firesuit/safety gear

[Harold Bettes]

Hi Folks,

I have read with some detail about the required classification of firesuits and driver's safety gear and as a result, have a question.

IF an engine is turbocharged (blown) and the engine is up front as in a door car configuration, as I understand it the required safety gear is the same as a blown fuel funny car. Is that the case? 3.2A/20? Does that hold true for the production supercharged stuff too? 

Planning for driver room changes considerably with the overall thickness and bulk of the space suit.

Regards to All,
HB2

[desotoman]

Harold,

IMHO go with the best rated suit (sfi 20) no matter what it calls for in the rule book. You are not racing at the drags or a closed type of track, where safety personel can get to you in seconds. It takes longer to stop at Bonneville, especially if your chutes get burned off. My point is worst case senario if you have a bad fire it might take some time to stop and exit the car, so you would want the best fire suit on the market. Just my 2 cents on the subject.

Tom G.

PS. I am in the market for a new suit also and I am going to go with
Carbon-X type material. That is unless something better has come along since I checked.

[Stainless1]

What Tom said...  buy and build like you life depends on it.

[Rick Byrnes]

Harold
I'm in agreement with Tom, buy the best.
Actually  for a blown front engine gasoline car the rule is 3-2A 20
This year with I will have Carbon X underwear with the same 20 suit (PBI material) that I wore in the Merkur.
Lots of Halon, and one water based bottle.

I have recently heard that Carbon X is harder to get and have ordered underwear, and another Carbon X shirt to make a cool shirt. 

See yall at Speed Week

Rick

[Dynoroom]

The answer to the question is yes, you need a 3.2A-20 suit for blown cars. As Tom, Rick, & Stainless said you really want the extra protection (TIME) at Bonneville for all the reasons mentioned above. Remember, how long it takes for someone to get to you if you have a problem, you will want those seconds. No one can help you untill your stopped.