Fire suits for racing?

I spray the car once and a while, the 3 layer is needed with the juice. I've seen a car burst into the flames on the line at orlando, my safety is worth it.

I ran Late Model stock cars for years.. Didnt have to wear a double layer nomex w/ flece lining, But I DID!! Let me tell you after a couple hrs. in 130 deg. heat in the car in the middle of summer time in S. Fl., You were tore up from the floor up!!!!
Better than having skin graphs for years!!
Unfortunitly, I have seen a few people burned pretty bad, due to CHEAP firesuits.. I ALWAYS wore a fullface helmet and a nomex skirt around it, To keep out the flames. A racing friend of mine got burned in the face,neck,arms and legs, For one good reason... Not using the proper safety equipment!!

P.S. I had WELL over $2500.00 invested in safety gear on me, While in that car.. Including the cold air system piped into my helmet..

Ask Len at mancini one day why you have to wear a fire suit. When lens car burst into flames at half track, and he made a low 9 second pass in a complete ball of fire, and only managed to get the car slowed down to about 40 when he opened the door and got out. He didn't have the fire pants on because it wasn't required, all he required was a jacket. His legs got burned real bad, and if he would have had the pants on he could have probably slowed the car down to stop, and just got out and walked away like you see on TV.

If you have never bin burned and had that nylon fabric melted to your skin , And thay have to pick it off for about 4 months, Then you start to heal. It was a sock and 40 years ago. And I still remember the pain.

I have seen tranny's blow at the track and send a fire ball right through the tunnel. One time of seening that was no fun. I can't even begin to think what hot trans fliud feels like on you skin. I wear a 3 layer jacket and have ever since I got to the low 12's. Next year I will be wearing the whole deal pants jacket shoes and gloves will also be sporting a new trans sheild.I have Nitrous on the car, not taking any chances.

I have a two layer that I had Deist tailor for me. Off the rack doesn't fit me very well. They did a great job and the embroidery looks really good. You can't see it very well in this photo.



I have /5 two layer gloves and /5 driving shoes that I wear as well. I do need to get a head sock, as I use an open face helmet.

For all the guys that are reading the thread and not posting, Take every precaution before you climb in the car and get belted in. You need to consider the worst case scenario. In the case of a fire, it could be worse that you survive...

I hate to sound morbid, but it's an unfortunate truth.


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Amen CaptNemo

single layer for 11.99 and quicker in NHRA

simpson is marketing a new fire proof suit.
i think he sold his company (simpson safty)
and it will be out under a different name..
but its the latest space age stuff real light and breathable.. but 3 times more retardant time wise.
ive only seen it in black though...
cant think of the name...of it..

if its not a million bucks ill be buying it...
i was a fireman for 6 years..
fires are for the BBQ grill after the racing is over....thank you...
cheap..

Bill Simpson has Impact Racing now that his Non-Compete Agreement has run out.

Cheap,
What you're thinking about is called CarbonX and I saw a demo at PRI last weekend. The stuff is pretty impressive, but I'm sure it's going to be costly untill it gets into general use.

alright, I"m not a drag racer, but I did put a formula ford into the wall at sears point alot of years ago. I had a 5 layer nomex suit on. When the car hit the wall (@90+) it burst into flames and I was stuck in the car. It took about 30 seconds before the track crew had extinguishers on it and put it out. (I was lucky where it stopped) I escaped with a ruined race suit, a wrecked car, a concussion, but no serious burns. Thats why you wear a race suit. Just think if you loop your drag car at 100mph and put it into the guardrail fuel cell first?

I even wear my suit now for normal SCCA track days in my street cars.

just my .02..

later,
-Jon

To me personally getting burned scares me more than anything. If i had to make a choice between fire suit or seat belts in a race car, id probably choose the fire suit and leave the belts out.

so someone want to break down what the different specs are and what is required for what time? Also personal experiences with brands ?

Anybody have any take on the G force stuff Jegs sells How does it compare and is it worth buying? I am looking at their multi layer stuff. I am going to buy the whole deal Jacket gloves pants shoes and neck support. Also who makes the best in Protection/comfort gloves? Thanks

Shoot me a PM. I can get you taken care of. Be sure to check the Holiday Discount thread.

so when is a /15 or /20 suit required? How about a 3.2a/3? Is that the middle child of safety clothing?

Don't quote me but I know blown alky and nitrous needs the 15, I'd bet turbo does also

BTW I was browsing Simpsons site and they offer suits in Carbon X, it was only maybe 15% more or something (it was like 140$ more then the other /20s... which they had priced at 950$ ).

Anyone know if mopar makes /15 suits? I've seen /3's for sale here and there. Well now that I think of it they would probably be over-priced and poor quality .

I have been running the g force stuff for long time and be honest I am glad I always wore more that what trule book says . In 93 at southern nationals my car turned into a fireball in traps trans blew was hospitalized 3 days with smoke inhalation but only thing burnt was the suit and my racing shoes.......Being over cautious on safety equipment isnt a bad idea when means you get come home with all you in one piece

At the World Street Car Nationals in Orlando this October a young Elliot Thompson, #1 low qualifier in Heavy Street with his turbo charged Camaro had a transmission related failure as soon as he launched off the transbrake (fire that BigCube mentioned....his competitor took his time staging after Elliot was already up on his converter)......if you look real close you will notice the initial HUGE.....SCAREY.....fireball inside his car, the milliseconds after this pic the rest of the car was completely engulfed in a giant ball of flame (there were a lot of Moparts members there that saw this)

Elliot hit the firebottle but he said he doesn't remember too much of it, except he had a hard time trying to get out with his helmet on (there was no impact). His father was the first to the car and helped him get out.....

Some of the observations i made were that the track personel ran right by the rear of his car without turning off his battery switch (that is the first thing that should have been done.....that's why it's there), 2nd thing is when he was being pulled out i noticed he had a FULL helmet on WITH a face shield on it that was pulled down correctly....it was completly blackened but intact and probably saved him from getting badly burned on his face and also kept him from breathing raw fire...... he did have smoke inhalation and burns on his wrists from the fire going up around his gloves and under his jacket that he did go to the hospital to get treated.....it could have been much worse.

This was not one of those Nitrous explosions that we have all seen before, but was a mishap that could happen to ANY car.........keep in mind that this car had a stock steel firewall and floor......then look closely again at the fireball inside of this car and decide your comfort/safety level.....and being inside with jeans, a 1 layer jacket, open helmet and no gloves.

Be safe guy's and gals



Randy

These are the minumums that are required by NHRA. Again, ANYTHING that you can do to improve your safety equipment will add to your protection in case things go wrong.


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Just get the ABSOLUTE safest suit and fire system you can afford or this (link below) can happen to you. SAFETY is ALWAYS paramount no matter what! I still think ALL cars NO MATTER how fast or if power adders are used or not......THEY ALL SHOULD HAVE A FIRE SYSTEM AND REQUIRE AT MINIMUM A 2-piece Nomex layer suit with all the other dressings.

Maybe this WILL change minds............the fire suit saved him as did the track people. In this case it was too late to deploy the fire system, so the fire suit had to do its job 110%.

http://206.61.16.155/_vid/piedmont/2004/powerjam/piedmont-fire.mpg

Wes

i have one of those single layer nomex jackets and pants from summit,i dont think im gonna use that any more,i dont think it would do any goood more than 10 seconds
what would be the safest suit to drive in?,any good links to were they sell it.
scary how fast it goes,when it goes wrong.

CBK had mentioned the /3 suits, and I found this on the SFI Website Click Here that has some more info on suits.
Trillebille, PM me and I can help you out.