BleedinBlue

Sooo...if I'm gonna go to the track this summer I guess I need to find a helmet. This is something I have kind of disregarded, until now that the track is open. So I know GIR requires helmets to be "Snell 2000" or better...whatever the hell that means...... Are auto racing helmets the same as motorcycle/atv/motorcross helmets, or are they different? I'm clueless, I know. [>:]

weasel1088

they are all different. motorcycle helmets are DOT approved which is different than the SNELL rating. you need to get one that has the rating they require. ive heard that the difference is in how each helmet reacts to impacts....motorcycle helmets i guess break on impact whereas racing helmets dont since if you were rolling around in your car smashing your head into the rollbar once and your helmet breaking would mean bad news when you hit it again....i have no clue if thats truly why thats only what i read.

Blownsvt

they are different, i would suggest going with a snell 2005, from what i haev heard the 2000 will no longer be good enough soon. the number is just the rating and anyone selling helmets will list the rating, it can beeither open face or close depending on your pereference. try looking at summit or jegs website to get a better idea.

BleedinBlue

I was just cruising ebay and found several Snell 2000 rated motorcycle helmets, but none that specify auto racing. [sm=sigh.gif]

^^Yeah, the only reason I was looking at the 2000 series was 'cause they should be cheaper, and realistically I will probably only need the helmet for one or two nights a year. Word is they will be allowed at GIR until 2010.

Hell, I'll probably end up spending $200 on a helmet and not even break into the 13's for one to be required [sm=headbang.gif]

HaV

You have to look at the individual helmets. Look for the SNELL sticker on them. Some are dual purpose, like the ones I have.. They have the DOT and the SNELL sticker on them. Not many will advertise as only autoracing helmets.

CobraSnake

my helmet is snell and DOT. I bought it for my bike and sold the bike so I just use it when I go to the track. The people at the track never check it anyways. All the make sure is that you have a helmet.

TommyV8

I think Snell95 is good for now so 2000 should be ok for a while. I have a Snell2000 and another Snell rated helmet in my car, not sure what year the other one is but it was made in 2001 so probably 2000. I'll have both with me at Gateway tonight (weather permitting) so if you wanna go I'll lend you one and sell it to you if you want. I bought it for $100, I'll give it to you for $60. Great condition, hardly ever used.

Demon 340

some of the above information is not correct.

various tracks require different ratings. some will still let you get away with Snell95, but most IHRA and NHRA sanctioned tracks are requiring 2000 or newer. some tracks will let you run with anything as long as you have a helmet. my dad has a DOT approved helmet, but its fairly new, and the tech guys never say anything to him about it.

anymore, so many bike helmet companies (such as HJR) know that people are looking at their helmets for more than bikes, they make them DOT and snell approved. the "current" snell rating is S2005, and I got a nice 2005 helmet from a motorcycle place online for pretty cheap..around 150 bucks, with an extra visor. so in short, all motorcycle helmets are not snell rated, but many are.

the "Race helmets" in jegs, for example, are intended for cars, but they are very expensive compared to the bike helmets.

mine came form www.motorcycle-superstore.com, and the first helmet that i bought, said that it was snell rated, but when i got it, it did not have the rating decal. so i called them and they let me trade it in on the current helmet that i got...they also priority shipped it, as i was in a hurry to get it.

they almost ALWAYS have clearance sales...and at least a few of the clearance helmets are snell rated. i got a 2005 because i found one that i liked.

here is the one that i got..its cheaper now then when i got it..
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...amp;division=1

notice, it DOES NOT mention that its snell rated, but i have the exact same one, in "wine red", and it says "snell rated" on the back, and inside it has the snell 2005 decal. the liner comes out, including the padding around your face...so on hot days, you can take it out to make the helmet a bit cooler.

JT76

I use my ATV helmet, no one has ever given me a problem

Demon 340

for a LONG time i never had any problem, using a snell 95 helmet...but from sitting in the car all of the time, the insides of the foam got all crappy, and last year at norwalk, they failed me for tech because of my helmet. they wouldnt let me run at an all-mopar national event. i tried to play the "it only runs mid 14s", but the guy said that he recognized the car and that it was faster than that. [:@]

i then bought a helmet that i thought that i would like, and i went with the 2005 just so that i wont have to go through it for a while. ive had some head injuries, and im very picky about my helmets. i REALLY miss my old helmet...it was far more comfortable.
and for those of you who keep your helmet in your car all the time, dont...i found out the hard way that over time, the constant heat of being in a car ruins the liner...