We should see the boots early next year. I'd expect arrival of the others by the late spring. Also of note is that, due to driver demand, Piloti is working on a thinner sole for their line of Race Professional shoes. This should bring those models more in line with racing shoes from Sparco, Simpson, etc.
This is the first thing that caught our eye at the show - and we're quite smitten. To the point where we're already adding part numbers! Per Racepak's description:
The IQ3 data logger dash is designed to be a complete data center. Contained inside the fully programmable dash is a 32 channel data logger, 512 MB microSD memory card, GPS board and 3 axis G meter. The programmable shift lights are protected from sunlight by a molded shield above the lights, while the low glare LCD display is well recessed in the housing in order to provide viewing in all light conditions.
The rear of the dash contains the connectors for the external GPS antenna, Vnet sensor cable and the Power / Ground / Engine RPM / External Programming Button harness. All sensors transmit their data through a single cable (Vnet) which is routed to the rear of the dash. This eliminates the need for a sensor harness, greatly reducing installation time, complexity and overall weight.
All data is stored in a 512 MB MicroSD memory card, located in the front of the dash between the programmable shift lights. This design insures easy access to the memory card for data download.
Atlanta, Georgia (November 4th, 2008) – HANS Performance Products has announced that their Professional Series HANS Devices will be reduced by $250 for the new season. With effect from December 1, 2008, racers will save over 20% when they purchase a Professional Series HANS Device.
The Vision Advantage PLUS™ sliding tether system will also be available as a money saving no-cost option on all HANS Devices from December 1st, 2008. The Vision Advantage PLUS sliding tether system has been nominated for the 2008 Safety Innovation of the Year Award.
Sales Director Howard Bennett said "Demand for Professional Series HANS Devices and our Vision Advantage PLUS sliding tether systems has outstripped expectations. We're excited at being able to pass on these cost savings directly to racers. This makes our ultra-lightweight Professional Series even more affordable."
He added, "Also, our entry-level Sport Series is over 30% cheaper. At $695 it provides the same proven results racers demand from a HANS Device. We expect it will continue to be very popular."
From December 1, 2008, Professional Series HANS Devices will have a MSRP of $1045. Sport Series will be $695. Racers will also have the option of traditional or Vision Advantage PLUS sliding tether systems at no additional cost on all HANS Devices. The latter is a $15 saving.
It's no secret that insurance companies don’t like the people they cover to drive fast. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the industry has been removing a policy loophole that insured drivers on racetracks.
That has left weekend warriors uninsured if they participate in track days or attend high-performance driving schools. Jerry Kunzman, executive director of the National Auto Sport Association, said that participation at its track events had jumped fivefold since 2003 and that many of those drivers had no idea they were not covered..
“Maybe 25 or 30 percent have done the research, the middle third just assumes they are covered, and the top third just don’t have a clue,” he said.
What’s happened is that many insurers have redefined the term “racing.” Policies have long had exclusions for racing, but it was defined as a “timed event.”
High-performance driver education neatly avoided that definition. Although cars may take laps at top speed, they aren’t timed.
At many schools, including those held by the Porsche Club of America and the BMW Car Club of America, students are required to attend classroom sessions. On the track, drivers get one-on-one tutoring from an instructor under controlled conditions. The cars are generally sent around the track in small groups with passing limited to straightaways — and only when the driver being passed signals that doing so is all right. So because these runs were not timed, many drivers were covered by their normal automobile policies. CONTINUED
Safety First: An Obligation to You and PCA Club Racing
by Donna Amico, Technical and Rules Chairman
There were two very significant changes to the safety rules for PCA Club Racing in 2008, and both have generated considerable discussion and questions. One is the requirement for a roll cage in all cars, and the second is the requirement for a head and neck restraint certified to either SFI 38.1 or FIA 8858 standards. The main questions are:
1. Why are we requiring a roll cage, instead of leaving it up to the personal choice of the racer?
2. Why are we restricting acceptable equipment only to devices that meet a certain standard?
The first question is a very old one. It has been applied to seat belt use, motorcycle helmets on highways, and probably by the racers that were first told that they had to wear helmets. "I’m willing to accept the risk! I shouldn’t have to do this! I'll even sign a waiver that I understand the risks and I accept them and I won’t sue if something happens." Actually, you probably can’t waive all the rights of your heirs, or the people who have to take care of you if you are disabled. When we establish a major safety rule, it has to apply to everyone and we must enforce it to the best of our ability.
But why establish the rule in the first place? I think we have an obligation to all of us, and the rest of the racing community, to join together and insure that racing risks are prudently managed. We want to preserve our sport so we and those who follow us can continue to enjoy amateur racing. Serious injuries threaten the ability of PCA to maintain a race program, and threaten the racing facilities that we need to have a place to play. A roll cage simply isn’t a luxury in a race car any more. It is a standard requirement of every similar amateur sanctioning body that races modern cars.
What about head and neck restraints? Head and neck restraints are probably the single biggest recent advance in race driver safety that is associated with the driver or the car. There are now a variety of devices that have been designed to prevent head and neck injuries. Why mandate that a device must meet a specific standard rather than allow the racer to choose from among all the available devices?
When PCA relies upon SFI or FIA standards, we are following best practices for automobile racing. Racing sanctioning bodies in the U.S. and elsewhere rely upon the SFI Foundation to establish and administer standards for racing equipment. Although the FIA establishes its own standards, it is also a Member Sanctioning Body of SFI. SFI Foundation employs professionals who are experts in various aspects of racing safety, and solicits participation from industry, scientists, and sanctioning bodies when establishing or revising standards.
A standard or specification is a set of requirements for a device to be suitable for the intended purpose. It considers effectiveness, reliability, human factors (how humans interact with the device), and interoperability with other systems. It considers whether tests are valid predictors of actual performance before including that test in a standard. No single test or single aspect of performance can substitute for a standard. It is a complex undertaking that is beyond the resources available to most sanctioning bodes. That’s why sanctioning bodies and manufacturers support the SFI Foundation, so it can amass the expertise necessary to establish validated standards and evaluate devices.
There is a common misconception that we have mandated the HANS device through our reference to SFI 38.1. We have not. At present, there are 7 devices from 4 different manufacturers that are certified to 38.1. The most current list is posted at http://www.sfifoundation.com/manuf.html. There are choices available to you.
Stewardship of a racing program brings with it significant obligations to current and future racers. Our safety rules are designed to protect you, and to preserve our program for those who come after us.
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