Roll Bar Padding

[PatrickStapler]

I am preparing my car for its first NASA HPDE event. To date I have only done open track events with the likes of the Porsche clubs and Just Track It. They are slightly more lenient on some things than NASA. I have some questions regarding placement and type for roll bar padding. The CCR just states it is required...

15.6.4 Padding All roll cage surfaces that may come in contact with the driver’s head, knees, and elbows must be padded with high-density padding such as Ethafoam or Ensoliteor other material labeled “high density padding” and manufactured for road racing use.

Question 1: What specific bars require helmet type padding? Top hoop side bar? Top and front hoop bars? Top, front, and main hoop bars? All of these?
Question 2: Are there different requirements for specific locations? Everything I have read regarding the FIA/SFI padding states it is very hard and engineered for helmet impacts. This makes we wonder if I should use a different softer HD foam for bars that could be contacted by arms and knees...like door bars and knee bars.

Thoughts?

TIA

 

[blacksheep-1]

No, use the FIA stuff for all of it, sort of sit in the seat then have a friend mark everything that you may come into contact with, then add another 12 inches and pad it. you have no idea how far your body stretches during an impact, and if you're not using the manufacturer's seat belt, (with the inertia real) you will also need a Hans device.

 

[PatrickStapler]

Full cage. Seat is attached to the cage at the floor and tied to the seat back with a brace. 5-point restraint system with HANS.

 

[EF1]

Listen to BlackSheep, he knows what he is talking about. The FIA stuff is pretty hard, but it is far softer than the steel bar. It will absorb impacts better than lesser pad. Also, don't let NASA HPDE tech scare you. I have run HPDE with 4 different NASA regions at this point due to living between regions. I was told they were much more strict than some of the other track day organizers, but found that not to be the case. I always make sure my car is ready, but have never gotten anything more than a cursory review by any of them.

 

[PatrickStapler]

Understood. I have a friend at a local Ford dealership who is a ASE tech. He will do the annual on the car before it goes to a NASA event. I just don’t want to drive all the way to Topeka and have them fail the car when it has already performed flawlessly at two events this year. Mind you I haven’t crashed it either...Thank God.

 

[PatrickStapler]

Is this the only tech form or is there another for annual inspections?

 

[67GTA]

Is this the only tech form or is there another for annual inspections?

View attachment 64086

I just completed the annual log book inspection a couple weeks ago and the tech inspector used that same form - but that was for Time Trial only. If you’re considering the full race inspection, all aspects of the rule book are looked at, regardless if they’re on this form or not. My Log Book is marked on the front as “Time Trial only”, so I’m not required to have things like emergency shut off switch, fire suppression system, etc.

 

[EF1]

NASA does not do annual tech inspections for HPDE. They require the single event HPDE Tech form that you posted.