DansBlkonBlkZ06

I just started tracking my C5 Z06 this year and noticed most of the drivers in the intermediate/advanced levels have roll bars, race seats, harnesses, etc. At the novice level most everyone runs stock. I got hooked and will be tracking more next year. Should I hold off on shelling out $3,000 or so on safety equipment and save that money for more track time? Would the safety equipment make more sense as I move up a level when my speeds are much faster? I'd hate to skimp on safety, but after watching a guy in the novice group slam the tire wall in Turn 6at VIR last month, it's got me thinking it's better to be safe than sorry.
Thanks for your feedback.

Greywolfe

I would say get a seat, harness and head/neck restraint as soon as you can afford it.

If its a dedicated track car I would eventually cage it too.

Jason

harness bar, race seat, 5or6pt belts and head&neck restraint minimum.

jrz1

These guys are right. Get a good seat, harnesses and head/neck restraint. Don't wait. Chances are low you'd ever make a mistake and roll your car but they're not that low that you smack something after going off track.

A little over a year ago after 13+ years of no incidents, I had a stupid mistake that ended up with me in a tirewall at high speed. The safety provided by the Kirkey seat, harness bar, seatback brace and harnesses & head/neck protection let me walk away with no serious neck/back injury and it was a jarring collision. You never know when it might happen to you and it might not even be your fault (ie something on track, someone else makes mistake that causes you to take lesser of 2 bad choices etc.), but it could happen and even novices go fast enough to get themselves in trouble. Be ready and hope you end up feeling like you wasted the $3K (+/- => can probably do the above for well less than that).

OCCOMSRAZOR

Agree 100%.

Did these three things when I just started HPDE's and promptly put it nose first into a triple rail at about 75 mph. Walked away with everything intact but my wallet.

AU N EGL

Up grading or performance mods for track junkies

1 contact patches
brake pads, brake fluid, brake cooling
2. seats & harness, harness bar
3. cooling, oil cooling, trans & diff cooling, bigger radiator
4. tires

CHJ In Virginia

Do it now in the off season when you can get better vendor pricing. You can never have too much safety equipment. You only have one body, and $3-4K for safety equipment VS hospital stay or death is cheap insurance !!! At the speeds our cars are capable of stock, it is stupid not to be as safe as possible.

beerkat

TryNkeepUp

If you're interested, I have a BK Harness Bar, clips, six point harnesses and a BK camera mount for the bar coming out of my car. I will be posting them for sale in the next week. No need to spend $3000 - PM me if you're interested

BrianCunningham

a decent helmet and suit

Find a store that will let you try them on.

You can't check for fit online.
I went through an entire store's inventory to get a helmet that fit right.

0Randy@DRM

I'm with the guy above. Buy safety gear, it is the only thing that you never want to use. Drink water if you get a 2 or 3 layer suit. Because they are hot, but nice and safe!!!

Randy

Red Gump

hot indeed. my suit doubles as sherpa standard issue gear but with 2 local drivers dying in crash fires this year alone it's worth it. contact the guy above selling harness bar and straps--don't need to be in date for track days. hans prices have come down a good bit and new design allows much more mobility.

bb69

I would do it as soon as possible as well. It's the things you don't think of that bite you. A guy rolled his Focus at an event this year when a rear rotor cracked and sent the car spinning. Things like that WILL happen no matter what level you're at. He was in a fully prepped car with a cage, so he walked away without issue.

The safety equipment will also make you a better driver in my opinion. Having a real seat and harnesses made a HUGE difference in my ability to make small corrections to the steering wheel. When you aren't using the wheel to hold yourself in the car, you can make small mid-corner corrections.

Ken

brkntrxn

Dan,

I replied in length with my thoughts via PM.


For everyone else that is recommending a harness bar with harnesses. Being a part of two different track organizations, we do not favor this setup and we will not let you out on track at our events with just a harness bar and harnesses. If you have harnesses, they need to be coupled with a minimum 4pt rollbar.

In the event of a rollover, the harnesses will do their job to keep your body in place. This includes staying in the upright position. Without the support of the upper roll hoop in a rollbar/rollcage, the roof has the opportunity to collapse and contact your head. With your body being held upright by the harnesses, you are at risk of spinal injury. For that reason, we do not allow harness bars alone without the corresponding rollbar/diagonals/downtubes.

Every organization is different. My point here is to check for the safety requirements of the organizations you think you may want to attend.


-Kevin

Jason

Kevin, what org is that?

Lancer033

.....and it will improve your laptimes too

.....on a side note, i may have a Sparco Evo, Sparco Evo 2, 2 sets of Sparco/Scroth 6-point harnesses and the seat mounting hardware ready to drop them into a C5. I say may because another guy said he wanted them, but that's been a while, but if you're interisted, i can follow up with him.

0Randy@DRM

Kevin,
I have the same feeling. I do understand the other side also, chances are you aren't going up on your roof are pretty good. I'm a gambling man, but not with stuff like that.

This is what is protecting your head.



One would want to get smashed into the center of the car. Ever ask yourself why 3 point harnesses are so you can get towards the center of the car.

Randy

RedLS1GTO

Personally... I'm in shoes, gloves, suit, helmet, and head & neck restraint with a 4 point bar. I would like that to be a full cage and will do that eventually.

If you are on a track with a Corvette, even in stock form you are going faster than many pro racing series. Why not protect yourself accordingly?

brkntrxn

Clarification: My statements are geared towards open track events, not autocrosses. Knowing that Dan recently attended one of our events and having volleyed PMs back and forth, I know that continued attendance at open track events is what he is wanting to do. After doing a few searches on the subject, this point of distinction in the harness bar vs roll bar discussion is not always apparent.

Asphalt Ventures and Tarheel Sports Car Club.

With Asphalt Ventures, we run HPDEs, Advanced Driver Clinics and Advanced Instructor Clinics at tracks like VIR and CMP (and hoping to expand our list of tracks going forward).

With Tarheel Sports Car Club, we run HPDEs and Time Trials at VIR and CMP (also ran events at RRR and Rockingham in the past).


I agree that the Vette has a very stong B-pillar and roof bar structure setup and may not be as likley to have a roof collapse as a cheap econobox. However, we have to have standards in place for all vehicles with the importance being on YOUR safety. We want to do what we can to help ensure YOU survive an incident and go home to your loved ones at the end of the day.


-Kevin

longdaddy

buy it today