Are helmets and race suits compulsory on track days?
Discussion
HustleRussell said:
Yep, if you have a special suit specifically designed for circuit driving be sure to leave it at home and wear inferior clothing just in case somebody who doesn't race laughs at you.
you guys make me laugh. hes taking a modern day f type with all its safety features to a novice track day. ontop of that there's the usual health and safety rules and legislations - further to all that, you now say he needs a race suit...
maybe he should get this bubble suit also ?
ive got my own suit as I race but dont fancy wearing it on a track day, in fact I usually find the people who do turn up to track days in their tin tops and wear race suits are usually one of the slowest and also the most stubborn. something like "all the gear and no idea"
MikeO996 said:
Porkie said:
yes, I always take both as well.
MSV don't allow open faced in convertibles.I am certainly not looking to break any rules, but do prefer an open face helmet.
TuxMan said:
HustleRussell said:
stef1808 said:
even you do race/have a race suit. dont be that guy who wears it to a track day 
Yep, if you have a special suit specifically designed for circuit driving be sure to leave it at home and wear inferior clothing just in case somebody who doesn't race finds it funny.If you choose to wear Jeans and a shirt that's fine by me although you had better hope you never have a fire !!
stef1808 said:
you now say he needs a race suit...
I didn't though, did I? Although I also race I would never wear my suit for a trackday.As has been said, a lot of the "all the gear"brigade are quite slow, seen it time and time again in my line of work (its always a scramble trying not to get asked to go out with a suited up driver) in the hope that a colleague will get asked instead.
Most cars are of the normal showroom type, fire is a rarity, but it can and does happen. So jeans are not a bad idea, cotton rich, along with a cotton polo, long or short sleeved is down to personal choice.I prefer short as its generally cooler, even on a cool day you should get a bit warm!
Most cars are of the normal showroom type, fire is a rarity, but it can and does happen. So jeans are not a bad idea, cotton rich, along with a cotton polo, long or short sleeved is down to personal choice.I prefer short as its generally cooler, even on a cool day you should get a bit warm!
Although I also race I would never wear my suit for a trackday.As has been said, a lot of the "all the gear"brigade are quite slow, seen it time and time again in my line of work (its always a scramble trying not to get asked to go out with a suited up driver) in the hope that a colleague will get asked instead.
Most cars are of the normal showroom type, fire is a rarity, but it can and does happen. So jeans are not a bad idea, cotton rich, along with a cotton polo, long or short sleeved is down to personal choice.I prefer short as its generally cooler, even on a cool day you should get a bit warm!
Most cars are of the normal showroom type, fire is a rarity, but it can and does happen. So jeans are not a bad idea, cotton rich, along with a cotton polo, long or short sleeved is down to personal choice.I prefer short as its generally cooler, even on a cool day you should get a bit warm!
Each to their own, and I'm sure it depends heavily on what kind of car and what kind of day but in my view…
You’re the second person to mention “all the gear, no idea”. What does this have to do with whether or not you should wear a race suit to a trackday? Are you worried what other people might think? Do you want to keep your powder dry and spring a surprise on the track with your deceptively plain clothes and exceptional driving skills?
So far the only argument against using a suit (assuming you have one) is ‘what other people might think’. As a fellow adult, does that not seem a little silly?
Finally, people keep saying you’re not going to catch fire so what‘s the point in the suit? Well;
-Not ruining your proper clothes with sweat, harness chafing, general trackday wear / tear / weather / dirt
-Greater comfort with belts and harnesses as you aren’t wearing a shirt which can ride up, jeans which can wedgie, buttons, zips and rivets pressed into your genitals by the crotch strap, no jeans belt buckle to dig into you… floating sleeves free your arms up
-Reduced risk of damaging or wearing the car as you work on it, move around it, climb in and out of it, drive it etc thanks to the lack of belt buckle, exposed buttons, zips etc
-Loops on the shoulders make you easier to remove from the car should something untoward happen, maybe a crash, mechanical failure, fire… or a loss of consciousness, heart attack etc.
-Warmth. It’s cold and I’m in an open car.
…and if we must discuss the ‘looking silly’ part- as a driver you’re going to want to wear the gloves and boots anyway aren’t you? So you look like a silly ‘all the gear no idea’ try-hard anyway.
You’re the second person to mention “all the gear, no idea”. What does this have to do with whether or not you should wear a race suit to a trackday? Are you worried what other people might think? Do you want to keep your powder dry and spring a surprise on the track with your deceptively plain clothes and exceptional driving skills?
So far the only argument against using a suit (assuming you have one) is ‘what other people might think’. As a fellow adult, does that not seem a little silly?
Finally, people keep saying you’re not going to catch fire so what‘s the point in the suit? Well;
-Not ruining your proper clothes with sweat, harness chafing, general trackday wear / tear / weather / dirt
-Greater comfort with belts and harnesses as you aren’t wearing a shirt which can ride up, jeans which can wedgie, buttons, zips and rivets pressed into your genitals by the crotch strap, no jeans belt buckle to dig into you… floating sleeves free your arms up
-Reduced risk of damaging or wearing the car as you work on it, move around it, climb in and out of it, drive it etc thanks to the lack of belt buckle, exposed buttons, zips etc
-Loops on the shoulders make you easier to remove from the car should something untoward happen, maybe a crash, mechanical failure, fire… or a loss of consciousness, heart attack etc.
-Warmth. It’s cold and I’m in an open car.
…and if we must discuss the ‘looking silly’ part- as a driver you’re going to want to wear the gloves and boots anyway aren’t you? So you look like a silly ‘all the gear no idea’ try-hard anyway.
DMN said:
I've seen plenty of people wearing full suits on track days. Not once have I thought they are "that guy" or anything else.
In fact I've barely even given them a thought and concentrated on having fun on track.
I second that. If the suit owner is wandering around going "look at me in my race suit" one tends to think uncharitable thoughts, but you see so many race cars at track days these days that race suits are commonplace. After my excursion to the gravel trap at Mallory Park last week, that triggered the fuel pump cut out in my TVR, I am beginning to think I should get one myself.In fact I've barely even given them a thought and concentrated on having fun on track.
I race, so have an in date race suit. I also do track days, so wear my old out of date race suit. Am I the fastest guy out there - probably not, but I am pretty confident that I am one of the most comfortable. I also wear race boots. I could wear an old pair of safety boots, but I don't think I would like the lack of feel in the same way it just doesn't feel right to be getting into a race car wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, so I will stick with my personal choice to wear the most appropriate clothing, which for me is a race suit. It probably doesn't make me any faster, but at least I am not sitting with my wallet in the back pocket of my jeans, my phone in the front pocket of my jeans and the harness straps forcing my belt buckle into my flabby gut!
There is a downside though, in that I often find myself queuing to buy a cup of tea, with my wallet and change all in my jeans in the back of my tow car, but hey, that's what friends are for!
There is a downside though, in that I often find myself queuing to buy a cup of tea, with my wallet and change all in my jeans in the back of my tow car, but hey, that's what friends are for!
intersting thread;
when I was tracking my GT3 regularly(and the 997 cup car on test days) I pretty much always wore my race suit (in date..) - never really gave it another thought; in the same way I wore race boots; big feet & heel & toe...
From my POV, it was the most appropriate clothing for the activity I was undertaking - I couldn't give a flying f
k what anyone else thought.
Did anyone say that the full cage, battery cutoff and fire extiguisher (all std from factory on the CS GT3) were overkill? no.
I have taken my Panamera round a track - full face helmet, but no race suit; The risks I were taking were minimal, no more than road driving - only at 7/10ths max - though if I was to take it out for a serious day around Silverstone GP, or Spa for example, I probably would !
I wear gloves, as my hands get really sweaty in the car - grip is useful - is this overkill ? no
So why not a race suit, as it is more comfortable than any other form of clothing (for me ) in a car going fast. (though a full harness is a bit more intrusive than a 3 point seatbelt !)
Personal safety cannot be overstated.
Another example - though not quite the same;
couple of weeks ago @ Vmax - a car rolled multiple times having left the runway at over 200mph - the cage saved the occupants lives - you'd think that driving in a straight line is damn safe - but law of sod came into play on this occasion.
Form your own views and wear whatever you think appropriate - it's your life...
when I was tracking my GT3 regularly(and the 997 cup car on test days) I pretty much always wore my race suit (in date..) - never really gave it another thought; in the same way I wore race boots; big feet & heel & toe...
From my POV, it was the most appropriate clothing for the activity I was undertaking - I couldn't give a flying f
k what anyone else thought.Did anyone say that the full cage, battery cutoff and fire extiguisher (all std from factory on the CS GT3) were overkill? no.
I have taken my Panamera round a track - full face helmet, but no race suit; The risks I were taking were minimal, no more than road driving - only at 7/10ths max - though if I was to take it out for a serious day around Silverstone GP, or Spa for example, I probably would !
I wear gloves, as my hands get really sweaty in the car - grip is useful - is this overkill ? no
So why not a race suit, as it is more comfortable than any other form of clothing (for me ) in a car going fast. (though a full harness is a bit more intrusive than a 3 point seatbelt !)
Personal safety cannot be overstated.
Another example - though not quite the same;
couple of weeks ago @ Vmax - a car rolled multiple times having left the runway at over 200mph - the cage saved the occupants lives - you'd think that driving in a straight line is damn safe - but law of sod came into play on this occasion.
Form your own views and wear whatever you think appropriate - it's your life...
oh god, what have i started now 
lets put things in contents - the average track day driver wearing his race suit at a novice track day driving a modern car at 7/10ths is mostly wearing that suit to show off and generally looks like a knob.
somehow replies have been twisted to that your crazy not to wear your suit when trying to set new lap records at a test day. a 800 bhp tuned supra flipping at vmax, a tvr leaving the garage way, 997 cup car on a test day - all these examples i would want as much personal safety also, including a race suit
think about the purpose of this thread, a novice driver going on a track day asking if he needs a race suit, all of a sudden you've got him writing his last will and testament. track your f type, drive within your limits and be safe - oh yeah, don't wear a race suit also
lets put things in contents - the average track day driver wearing his race suit at a novice track day driving a modern car at 7/10ths is mostly wearing that suit to show off and generally looks like a knob.
somehow replies have been twisted to that your crazy not to wear your suit when trying to set new lap records at a test day. a 800 bhp tuned supra flipping at vmax, a tvr leaving the garage way, 997 cup car on a test day - all these examples i would want as much personal safety also, including a race suit
think about the purpose of this thread, a novice driver going on a track day asking if he needs a race suit, all of a sudden you've got him writing his last will and testament. track your f type, drive within your limits and be safe - oh yeah, don't wear a race suit also
Sigmamark7 said:
I race, so have an in date race suit. I also do track days, so wear my old out of date race suit. Am I the fastest guy out there - probably not, but I am pretty confident that I am one of the most comfortable. I also wear race boots. I could wear an old pair of safety boots, but I don't think I would like the lack of feel in the same way it just doesn't feel right to be getting into a race car wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, so I will stick with my personal choice to wear the most appropriate clothing, which for me is a race suit. It probably doesn't make me any faster, but at least I am not sitting with my wallet in the back pocket of my jeans, my phone in the front pocket of my jeans and the harness straps forcing my belt buckle into my flabby gut!
There is a downside though, in that I often find myself queuing to buy a cup of tea, with my wallet and change all in my jeans in the back of my tow car, but hey, that's what friends are for!
I have been 'that guy' wearing the race suit and STILL buying tea for this bloke. I never thought he may actually have cash in the back of his tow car? He told me that he donated all his cash on Christian Aid Week? There is a downside though, in that I often find myself queuing to buy a cup of tea, with my wallet and change all in my jeans in the back of my tow car, but hey, that's what friends are for!
If im driving in a a race car on a track day i will wear a race suit , i do this because it's just what im used to doing in a competition car - and im quite sure that im made of stuff that's no less flamable on a track day than it is on a race day.
However,if i take a road car on track i wear jeans etc , its's just the natural thing to do AFAIC.
My particular vice is TVR's and on the odd occasion ive drove a Challenge car in jeans ive felt uncomforatble - maybe its the 40litr fuel tank in the passenger compartment - conversley when i once drove my old Chim road car in a race suit i felt a tad uncomfortable for entirely different reasons.
I suppose it's Horses for Courses - and a non competitive event shouldn't have you driving at 10/10ths so you would expect the dangers are reduced - but if it makes you feel more confident driving a road car in Nomex , and hence have a better day ,then go for it.
However,if i take a road car on track i wear jeans etc , its's just the natural thing to do AFAIC.
My particular vice is TVR's and on the odd occasion ive drove a Challenge car in jeans ive felt uncomforatble - maybe its the 40litr fuel tank in the passenger compartment - conversley when i once drove my old Chim road car in a race suit i felt a tad uncomfortable for entirely different reasons.
I suppose it's Horses for Courses - and a non competitive event shouldn't have you driving at 10/10ths so you would expect the dangers are reduced - but if it makes you feel more confident driving a road car in Nomex , and hence have a better day ,then go for it.
I used to do my track days in an old flying suit which was moderately fire resistant, with layers, but not anywhere near the level of my 3 layer race suit. It was old and green and looked a bit like mechanics overalls so inconspicuous.
I would wear my race suit now without worrying what people think because I drive faster and have become a bit more safety conscious.
I would wear my race suit now without worrying what people think because I drive faster and have become a bit more safety conscious.
wellground said:
RetroWheels said:
If im driving in a a race car on a track day i will wear a race suit ,
I suppose it's Horses for Courses
That raises another question. Does the Horse need a race suit I suppose it's Horses for Courses
.I believe any decent gentleman shouldn't be seen on track, or indeed anywhere in public without sporting a natty cravat, in a nod to modern safety having it constructed of nomex rather than Ocelot hide dipped in 5 stat petrol is entirely acceptable, this is a good idea certainly if you suffer the misfortune to drop your pipe whist on track.
Pip Pip, Hurrah!
Pip Pip, Hurrah!
iguana said:
I believe any decent gentleman shouldn't be seen on track, or indeed anywhere in public without sporting a natty cravat, in a nod to modern safety having it constructed of nomex rather than Ocelot hide dipped in 5 stat petrol is entirely acceptable, this is a good idea certainly if you suffer the misfortune to drop your pipe whist on track.
Pip Pip, Hurrah!
Properly made me laugh.Pip Pip, Hurrah!
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