Rollbar Specification Change for Wakefield and Nationals

[BJ's Snake]

Hi Phil,
Sorry did't get a chance to catch up over the Nitro Champs weekend,just got too caught up in the action.What are "race thongs'?
Cheers
Brett

[400TT]

Originally Posted by BJ's Snake

What are "race thongs'?

First word I will say is footwear. Not the other type of thong.

They are thongs that you wear when you go racing. Phil's having a joke at us QLDers. I think he noticed a few of the guys racing in thongs.

[Philm]

I do understand that Cams and Andra spec roll bars and cages are almost impossible to fit to painted cobras.

I think the whole issue is about keeping the pressure on safety to make us realise that we are going faster and with that the cahnce of an incident is increased.

At shelby fest we ran with all the Andra required gear, cage, race seat, harness and arm restraints. You get a real sense of security with all of that, I am not sure I would every run on a race track without them now.

HI John, Proper fitted and approved harness for cars running race rubber, excellent idea. Maybe include arm restraints????

Brett, no worries I am sure you had a great time at Eastern Creek.

Craig, yep there the ones.

Peter, the NOS install is just to get Wazza nervous.


Phil

[400TT]

I'm all for changes like this.

But...they should give members plenty of notice. Like being told at the previous Nationals that their would be extra requirements next year.

Doing it on a time based method is seriously inadequate in my opinion.

Do the slower drivers on the track really have less risk of serious injury? Considering most of the fastest drivers have a lot of race km's under their belt, would they be any more risk. Speeds are greater of course, but they have more experience. You could argue that both ways.

Considering the Nationals are getting oversubscribed, it's a good time to bring in these measures.

Race rubber suggestion is a good start, but would it force some vehicles back to street rubber and being pushed too hard on street rubber. Do we limit the events that vehicles are allowed to compete in? e.g. limit sprints to roll cage and/or race harness only vehicles.

And what the GT40's, they are just as unsafe. Very few have rollbars. That fibreglass roof area isn't exactly structural. Most have harnesses though, thank god.

Do we work on a point system? So many points for what level roll cage you have? So many points for level of harness? So many points for wrist restraints? So many points for race clothing - suits, gloves etc? So many points for race seats? You've just got to meet the minimum level of points.

It also wouldn't hurt to have trophy/s or rewards for the safest Cobras. A good way to help promote safety at the event.

[NASSTY]

Originally Posted by 400TT

Considering the Nationals are getting oversubscribed, it's a good time to bring in these measures.

I don't think making things tougher to complete at the Nationals is a good way to control the level of oversubscribtion at the event. Perhaps changing the format would be a better way to go to allow more Cobras to compete and get more time on the track. From the two times I've been to the Nationals as a spectator, most drivers appeared to only driving at 7 or 8 10ths while the few at the pointy end were going hammer and tongs. As a builder, I know I've invested more than just my time and energy to getting my dream on the road and that alone would make me think twice about how hard you really want to push things. That said, I could easily get a rush of blood to my head as well!

[400TT]

Nationals 2007 regs are out. Really thought they would give everyone more notice than the rollbar & harness changes.

The main changes from 2006 are:

* Roll bars are compulsory for open top cars. Minimum single hoop behind drivers head.

* Any vehicle that runs faster than 1 min 11.99 seconds will be required to have a Roll Bar behind the drivers head that is constructed of steel tube with a minimum 50 mm OD and a wall thickness of 2mm or 44.45 mm OD with 2.5 mm wall thickness. It must be at least 50mm above the drivers helmet and will be fixed to the chassis in at least three separate positions.

* Any car running faster than 1min13.99 seconds will be required to have a Full Harness Seat Belt.

* Fire Extinguisher must be less than three years old or should carry a current inspection tag.

* Accelerator linkages will have a minimum of TWO return springs.

Regulations can be downloaded from here:
http://www.cobracarclubqld.org.au/Ne...007Regulations

[NASSTY]

Originally Posted by 400TT

Nationals 2007 regs are out.
* Roll bars are compulsory for open top cars. Minimum single hoop behind drivers head.

* Any vehicle that runs faster than 1 min 11.99 seconds will be required to have a Roll Bar behind the drivers head that is constructed of steel tube with a minimum 50 mm OD and a wall thickness of 2mm or 44.45 mm OD with 2.5 mm wall thickness. It must be at least 50mm above the drivers helmet and will be fixed to the chassis in at least three separate positions.

* Any car running faster than 1min13.99 seconds will be required to have a Full Harness Seat Belt.

I hope this is not the beginning of the end? Unfortunately we live in a world where everyone else is to blame and public liability is at the forefront of every organisors' mind. That said, if things get too serious, especially when it appears that the organisors are imposing a set of standards that are higher than CAMS or the venue's, then the fun of a bunch of blokes getting together to have some fun without being scrutinised by the boys in blue, could be lost. I hope not.

[Plums]

Originally Posted by 400TT

Nationals 2007 regs are out.

* Roll bars are compulsory for open top cars. Minimum single hoop behind drivers head.

* Any vehicle that runs faster than 1 min 11.99 seconds will be required to have a Roll Bar behind the drivers head that is constructed of steel tube with a minimum 50 mm OD and a wall thickness of 2mm or 44.45 mm OD with 2.5 mm wall thickness. It must be at least 50mm above the drivers helmet and will be fixed to the chassis in at least three separate positions.

* Any car running faster than 1min13.99 seconds will be required to have a Full Harness Seat Belt.

* Fire Extinguisher must be less than three years old or should carry a current inspection tag.

* Accelerator linkages will have a minimum of TWO return springs.

Personally, I believe that these regulations seem quite fair for circuit racing.

Geez I wish these were the regulations for Drag Racing...