If I'm not mistaken somebody makes a device which you push through the torsion bars to keep the stops from falling off. I made mine from a piece of solid rod which I threaded on both ends with a slightly bigger piece of round aluminum than my torsion bars. At each end of the rod I put locknuts on them. It takes a little longer to change torsion bars but it's better than nothing at all.
My current setup is a kirkey intermediate seat with the added top containment part. If I would need cut from the car, its four small cuts and it comes off. I hear of people not liking the fc seats because it lowers their visibility. I've never had an issue with not being able to see out. I guess all to their own.
Originally Posted by cecil98:
why don't we just wrap everybody and everything in big ball of bubble wrap, use a 7 ft diameter hoop as the main support structure for the cage, and a big heavy @ ss spring metal bumper completely enclosing the wheels of the car (you know like the go-karts that you rent on the boardwalk while on vacation?). I agree with Gary Bettenhausen. He said in an interview with Chris Economacki at Terre Haute, "When they make these things so safe that those people up there (pointing to the stands) can come down here and do what I do, I QUIT."
They was alot slower and heavier, smaller tires back in the day but it still took a set of b*lls to race them. I am also proud to say my father raced midgets and sprintcars without cage.
Originally Posted by bsmith8:
They was alot slower and heavier, smaller tires back in the day but it still took a set of b*lls to race them. I am also proud to say my father raced midgets and sprintcars without cage.
I wouldn't say "a lot" slower. The times they run on tracks today aren't "substantially" faster today than they were back in the late 60's and 70's.
when i got hurt 9 years ago nobody had the fc seat. i truly beleave that if i did i would not of had to have brain surgery i was lucky i made it so many drivers have not. but i would like to add that just because u buy one doesnt mean u no how to use it. people buy car seats and people put them in wrong. i would like to c someone checking safety at the tracks atleast belts and seats. i use a 7 way harness now and i think its well worth the few extra bucks. if ur head is coming out of the top of the car in a flip than u r doing something wrong. sub strap to loose or not pulling all ur belts tight enough but it is not ur fault nobody has told us the proper way to do it! sorry if i my spelling is not wright but im a racer not a proffeser. lol
Originally Posted by brian2h:
when i got hurt 9 years ago nobody had the fc seat. i truly beleave that if i did i would not of had to have brain surgery i was lucky i made it so many drivers have not. but i would like to add that just because u buy one doesnt mean u no how to use it. people buy car seats and people put them in wrong. i would like to c someone checking safety at the tracks atleast belts and seats. i use a 7 way harness now and i think its well worth the few extra bucks. if ur head is coming out of the top of the car in a flip than u r doing something wrong. sub strap to loose or not pulling all ur belts tight enough but it is not ur fault nobody has told us the proper way to do it! sorry if i my spelling is not wright but im a racer not a proffeser. lol
Brian I agree 100% cause some racers will not educate them selves on their on....I have had several conversations with Brian at Butler seats and have become educated myself and has help lead to this decision. I as a series owner and promoter is left with the daunting task to do this so I inspect everyone's car and gear at the beginning of the season and when we come back from summer break.....
THANK YOU ALL for you input and your vote on the poll
Southern Outlaw Motorsports
Jacksonville, Florida
The Original Southern Outlaw
I remember, Rick Nichols, bringing a new ButlerBuilt Sprint Advantage seat around to various tracks in 2002. By 2003 I had my first one and will never drive a Sprint Car without one! They are your best insurance policy!
when i decided to put a full containment seat in our midget that my son drives, he was VERY opposed to it. first time out was a practice day and he had a lot of problems getting in and latching the belts but felt good on the track. we took it out and redid a few things to make him more comfortable and he said "i can live with it"
a few races into the season, he took a very violent series of flips in just about every direction you could imagine followed by an oil fire. he was banged up pretty good and had a concussion but he was able to get out of the car quickly and the effects of the concussion didnt show up till we were driving home.
after watching the video....which took me about a week before i could look at it.....and playing it in slow motion....you could see his head bening whipped from side to side during the flips but the seat's head restraints limited a lot of the movement. we firmly believe that the seat saved him from much worse injuries.
when one of the tracks we run our 600 micro at mandated full containment seats for all classes, we thought there would be no way we could fit one in the micro. we worked real hard at it and made it fit.....and again, he objected to having to use one....i told him that 70 mph in a 600 pound micro or 100 mph in a midget....its all the same...you CAN get hurt bad. after 2 wild flips in the micro, he is finally sold on the containment seats and wouldnt run anything without one......now if i could just get him comfortable using a hans.....
This is a good pic of my son in a 2012 Eagle Midget...as you can see he is a BIG boy 6' 285 and he would not race without a FC seat. I to was concerned about any kind of extraction until it was preformed as a dry run with no issues at all. You also can see this is a conventional style midget without all the extra side bars or body panels for aerO. Each person has to be comfortable with whatever they so chose but for me .....
I HAVE TO TAKE A STAND AND FEEL GOOD THAT I DID EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER as a series owner and track promoter that I took every caution to prevent a tragedy like has happen WAY TOO MANY times in the pass couple of years. Some racers would not change EVEN if they knew absolutely it was going to kill them...They have to be made to chance...Stewart is a classic example with the HANS
This is my humble opinion as a guy who has been around more pavement late model racing than open wheel dirt racing, but when I look at that picture it makes me cringe because that looks unsafe. I see way too much of the driver being exposed even if he's in a full containment seat. Please don't take it as criticism as it's just my opinion.
Originally Posted by cecil98:
why don't we just wrap everybody and everything in big ball of bubble wrap, use a 7 ft diameter hoop as the main support structure for the cage, and a big heavy @ ss spring metal bumper completely enclosing the wheels of the car (you know like the go-karts that you rent on the boardwalk while on vacation?). I agree with Gary Bettenhausen. He said in an interview with Chris Economacki at Terre Haute, "When they make these things so safe that those people up there (pointing to the stands) can come down here and do what I do, I QUIT."
With all due respect to Gary Bettenhausen, if he thinks the only difference between the fan in the stands and the driver behind the wheel of the race car is safety then he has an unusual outlook on racing.
I'm glad the folks that engineer cars, trains, planes, etc. don't take the approach that everything is hunky dory. Technology and safety advancement in racing is a great thing.....and I plan on taking advantage of all of it when I strap my kid in his car.
