Tech Check; Following the Rules
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Tech Check; Following the Rules
Above: ATL Fuel Cell FIA Approved
Above: Helmets, suits, belts
Tech Check; Following the Rules
At any officially sanctioned racing event, your car is going to be inspected for eligibility in class, compliance with the rules of that class, and general safety rules under which all cars must conform.
The main governing body for US racing is the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America), and even if you're running with one of the other organizations such as IMSA (International Motorsports Association), or NASA (National Auto Sport Association), or even one of the local nonaffiliated clubs, most everybody follows SCCA safety and competition rules, but not on car classes. Those are more specific to the individual organization.
Download the current SCCA GCR (General Competition Rules):
https://www.scca.com/pages/cars-and-rules
If SCCA has a question or conflict, it typically references the French FIA (Federation International De L'Automobile) rules.
So, what does have to do with you? Simple. If you don't have approved equipment, you can't race.
MAKING THE RULES
The premiere rules body for international sports car racing is the French FIA. You may not have thought much about it, but the French have given us some major standards and rules, such as the metric system, landline, telephone, and modem definitions.
FIA (Federation International De L'Automobile)
The French have been creating auto racing standards since 1904 beginning with the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR). Upon the resumption of motor racing after World War II, the AIACR was renamed the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. The FIA established a number of new racing categories, among them Formulas One and Two, and in 1950 created the first World Championship, the Formula One World Drivers' Championship.
SFI
The second most important rules body is the U.S.-based SFI, which originally stood for SEMA Foundation Inc. SFI developed in 1978 to cover all the races (mainly in the US) that the elite FIA didn't feel was important, such as drag racing and round tracking.
FIA and SFI rules have some overlap in helmets, safety harnesses, fire suits, and fuel cells. The Snell Foundation was created in 1957 to improve helmet safety and the Snell rating became the defacto industry standard.
HELMETS (Automobile, not Motorcycle)
If you're a weekend autocrosser, your club probably only cares that you are eligible for the class in which you're competing, and that you have a helmet. At sanctioned races, your helmet must be up-to-date, and without damage. Sometimes autocrossers are allowed to wear outdated helmets, even motorcycle helmets (a big auto-racing no-no) just to get new people involved who need loaner helmets provided by the club.
Road racing is different. We currently have Snell, FIA and SFI ratings and classifications. Until 2015, the FIA accepted Snell ratings, but the introduction of the HANS device and the fact it must attach to the helmet has changed things.
Snell-approved helmets had been the standard for auto racing in the U.K., U.S., and Europe.
The Snell standard was updated every five years, beginning in 1975, then 1980, etc. This is what we mean by "out of date" helmets. Snell SA2010 was the last standard to be fully recognized by the FIA, although it needed to be complemented by an extra HANS/FHR test and be also labeled FIA8858-2010.
The most recent standard from Snell (as of October 2015), known as SA2015, is only accepted by the FIA for competition use without FHR, meaning without Hans or any other head and neck support devices.
RACING HARNESSES
Some SFI certifications are dated and the certified item must be replaced after a specified time. Racing harnesses carry an SFI certification that officially expires 2 years from date of purchase (marked on a punch label sewn to the belts). Some racing organizations allows longer. Lemons and HSR (Historic Sportscar Racing) for instance, allow 5 years before belts must be replaced. Check your organization's rule book.
DRIVER'S SUITS
A driver’s suit can have one of four SFI certifications depending on the amount of protection it offers from 3.2a/1 for the least amount of protection to 3.2a/20 for the maximum amount of protection.
SFI 3.2A/1 These single layer suits are typically made of cotton with a fire-resistant treatment and must protect the wearer from second-degree (blistering) burns for 3 seconds.
SFI 3.2A/5 Made of Nomex or other aramid fibers, these suits must provide protection for 10 seconds. They are often referred to as “multi-layer suits,” though some are able to provide the required protection with a single layer of Nomex fabric.
FIA 8856-2000 Similar to the SFI 3.2A/5 standard, some suits are certified to both standards.
NOMEX UNDERWEAR
This is another expirable SFI safety item. The same date stamp rule applies here as well. The underwear is intended for the thinner suits, increasing the amount of time the wearer has if exposed to open flame. Many drivers wear single layer suits and one or two layers of Nomex underwear. In hot weather, on track days (not actual races) where the threat of fire is not so great, single layer suits are reasonable protection.
FUEL CELLS
These are FIA approved, but SFI can certify the cheaper versions sold by makers such as JAZ. Your club or racing organization will tell you what they accept. For clarity, a fuel cell is a metal outer box with a flexible inner liner, as opposed to a fuel tank which is single-walled.
Good luck, and good racing-- FJC