Driver Compartment (Rule 3.E )

[jimmy six]

Depending on the type of body style you have, many options are open to you. I have inspected enclosed cars with forward facing louvers in the top above the windshield, thin wall conduit from the firewall to the front of the car attached to frames and other structures, nacaducts in side windows, air vents from private airplane side windows, oval holes in lexan windshields, etc. This should not be a problem.

Letting air out at the rear can be a problem do to the body style you may be using. Remember the fireball follows you don't give it a place to come in the drivers compartment from the rear.

My personal choice would be to let it in as far forward in the drivers compartment as I could and let it out as far back as possible with out going to the rear of the car. The rear most edge of a side window would be my choice......Good luck...

PS:Best option is a roadster 

[George Fields]

Having had some bad experiences in this area, I can only try to explain my view point. In 02 we had an engine failure that sent oil onto the headers. When the fire reached the firewall it went toward the aluminum body which was deformed and the fire went around the firewall and entered the cock pit. The roof hatch was the low pressure area that was the path of the fire. The fire ball didn't last long. but the resulting smoke did.
Our fresh air system starts at a NACA duct in the side window and has a flex hose that routes air from outside to a blower and ice tank with heat exchanger to the helmet. Worked perfect with ice cold air in the helmet, for years. This fire took out the hose going into the helmet.
 Now Lil Dave Casteel was the driver, and had been over 300 in the coupe several times, but when you cannot breath, there is an instinct to remedy the situation. His response was to stop the car ASAP. The fire happened at the end of the middle mile timed at 291. He turned the wheel to the right as hard as allowed into a broad slide. The parachutes, being operated with dual acting air cylinders and plumbed with poly lines, deployed when the fire reached them. the parachutes kept the car from flipping. When the coupe stopped, Dave could not even find his seat belt release. Mike Jr pulled him out. When you see a friend lying on the salt suffering from your ignorance, it becomes quite sobering.
Now, there is header shrouding to prevent an ignition source, More fasteners and better firewall sealing, and fiberglass impregnated silicon air hose. In 04 we had an opportunity to test our safety issues. This time Betty Burkland was driving and kicked the rods out at about the 2 1/2 mile. There was quite a fire drill going on trying to reach her, but she finished her run and was coasting on the return road before she was stopped by the emergency crew by driving onto her parachute. She didn't experience any problem.
With that said, there are too many ways to have problems at the salt. Try to learn from past experiences.
George Fields   

[Cajun Kid]

Thanks  George,,, from  experiance comes the opportunity to gain and share wisdom.

Charles

[McRat]

Having had some bad experiences in this area, I can only try to explain my view point. In 02 we had an engine failure that sent oil onto the headers. When the fire reached the firewall it went toward the aluminum body which was deformed and the fire went around the firewall and entered the cock pit. The roof hatch was the low pressure area that was the path of the fire. The fire ball didn't last long. but the resulting smoke did.
Our fresh air system starts at a NACA duct in the side window and has a flex hose that routes air from outside to a blower and ice tank with heat exchanger to the helmet. Worked perfect with ice cold air in the helmet, for years. This fire took out the hose going into the helmet.
 Now Lil Dave Casteel was the driver, and had been over 300 in the coupe several times, but when you cannot breath, there is an instinct to remedy the situation. His response was to stop the car ASAP. The fire happened at the end of the middle mile timed at 291. He turned the wheel to the right as hard as allowed into a broad slide. The parachutes, being operated with dual acting air cylinders and plumbed with poly lines, deployed when the fire reached them. the parachutes kept the car from flipping. When the coupe stopped, Dave could not even find his seat belt release. Mike Jr pulled him out. When you see a friend lying on the salt suffering from your ignorance, it becomes quite sobering.
Now, there is header shrouding to prevent an ignition source, More fasteners and better firewall sealing, and fiberglass impregnated silicon air hose. In 04 we had an opportunity to test our safety issues. This time Betty Burkland was driving and kicked the rods out at about the 2 1/2 mile. There was quite a fire drill going on trying to reach her, but she finished her run and was coasting on the return road before she was stopped by the emergency crew by driving onto her parachute. She didn't experience any problem.
With that said, there are too many ways to have problems at the salt. Try to learn from past experiences.
George Fields   

Thank you George.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

One of these days when I'm at the house I'll dig up some photos of George's #125 coupe--and his support truck.  You'll learn lots about him when you see that truck.

[jimmy six]

George and all. Since I started running nitro I built an air system for my helmet I've continued to use it with any fuel; its primary use was to keep my eyes from watering and fogging. Last year I saw we needed to cover the hose and did so with fire proofing. At the time I thought why didn't I do this to start with. I can see this is more important in a closed car but I'm glad it's mandatory for all...Thanks George for sharing....JD

[Cajun Kid]

I can not find in the rule book any wording for or against  NACA ducts in my Lexan Door Windows for either fresh air intake or venting ??

I am in Classic  Altered ,

Charles