Conference oass::racers

    Do you mean drivers suits that are fireproof? Worker fire retardant
    suits?
    
    jim e

    I need the drivers suit. There were 3 fires in Wednesday night's racing
    and I was one of them once again. I have been lucky so far but I don't
    want to take the chances any more. I saw a lot of the drivers with the
    one piece suits. I think most of the suits were SIMPSON, where is there
    manufacuring plant anyway? 
    
    Thanks

    
    In the US both simpsom and bell (bell helmets fame) manufacture flame
    proof raceware. I pass on where exactly they live but as far as
    purchase I would expect any racing supplier to either stock or supply.
    I think in the US Simpson seem to be by far the most popular.
    
    Garry
    

>> There were 3 fires in Wednesday night's racing and I was one of 
>> them once again.

I have to ask, what kind of racing do you do that doesn't require a 
driving suit?

.3>    In the US both simpsom and bell (bell helmets fame) manufacture flame
.3>    proof raceware. 
    
    I believe there are at least one or two others, but can't recall the
    names.  Heck, I can't even recall the name of the manufacturer of my
    own suit.  But I know it's a two- or three-layer and with nomex
    longjohns gives me plenty of protection against heat transfer,
    especially when racing during summer heat :-(
    
    BTW, I purchased it from Norm Marx at Raceware in Gloucester MA, 
    I think somebody else just posted contact info for Raceware (and 
    all I have is an out of date phone number) somewhere in this
    conference.

    Try calling Norm at 508.281.0773.
    
    If he as moved by now, the phone company will tell you the new number.
    If he doesn't have it in stock (I'm sure he does...), then he can get
    it.
    
    jim e

    re.4
    
    I race in an amature only ENDURO races that are held at STAR SPEEDWAY
    in Epping N.H.  There isn't even a requirment for a roll bar !!
    I have quit a bit more safty equipment in my cars than most of the 
    other drivers have that I race with. I opted for a roll bar and 3in
    harnesses but haven't had the cash for a driving suit. After the
    proformances on Wednesday night my sponsor said,"Bring me a catalog and
    I will buy you a suit."  soooo..  I need addresses to get catalogs.
    
    Thanks so far.

Re: .7

I will bring in an issue of Sports Car magazine, they are chock-full of
companies that sell drivers' suits, some of them at pretty good prices.
Other racers here would be better qualified to say what all you should
get- I use just a 2-layer Nomex suit, but my impression is that's considered
pretty underequipped by road racing standards.

Your helmet should also be Snell "SA" (Sport Auto) approved.  I believe
it specifies a level of fire-retardance.

Carl

    
    These are the addresses and numbers from my file.  They are a few years
    old, but still should be good.
    
    VAS Enterprises
    104 Cherry St.
    Floral Park, NY  11001
    (516) 775-1060
    
    RaceQuip
    809 Phillipi Road
    Columbus, OH  43228
    (614) 276-5000
    
    Pyrotect Racing Safety Equipment
    3400 East 42nd St
    Minneapolis, MN  55406
    (612) 721-1646
    
  
    I bought a 2 layer Nomex 2 piece suit from VAS back in 1981 for $85 at
    the end of season sale.  Got my Bell Star helmet from Pyrotect in 1982
    during their sale for $99.  Underwear, hood, booties and gloves were
    from RaceQuip.
    
    	-Barry-
    
    

    
     Pick up an issue of Stock Car Racing magazine. There are multile
    vendors listed therein that sell flame retardent driving suits ranging
    from 90-800 dollars.
    
    TC
    

.10>     Pick up an issue of Stock Car Racing magazine. There are multile
.10>    vendors listed therein that sell flame retardent driving suits ranging
.10>    from 90-800 dollars.
    
    I'm not familiar with Stock_Car_Racing magazine, nor with the vendors
    who might be advertising there, but as a general observation from my
    familiarity with driving suits I'd point out that not all suits are
    created equal.  I would be especially cautious about checking specs
    for any suits marketed in a magazine directed to racers participating
    in series where there are not strong rules regarding suit specs.  Since
    (as the poster in .0 proves) there are stock car racing venues in which
    no suits are required, I'd wonder if the suppliers to those niches
    might be selling suits which meet nothing beyond the standards for
    those series, in other words no standards at all.
    
    Maybe I'm just paranoid, but before I trust my life to some piece of
    safety equipment I want the trust to be based on something more than an
    unclear advertisement claim.  I'd want some clear statement from a
    reputable manufacturer that the product meets established independent
    standards.  For me, that's a fundamental requirement since I can't
    enter SCCA races without equipment that meets SCCA standards, but even
    without that being forced upon me it seems a good idea to ensure the
    quality is acceptable.

    As a guideline, anything that the FIA approve for motor sport will have
    an ISO number. All of my raceware that is fire retardant is to ISO
    6940 . That covers all formule to F1. I never buy saftey equipment 
    from anything but a reputable well know supplier, I have seen what
    happens to the cheap options !  My rule is by the best you can possibly 
    afford, you life may depend on it. Just for the record all my boots,
    gloves,underware etc are made by SPARCO and my overalls JAYBRAND. Stick with
    big names, its cheaper in the long run.
    
    
    	Garry

    
     .11 I get the feeling that you are implying that a magazine should be
    responsible for the actions/quality of goods of its advertisers.
    
     At any rate, there probably are manufacturers of driving suits who cut
    corners. Obviously it is a caveat emptor situation when buying
    anything, especially so when it is mail order. There are, however,
    major manufacturers who advertise in the mag mentioned  and many of the
    parts houses also plug the name brand of the suits they are selling.
    Simpson, Bell, and Racequip and just a few of the more well known
    brands I have seen advertised in Stock Car Racing.
    
     I can't help but think that even an inexpensive proban cotton suit
    would be better than Levi's and t-shirts. 
    
    Tony
    

.13>     .11 I get the feeling that you are implying that a magazine should be
.13>    responsible for the actions/quality of goods of its advertisers.
    
    No, I was stating that there is no implication about the quality of goods 
    based on advertising beyond whatever is explicitly stated in the ad,
    unless the advertising medium has some specific expectations associated
    with it.
    
    Thus, I might expect an ad in Sports_Car magazine, which is the SCCA
    membership magazine, to imply SCCA standards will be met.  Or an ad in
    Arrows, the IMSA membership magazine, to imply that the vendor was up
    to IMSA standards.  It is still my responsibility to check on that, but
    if I ordered from the ad and found that the merchandise fell short of
    SCCA or IMSA standards I would also feel justified in complaining.  If
    I ordered from an ad in National Speed Sport News I would have no basis
    for expectations that the merchandise would meet any particular
    standards, since there is no association with any specific
    organization, and thus I would have less justification for criticizing
    anyone other than myself.
    
.13>     I can't help but think that even an inexpensive proban cotton suit
.13>    would be better than Levi's and t-shirts. 
    
    Yeah, but if the author of .0 think's he is getting the protection of 
    a three-layer Kevlar and Nomex mix made by Simpson or Racequip and all
    he really got was a single layer proban cotton suit then he may have
    gotten a false sense of security from believing his suit is much better
    than it really is.  My comments in .11 were intended to point out this
    possibility.
    
    

    
     Ok, I see what you where getting at now. 
    
    TC