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924RACR · Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:05 pm Post subject: Why Center Nets are a Good Idea

In-car from a coworker, during Chump Car at MIS...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVGZnASMz1s&feature=player_embedded

Bonk is right after 15s...

That's why we use a center net, aka right-hand side net, to keep us in the seat (after my doing something similar after Turn 5 a few years back)...

I've seen them for sale at HRP and Pegasus, they're around $115, attaching to the dash bar and the main hoop:

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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

Cedric · Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 2609 Location: Sweden

Isnt a better seat like this a better solution to keep you tight? (Although more expensive than a net)

I really feel terrible when I see accidents like that(normal people in normal trackday/racing cars, not F1 etc), probably because it could have been me..I hope I wont have to try a crash like that ever..
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1980 924 Turbo
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924RACR · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:02 am Post subject:

NO.

Given my choice between the two - I'd take a net without question, even if the cost wasn't a factor.

Ideally - you use both. But, as noted, the seat is an order of magnitude more expensive than the net.
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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

Ian89C4 · Joined: 01 Apr 2011 Posts: 561 Location: North Carolina

So what happens when your seat mount breaks like in the video and the seat twists and the inside belt now has slack in it and your head and upper torso are able to move out and around the nice full containment seat? I think if you want a full containment seat you would have to go with something like they use in NASCAR, but they don't work well for road racing cars due to the visibility issues.
I would think that even if the seat mount doesn't break, the net will help contain your right arm from swinging out and around the seat when physics wins over your strength in a really heavy crash.
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Ian Edgerly
North Carolina

Current:
1981 924 SCCA/ChampCar Weissach Race Car ("Serenity")
1987 924S ChampCar Endurance Car ("Der Weg")
1980 924 Euro ("Wahala")

emoore924 · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 2815

Did the seat mount actually break or did the camera just get knocked cockeyed?

Ian89C4 · Joined: 01 Apr 2011 Posts: 561 Location: North Carolina

I want to say that it did break. The impact was on the right, so the camera, due to centripetal force, would have gone to right, allowing you to have a better view of the driver. In this case the there was a similar view of the driver (judging off the view of the right most portion of the seat and the central tunnel) both before the impact, and after, showing that the seat bracket either broke or bent. And the driver has his head pretty cocked to the left when the banking is pretty high to the right.

All this debate being said, I am very glad that he is OK and safe!
_________________
Ian Edgerly
North Carolina

Current:
1981 924 SCCA/ChampCar Weissach Race Car ("Serenity")
1987 924S ChampCar Endurance Car ("Der Weg")
1980 924 Euro ("Wahala")

924RACR · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:28 am Post subject:

The seat and mounts did not break. The car was driven back to the pits, front end was bashed back into submission, and continued to race. With same driver.

I told him he shoulda taken advantage and swapped drivers...

Belts in tension still work better than seats in torsion, bending, etc.

Also, the seat's designed to work with you in place. What keeps you in place? Belts... if it's a straight-on forward hit. If it's even a modest oblique, like this, you need a net. HANS doesn't do much for you at that angle, either - it's useless outside a 35-deg cone off of center.
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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

gla924sem · Joined: 08 Nov 2002 Posts: 405 Location: Taylor, Michigan

Well put Vaughn
Putting one in the 914 for next season

Rasta Monsta · Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 11723 Location: PacNW

Extreme bolster seats like the one pictured can cause egress problems. We had a Honda upside down at Pacific earlier this year, and the driver could not get out wearing helmet/HANS. The stewards were eyeballing the situation hard. . .we may see those seats illegal next year.

Oh, and +1 on the netting, dirt cheap too.
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Toofah King Bad

WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

Fifty50Plus · Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:17 am Post subject:

My partner totaled the Benz two weeks ago at Charlotte. He hit a concrete block (size of a truck) with the passenger side and stopped dead from about 50 mph. The seat and headrest bent to the right about 6 inches but we had an inside headnet. I believe that stopped him from becoming another Adam Petty. He had also forgotten to fasten the tethers on his Hans so that was useless in this case. I run both in the Porsche and will continue to do the same in the next car.
Chuck
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1979 924 NA race car
1982 924 NA race car - Sold
1982 924 Turbo almost a PoS
1981 924 Turbo a real PoS, new engine
1982 924 Turbo nice body, blown engine
1972 911 E race car - going to Vintage
Various 944s to become IT-S race car

fiat22turbo · Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Posts: 4040 Location: Portland, OR

Also, PRACTICE EXITING THE CAR IN A HURRY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qxno1axFx4

a 944 ruptured the fuel tank at the SCCA Nationals, nasty fire results. Both drivers in the accident got out okay.
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Stefan
1979 924 Carrera GTS (clone-ish)
1988 944 Turbo S (Silver Rose)