Autocross Questions

"Milky" (jordanmielke)
03/15/2014 at 17:58 • Filed to: Autocross, Crossfire, Helmet, Delorean, MGB, F1

I'm sure some people on Oppo know the answers to these relatively simple questions.

From my understanding all you need to go autocross-ing is a helmet and a battery tie down. When it comes to helmets I'm at a complete loss. Will any DOT approved helmet do? Of course no one plans on crashing but is buying a SNELL approved helmet recommended? Or not really needed because I'll be in a car and not on a bike. Hell, I even just watched this video & while I know what is better now, I still don't know what I want.

As for battery tie downs, my car comes from the factory with a bracket holding it down, is that sufficient?

For your troubles, some pretty images.

DISCUSSION (27)

Trunk Impaired 318 > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:01

In my region at least as long as the battery is secure and the rest of your car passes tech youre fine and DOT helmets are allowed but if you ever plan on doing a trackday or something more than autocross I would highly recommend a full face snell helmet

jkm7680 > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:02

You might want to check with the location that you would be Autocrossing at, for helmet regulations.

6cyl > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:11

At the location I go to you need a helmet with a Snell rating in the last 2 generations. IIRC I think now that means 2010 and 2015. Check with your local place also they may have loaner helmets available if you want to try it before you go off buying a helmet.

The stock tie down should be sufficient.

Milky > Trunk Impaired 318
03/15/2014 at 18:11

Ahh, thats the kind of thing I wanted to hear. So it would be better to buy 1 that could do all on the chance I do track day or something.

It's a "Porch-uh" > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:14

Any car helmet for sale should be SA2010, but double-check that you don't by a 2005 on clearance. Most sanctioning bodies have phased out the 2005s by now.

Milky > jkm7680
03/15/2014 at 18:15

It would be sooooo much easier if the SCCA & the Detroit sports car club websites were complete crap.

Finding basic info shouldn't be hard.

jkm7680 > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:16

Haha, Where I live it's somewhat there, and somewhat not there.

Milky > 6cyl
03/15/2014 at 18:19

Thanks for the info … and IMO I'd rather just buy one, don't know where other people's sweaty heads have been.

'Wägen, EPA LOL > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:20

I'd recommend buying an SA rated helmet versus an M rated helmet. The types of impacts that they are tested for are different between the two because the type of trauma you may experience in a crash is difference. Per snell:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

The SA standard was designed for competitive auto racing while the M standard was for motorcycling and other motorsports. The K standard was released to accommodate helmets used in karting. There are three major differences between them:

The SA standard requires flammability test while the M and K standards do not.

The SA and K standards allow for a narrower visual field than the M standard (Some SA and K certified helmets may not be street legal).

The SA and K standards include a rollbar multi-impact test while the M standard does not.

Kinja'd!!!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:23

I went to college with Jon Rogers and I think he got a promotion within the detroit area SCCA people. He was doing course design and was an event organizer before but he should be doing more now. I'll mention it to him that the website is crap. In my usual way. And by that I mean the next event I show up at randomly, I'll yell out "Hey jon! Your neon still sucks and our regional website is shit!". Should get some results.

Trunk Impaired 318 > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:25

Thats basically how i did it, I knew I was gonna want to do some HPDEs too so I went for the helmet I knew would work for both

Milky > It's a "Porch-uh"
03/15/2014 at 18:27

Thanks for the info ….and I know because of the video now, that they have the manufactured date on them.

Milky > 'Wägen, EPA LOL
03/15/2014 at 18:30

Thanks! Someone else said SA2010 and my first thought was 'what the hell does SA mean?'.

Milky > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
03/15/2014 at 18:32

Haha, I'm sure other people would appreciate it too. This is the first hit on google just fyi - http://dcscc.blogspot.com

Milky > Trunk Impaired 318
03/15/2014 at 18:33

That definitely makes sense, and I'm 99% positive I'll do the same.

'Wägen, EPA LOL > Milky
03/15/2014 at 18:36

No problem. The SA 2015 standards will be coming out soon ("Snell SA2015 rated auto racing helmets will begin arriving sometime in late October or early November of 2015."). Most places let you run the current and the previous iteration so you may be able to find a good deal on an SA2010 helmet which you can use for another 5 years.

Next choice is whether you want an open or closed face helmet.

KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb > Milky
03/15/2014 at 19:38

SNELL certification is actually bad. It's based on an archaic test with two high-energy strikes on the same spot, leading to far too stiff cushioning. This means that concussions are far more likely in low-energy crashes, or even high-energy, as almost no crash will equal the concentrated destruction of the double strike test. Unfortunately, all of the high-end motorcycle helmet makers still strive for it in the US because of consumer base ignorance.

In a car, SNELL would be even worse, as crashes tend to be lower-energy than motorcycle ones (because the car absorbs a lot of the impact). This is even more true in autocross, where speeds are relatively low.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Milky
03/15/2014 at 19:44

Every autocross I have been to didn't require a battery tie down or a helmet. They had their own loaner helmets there!!!

It's a "Porch-uh" > Milky
03/15/2014 at 19:51

Didn't watch the video, but just to make sure you know that the Snell date (2000, 2005, 2010, etc) is different than the manufactured date. The SA20XX number is the certification it received. So the helmet I have was made in 2012, but it's certified SA2010. Snell hasn't released any newer car helmet standards since then (M2015 for motorcycles just came out).

Milky > YSI-what can brown do for you
03/15/2014 at 20:12

The idea of using a loaner helmet grosses me out.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Milky
03/15/2014 at 20:15

Its not to bad, just take a shower after you are done. Plus it will save you some money if you are only doing autocross.

Milky > KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb
03/15/2014 at 20:16

…. I admittedly know little about helmets …. but It seems you're the only one on Oppo who feels this way.

KillerRaccoon - Group J's Sébastien Loeb > Milky
03/15/2014 at 22:18

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Articles/Motor…

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/aut…

There are plenty of other sources about this that can be turned up by a quick Google search. And the change for the 2010 standard didn't do anything to address the core issue of stiffness, just added additional requirements on.

vorspringing > Milky
03/17/2014 at 10:58

I did the DC region novice school on Sat., and they stick pretty close to the national rules. People have pretty much covered the helmet thing (and I feel you on the loaner - I bought because I want a helmet I can pull the padding out of and wash on my own schedule), but re: battery, basically, just reach in and give it a shake to make sure it doesn't move and it'll pass tech - it just needs to be obviously secure, they didn't specify how that has to be achieved.

Milky > vorspringing
03/17/2014 at 11:44

Thanks …. I'll think I'll be fine on the battery front then. As you can see in the photo it has a bracket across the top of it and there is no where for it to move anyways.

vorspringing > Milky
03/17/2014 at 11:48

Yeah, you're good. Really, even if there is a bracket or housing or whatever they want to make sure it's not loose. Same with making sure all the crap is out of the car beforehand - I was sure I'd gotten everything, but after the first couple of runs the little pieces of paper that were wedged in places I couldn't see came flying out.

Milky > vorspringing
03/17/2014 at 12:01

Haha, well I knew a clean car was better to race in. But I didn't know auto crossing would help you find things that needed to be cleaned out.