I was planning on going to the track tomorrow night and then saw that you have to have a helmet if you run 13.99 or faster. I have only been to an 1/8 mile track and they pretty much didnt care what you had as far as safety gear, but I hear they are much stricter here (Portland International Speedway).

Would my car be faster than that? 05 GT Manual with a crappy Airaid intake, that is all I have as far as engine mods. But the track is at 29' elevation and Saturday's weather is sunny with a high of 74 and a low of 47, so fairly cool temps.

I dont want to buy a helmut cuz I wont be able to go enough to justify it (track is 2 hours away, now unemployed, etc...). So would I waste my money and just get kicked off? I know I could peddle the car, but really, what is the fun in that?

Thanks for any input you guys would have!

 

first, your car is very capable of running those times...i would recommend a helmet. that being said, i understand the hassle of the expense of buying one. check with the track..most of them have helmets that you can borrow once. if you want to look at a helmet, check online sportbike places, but make sure that the helmet is snell rated 2000 or newer.

 

Most places are pretty tight on the helmet rule because a crash at 100mph is no cake walk. I got one from Summit rated for motorcycles, it was pretty cheap, even picked up a tinted lens. Will be painting it later, going to match my car. I wear on regardless, because the difference between a low 14 sec and a high 13 second run isn't that much, less than like 5mph at the trap, and a crash at the top end, it won't matter whether you were doing 95 or 100, it is gonna hurt. Have seen a lot of **** go wrong up there. Would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

if you can drive..... you'll run sub 13.99


either way... get the helmet... check with the track if they rent them.... or a buddy to borrow one

 

I would get a helmet reguardless of how fast (or slow) your car runs.

You can always let up at the 1000' mark or so and keep it in the 14's. Check your timeslip (incrimentals 60', 330, 1/8 ) from the last time you were there to see if your faster or slower. If your slower just run things out. If faster continue to lift. On your last pass at the end of the day go all out. Then if you get kicked out no big thing.

 

13.99 should come easy in that air. Better find a cheap helmet, or ask someone if you can borrow theirs.

Noticed you said you have am airaid intake. Is that one that doesn't require a tune?

 

If you know anyone with a motorcycle most of those helmets will work. My track doesn't let you run if you don't have a helmet.. they don't care what you run.. but you can borrow helmets from other drivers..

 

Airbags ftw!

 

GUYS STAY ON TOPIC PLEASE

Thread cleaned up.

 

Wow, that veered off course quickly

No tune required for it. It was on the car when I bought it so I am leaving it for now.

Unemployed, yes. I just got out of the army and just came off a 15 month deployment to Africa, so I paid alot of stuff off and still have a good amount in savings. I am starting college full time and will get $1100 a month from the GI Bill, so I am not "living in the streets" and the $23 entry fee will not take food off my kids plate. And as far as driving safely, I realize it is on a track, but I lived in Germany for over 6 years, driving 95-100 mph in a straight line doesnt really seem that a huge safety risk. Please dont think I am not knocking being safe or wearing a helmet, I just dont want to spend the cash for something I will not get much use out of. As far as borrowing one, I just relocated out here, so I havent met anyone yet. And I would be leery of loaning my helmet to someone I didnt know.

I too have a family. Wife, little girl, and even a dog. My viewpoint is the same. As for being concerned about gas, the Mrs. wants to go into Portland Saturday anyway, so it is not an extra expense for gas.