Which would you buy?

[99COBRA2881]

Read the following and place yourself in the situation and answer accordingly.

It's the 1st of April 2008, you are prepping your race car. You have a NASA AI race the following weekend. Your car has a full NASA/SCCA leagal roll cage, Kirkey Road race seat, and SFI roll bar padding. It doesn't have a fuel cell or fire suppresion system.

You have a new SA05 helmet, SFI3.2A/5 Nomex race suit. You don't have a HANS device.

You only have enough money for 1 item. You need a fuel cell, fire suppresion system and a HANS neck support.

Which item do you buy? Which of the three in your opinion makes you the safest on track?

I appreciate any and all answers. Merry Christmas. :beer:
Anthony

 

[Venomous01]

Well if this were me I'd wait until I could get it all.

I like going on the track knowing I have done everything I needed to do.

Puts my mind at ease and allows me to concentrate on driving the car... HARD.

 

[wheelhopper]

Hans neck device. You probably won't burst into flames if you wreck. If you do your neck will still be straight and crispy.

 

[racebronco2]

Hans device.

 

[sprint200]

Hans device.

+1

I agree with racebronco2 & wheelhopper. The weakest link of those items mentioned is the piece holding that 30# melon to the rest of your body. Some quick physics calculations say buy the Hans.

Drive fast, drive safe:beer:

 

[SKMCOBRA]

It depends. Does the AI series not require all of these? I was thinking they did require the fire suppression system. Maybe it's only the extiguisher in a reachable location I was thinking of. I didn't realize you were prepping this car for the AI 2008 season. I'd like to come watch one of the races so keep us updated. My buddy Bryan is selling his somewhat race prepped '93 Cobra and has an '06 GT totally gutted right now and having a full roll cage installed. He is wanting to race in the Texas AI series in 2009.

 

[ac427cobra]

I'm not sure but isn't NASA requiring a HANS soon?

Anyway, I think it depends on the track. If it's not a high speed track you can forgo the HANS IMHO. I'd rather have an on board fire supression system than a fuel cell. But damn, that's a tough decision. I sell more brake ducts and buy all three!! ;-)oke:

 

[racer]

Fuel cell or if thats not doable install a fire suppression system.
Fire is not to be messed with.

 

[suaveflooder]

Hans device.

X1000000000....it's so important! You can't drive fast with a broken neck, or worse off dead!

 

[sleepless]

I agree with Venomous, but to answer your question: HANS.

 

[TXPD]

NASA requires the HANS as of June.

I would get the HANS first, but only marginally over the fuel cell. The truth is that you are probably more likely to crash your way into using the fuel cell than the HANS particularly if your race seat has head restraints on it.

Since the HANS is requried by rules soon, you can get that and the fuel cell as soon after. IN the meantime if it turns out you needed the fuel cell, your estate can sue NASA for not requiring a fuel cell.

 

[sprint200]

Obviously, all three are very important safety features. The basis for my answer was this:

I have never personally witnessed a death due to fire at a race track. (That in no way is meant to diminish the severity of a fire in a race car into which you are securely fastened). However, I did witness the death of a NASCAR Craftsman Truck series driver (basal neck fracture) at Texas Motor Speedway. I was on the 9th row at the end of turn 4 and the impact was directly in front of me. That left a serious impression on me to say the least.

Granted, most road courses are very different in nature from an oval and reaching speeds of 180mph+ is not the norm, but depending on the type of barrier you hit at what angle and the deceleration speeds, you don't have to be going that fast to break your neck.

As others have said, though, my very next purchase would be a fuel cell.

 

[SKMCOBRA]

Did you guys hear about the 2000 Cobra R fuel cell igniting at the SVTOA event in Utah this summer? The owner was running dumps and it over heated the tank since it doesn't have a pressure relieve valve like regular tanks. Lesson to be had is don't run dumps if you are going to have a fuel cell installed. I'm running dumps right now and have checked my tank temps after a 15 minute session. So far it's not getting that much warmer than when I ran a catback exhaust. One reason is probably because the stock tanks have the plastic cover underneath the tank to deflect things from hitting it...including heat in this illustration.

 

[99COBRA2881]

From what I read it seems the pressure relief valve failed, tank pressured up as a result, blew fuel out, ignited and the pictures of the R on fire soon followed.

Bruce and Rob both are correct, NASA recently announced that a HANS type device is now required as of 6/1/08. I asked this question fully aware of that fact but I wanted to see if anyone else shared my opinion that fuel safety and fire safety should in fact be first priority over a HANS device. I had a tough time accepting that a HANS was/is required despite the fact that a fuel cell and fire suppresion system is still 'optional' equipment. How does one choose one safety device over another when either is just as lethal, that was my question.

I will say I'm glad that I posted this question as alot of the posts have changed my original opinion of the HANS.

I really have no choice in getting the HANS if I want to race with NASA but before I posted this question my attitude towards it was much worse. I now feel like it's just another part of the equipment I need to go racing.

Thank you all for the replies and Merry Christmas. :beer:

Anthony #26