Safety Report – March 2017

Happy Spring racing everyone!! The MSR event was mostly a HUGE success, except for the Turn 17 incident Friday. Have I mentioned recently that this is a SPORT? Mr. Hemingway’s definition is really true- if it can’t kill you it’s a game, not a sport. That really came home for me on Friday. I love what we do, but our mortality is never very far removed. We will never be able to predict or discover every mechanical gremlin lurking in our cars, but we can exercise due diligence in our pre-race inspections and checklists. We all must remain vigilant of ourselves and our cars, lest we suffer untoward consequences. This time the car was the culprit, let us never be the culprits ourselves. Be fast, but be safe. They aren’t necessarily self-exclusive. Enough about cars and drivers- let’s talk a little about equipment. I hope everyone is aware that we will soon (can’t remember the exact date) be requiring head/neck restraint devices. There are several out there – HANS, Necksgen, Simpson, Leatt, Z Tech, Schroth, etc- with each offering different benefits for car/driver seating situations. They are required to be recertified every five years, by the OEM, according to SFI Spec 38.1, para 2.7: (http://www.sfifoundation.com/wp-content/pdfs/specs/Spec_38.1_031615.pdf). Every manufacturer’s website I visited offered recertification services at a nominal fee. Belts are also required to be re-webbed, also by the OEM, every TWO years according to SFI 16.1, para 2.12: (http://www.sfifoundation.com/wp-content/pdfs/specs/Spec_16.1_022614.pdf). This is a change that took effect in Feb, 2014. DON’T PANIC- CVAR is exploring our options to accept belts out to 5 years as we now do. There’s a little confusion about Black Flag All actions. The VMC Flag Definitions specifically say “All Competitors Stop Racing.” This also means “No Passing!” If you do inadvertently pass someone, you MUST give the position back before or when you line up in Fast Pit. Gary McFarlane Safety Chairman