakpoints as they relate to fire/etc. It also leads to people sandbagging at the end so as not to go fast enough that they'll get kicked out.
In any event, to the extent that those rules work, it's only because the course is the same everywhere.
Fire suits buy you a few precious seconds to wrangle your way out of a fully caged car with a bunch of nets and tubes in the way between you and freedom. If I can just pop my centerlock and exit via a normal door.... I'm not as concerned.
The short answer is, "No, you can't be too safe". I have been on track for over a decade and instruct with some well-known HPDE orgs these days. The first advice I give is that you shouldn't spend a dime on car mods until you have a proper full-face helmet, HANS-type device, gloves and shoes, at a minimum.
If the fuel system has been modified from the factory spec, I wear my suit, socks, balaclava, undershirt, et al. In this case, please add a well designed fire suppression system.
Another good "rule of thumb" is to make a budget for coilovers, wheels, R-spec tires, sway bars and ECU tune, then spend that amount on a helmet, HANS, gloves and shoes before buying any of the "cool" stuff. Even better, spend that amount AGAIN on instructors and coaches. :-)
I highly recommend the Simpson Hybrid-S because it can be used with factory 3-point belts, then transition with you to 6-point harnesses.
Oddly enough, I have found that safety gear tends to make my lap times shrink.
steronz said:Fire suits buy you a few precious seconds to wrangle your way out of a fully caged car with a bunch of nets and tubes in the way between you and freedom. If I can just pop my centerlock and exit via a normal door.... I'm not as concerned.
And when the drivers side of the car is fully engulfed, as it was in my friends Vette, then what?
He ended up crawling over the passenger seat to get out. He barely made it out before the car was fully engulfed.
We all have our comfort level but the problem is you're traveling at speed; not going to be popping the door open at 80 mph.
My sports racer was going 130 when it caught fire. I was able to undo everything as I brought the car to a stop. The car was actually going about 2-3 mph when I bailed out. The big thing that bought me time was the fire system.
Then again, I watched a bone-stock C8 catch fire on track and then burn for a loooong time at Barber a few days ago. So much for my "unmodded cars aren't a fire hazard" post. :-)
In reply to DaleCarter :
My friend's Vette had the stock fuel system.
In reply to Tom1200 :
Sure, I mean, what would he have done if his passenger side was also engulfed?
Certainly we can concoct a scenario where a fire suit in a street car might help. My point is, fire suits are part of the total safety package for caged race cars. They're there to buy you the 9 seconds you need to get out of the contraption. If the nature of your incident means you'd actually need 25 seconds to extract yourself, then you're going to get burnt and possibly die, and we know from history that sometimes that happens. Fire suits don't prevent 100% of injuries and/or deaths.
That's also why we have fire suppression systems. They also give you a few more seconds. And, look, people like me that say, "Meh, good enough is good enough" are never gonna win this argument, because "what's your life worth" is an impossible question. To which I say... why don't we all insist on installing fire suppression systems in the street cars we take to the track? Isn't our life worth it? Why do we let complete noobs drive instructors around in 650hp Vettes? Isn't this a stupid-ass risk?
Everyone draws a line somewhere, and jeans and a t-shirt in a street car has a pretty decent track record.
In reply to steronz :
T shirt and shorts in street cars is the norm. Yet how many of those are "raced" without people dying?
In fact the greatest risk is to innocents. Those that don't know or expect a race in their neighborhood.
Track days at least everyone is aware, sober, no pets or children wandering on the track. And they are all going in the same direction.
In addition first aide is minutes away and ready rather than sitting down for a meal or in the shower and still have a 1/2 hour to get to the scene.
You want people to attend. Get them familiar with the idea of a right place for speed.
If I were King of America If ensure that every county has one place where cars can be enjoyed in relative safety.
A straight that's an 1/8 mile long with a 1/2 mile shut down that turns into a road course with fast and slow turns
Top speed would be limited. And noise controlled.
Maybe once a week. A speed event held. Once a week a car show, etc. of course as King it would be an un funded mandate.
frenchyd said:alfadriver said:In reply to frenchyd :
Are you actually saying that your fire suppression system would have killed you while putting out a fire?
Time
I was on the opposite side of the car from being able to activate it. ( by the right rear wheel) I did the right thing, stop drop and roll.
If I'd tried to activate the system I'd have been dead.
No, what you're saying is, that you didn't properly install the the fire suppression system.
If you're already out of the car, you're safe, berkeley the car.
In reply to z31maniac :
You need to improve your reading skills. Or comprehension. The activation for the fire system was easily reached from the drivers seat. I was working at the right rear.
Now let me spray you with gasoline and ignite it.
How long would it take you to get into a position where you activate it and have it extinguish the flames?
Or you can do the Stop drop and roll maneuver that I did.
Maybe without the formal training the Navy provided me, you might have tried to run around the car fanning the flames? Or dive over the cockpit ( fanning flames ). Here's a picture of the car.
Not only did I not get burned. But I didn't have a mess to clean up and the need to find a recharged system before I could go racing.
codrus (Forum Supporter) said:frenchyd said:How about a rule like NHRA has? This fast, this much equipment and safety. Faster , you need more and better.
I've always been dubious about those kinds of rules, there's nothing magic about those breakpoints as they relate to fire/etc. It also leads to people sandbagging at the end so as not to go fast enough that they'll get kicked out.
In any event, to the extent that those rules work, it's only because the course is the same everywhere.
Sandbagging just means someone goes only so fast. At least they are in control. That's quite a skill. I think it's called bracket racing. Only able to go so fast? To go no faster
that a 10.29/9? Judge things that closely?
What if you accidentally go a 10:30/3 ? Well you lose. ( and the slower car wins). One sure thing. You're in control. Not likely to be in an accident.
Apply the same thing to lap times. You go under the allowed lap time, you're black flagged.
In reply to steronz :
We are pretty much on the same page; it comes down to comfort level and as you said drawing a line somewhere.
If we were trying to be really safe we wouldn't participate in this sport at all.
Of course I'm of the opinion that a track day is safer than my commute to work.
frenchyd said:In reply to z31maniac :
You need to improve your reading skills. Or comprehension. The activation for the fire system was easily reached from the drivers seat. I was working at the right rear.
Now let me spray you with gasoline and ignite it.
How long would it take you to get into a position where you activate it and have it extinguish the flames?
Or you can do the Stop drop and roll maneuver that I did.Maybe without the formal training the Navy provided me, you might have tried to run around the car fanning the flames? Or dive over the cockpit ( fanning flames ). Here's a picture of the car.
Not only did I not get burned. But I didn't have a mess to clean up and the need to find a recharged system before I could go racing.
You need to stop being a condescending prick .
Telling me I need reading comprehension while quoting yourself and saying the opposite.
You said "I was on the opposite side of the car from being able to activate it." So how am I wrong saying you did a poor job installing it?
frenchyd said:alfadriver said:In reply to frenchyd :
Are you actually saying that your fire suppression system would have killed you while putting out a fire?
Time
I was on the opposite side of the car from being able to activate it. ( by the right rear wheel) I did the right thing, stop drop and roll.
If I'd tried to activate the system I'd have been dead.
Quoted for posterity.
frenchyd said:Sandbagging just means someone goes only so fast.
I know what it means as far as the racing rules are concerned, and that's not what I'm talking about.
A car that is built to do 9s but due to sandbagging is only going 12s should have more safety gear requirements than a car that is only built to do 12s.
In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :
But was it a Jaguar?
z31maniac said:frenchyd said:In reply to z31maniac :
You need to improve your reading skills. Or comprehension. The activation for the fire system was easily reached from the drivers seat. I was working at the right rear.
Now let me spray you with gasoline and ignite it.
How long would it take you to get into a position where you activate it and have it extinguish the flames?
Or you can do the Stop drop and roll maneuver that I did.Maybe without the formal training the Navy provided me, you might have tried to run around the car fanning the flames? Or dive over the cockpit ( fanning flames ). Here's a picture of the car.
Not only did I not get burned. But I didn't have a mess to clean up and the need to find a recharged system before I could go racing.
You need to stop being a condescending prick .
Telling me I need reading comprehension while quoting yourself and saying the opposite.
You said "I was on the opposite side of the car from being able to activate it." So how am I wrong saying you did a poor job installing it?
I don't see how the car's onboard fire system would be expected to provide protection for someone outside the car, messing around the back wheel. That's a different question than wearing the right gear at a track day or on the street. It's actually irrelevant to the conversation, as that's a workshop problem and not a racing problem.
If you're screwing around with gasoline and you think there's a chance it'll light off (which there always is), then you put a portable fire extinguisher within reach. There's a reason a lot of racing orgs require someone to be standing by in full gear with an extinguisher at the ready when fueling - I've been that person at the Thunderhill 25. The driver is protected by the car's system, the person outside the car is protected by their own gear plus the person standing by.
In reply to z31maniac :
Really?!
You think I should have installed it so that I could activate it from the far right side instead of near the driver?
Really?!
In reply to frenchyd :
Oh, just stop.
You brought up an irrelevant story, that your required suppression system wouldn't have helped you when you had a gasoline fire when you were outside the car. Of course it wouldn't. Nobody would ever expect it to.
You took the wrong message from that, that the fire suppression system wouldn't have helped at all. Instead, you were a hero in your story for knowing the right thing to do after setting yourself on fire without the right safety equipment. The lesson here is not "fire systems are a waste of money" but "I was not correctly prepared to be working on the fuel system and got lucky". Yours is the sort of episode that results in regulations, it's not an illustration of why regulations are bad/pointless.
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