Thread: Helmet for NHRA???

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...What kind of helmet should I get for when I go to the drag races??? Eventually I'd like to run in the 10's just in case you need a better helmet if you go faster. I have a '32 Ford 3 window cpt..... Although I want something good I see that Helmets can get quite 'pricey'.... Thanks, Bill

Turn the helmet over and lift the padding out of the way so you can see the shock material in the inside. Somewhere around the edge, there will be a sticker that is about an inch wide and about three inches long. This is the Snell sticker that the tech inspector will be looking for at tech inspection. Minumum Snell this year is 2000. The 2005 helmets are also being produced, so look for a 2000 or 2005 Snell sticker. Numbers beginning with "M" are motorcycle helmets, but are acceptable at tech. Numbers beginning with "SA" indicate that the helmet meets Special Application specifications and are also acceptable. SA means that there is fire-resistant Nomex in the helmet and they are acceptable in the alcohol and fuel ranks. Helmets that are rated D.O.T. only, without the Snell sticker, are unacceptable.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

Turn the helmet over and lift the padding out of the way so you can see the shock material in the inside. Somewhere around the edge, there will be a sticker that is about an inch wide and about three inches long. This is the Snell sticker that the tech inspector will be looking for at tech inspection. Minumum Snell this year is 2000. The 2005 helmets are also being produced, so look for a 2000 or 2005 Snell sticker. Numbers beginning with "M" are motorcycle helmets, but are acceptable at tech. Numbers beginning with "SA" indicate that the helmet meets Special Application specifications and are also acceptable. SA means that there is fire-resistant Nomex in the helmet and they are acceptable in the alcohol and fuel ranks. Helmets that are rated D.O.T. only, without the Snell sticker, are unacceptable.

....ah ha, THANK you Tech! you've taken the 'mystery' out of it! I don't need a SA helmet so I'm thinking of G-Force's Force I Helmet. They carry Snell's M2005 rating & I like the look. They have one for $150 in white or $180 with flames on it. I'm going for the 'flamed version' .... Also they have a good sizing chart in the Summit Catalog.... Thanks again, Bill

Bill,

You might not think you need the SA rated helmet, but you need to ask yourself just how much you bel9ieve your head to be worth. As for sizing, as a long time racer (NHRA,SCCA,etc), I HIGHLY SUGGEST that you find a local shop with trained employees to properly fit a helmet to your head. Each brand, and each style of that brand fit differently.........Again ask yourself how much your head is worth and go from there.

Bill

A helmet is an investment, similar to health insurance!!!! Like Bill sez, it's up to you to determine how good a "policy" you need.... A quality helmet is great, but a quality helmet that FITS CORRECTLY is way better!!!! As Bill said, have someone size you for the helmet that actually knows what they are doing....

.....Thanks Bill & Dave, hum mm didn't realize it was that important on the fit. At least in so far as it's best to have it professionally fit. But, where do I go to have this done??? I'm in Ventura County, California. May be a motorcycle shop??? Or is there somewhere in Los Angles, California. I can drive down there as it's only {only?} 2 to 4 hours round trip. I don't want to drive 4 hours just to find out the guy who's doing the fitting doesn't know what he's doing!!! Oh the reason I chose the one made by G-Force was cuz I liked the flames. Now, of course, safety is more important than looks. So is G-Force not a good company??? Thanks again, Bill

I own an SA2005 rated G-Force full faced helmet, had it fit at the local speed shop by the wife of the owner. She has 20+ years of experience in properly fitting helmets. I originally was going for a Bell M3, but decided that the G Force fit me just a little better. Again, find a shop that has been around for a really long time, one that the road racers and circle track guys flock to for parts and service.....

Bill

I'd make a call to a couple of the Helmet companies---my personal is always a Bell---and see if they have some one in the area.... Never was much into fancy painted helmets, but I guess if I were I'd pick and fit a good, high quality helmet,,,,, then get it painted....

....ah good idea! yes, I'll call the Helmet company's and ask 'em who there distributors are! THANKS, Bill

Rule one on helmet's should be that they are for protecting your noggin, not to make a fashion statement!!!!!!

Bill, be certain to lift the flaps and find the Snell sticker inside the helmet. That's what any good tech inspector will do instead of just looking at the printed "Snell 2005" on the rear of the helmet.

Here's why. Jimmy buys a brand new 2005 Snell. His close friend Bobby has an old helmet that has run out of cert. He pays Jimmy 75 bucks to buy the sticker from inside the new helmet and affixes it to the inside of the old helmet. (Some helmets say nothing on the outside). Jimmy knows that the tech guy at the local track looks at the back of the helmet first and will pass it if it's printed Snell and the date. If there is nothing printed on it, he will pull back the flaps and look for the sticker inside. Jimmy is covered because his helmet has the printing on the back and that's all he needs to slide by and he has recouped part of the cost of the new helmet. Bobby is covered because if the tech sees no printing on the back, he goes inside the helmet and finds a new sticker. He has in effect bought a new helmet that's good for the next 15 years for 75 bucks.

All tech inspectors at our track will pull the flaps back to see the interior sticker regardless of what's printed on the back of the helmet for this reason.

Now, if Jimmy crashes and burns at the next bracket race and the insurance investigator comes out and finds the fraud, a helmet with no sticker inside, the track is in the bag for expenses incurred, including defending itself in court as a result of the suit filed by the widow because the track "failed to provide proper technical inspection according to the Rulebook". And she'll win. A corporation cannot prevail in court against a widow or a child.

...Hey Dave, when I slide by the 60' mark upside down I want to look good!!!

...Tech, I'm planning on getting a new helmet so I'll be alright on the rating. THANKS for the warning though!!! Bill

i agree with the guys on fit.. but i have a friend that works for simpson and the new rating is b.s just for companys to make money.. my new helment is sa2005 and i have seen the test data for it and the test data for my old sa95 and there is no differents in the two.. just more shit they make us spend money on. can't say i ever seen a helment go bad or fall apart.

Ok, so how much do you think your head is worth?
So you go out and buy a $500.00 brain bucket that meets all the specs for this year (2007).
Now come Jan. 2008 the Glendora Gods say OH! We now require spec SFI-whatever the F.........
And your $500.00 bucket is only going to be allowed for JR/Dragster...
If your helmet is in perfect condition with no signs of cracks or dings it is just fine and safe.
That looks to me like Simpson, Bell, etc. have some new product and they paid the NHRA to mandate a new spec helmet...................
Total BS !!!!
What is up with SFI cert about roll bar padding???
It`s a frigging piece of form rubber !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just me.