When to get a rollbar?

[Ponyboy]

It dawned upon me recently that I'm tracking my car frequently, enjoying it immensely, but don't have the protection of roll bar. I know many of the NSX track addicted don't have one but I'm wondering when does one put one of these in. I also know that a few have had them installed too. Is it entirely personal? Do you put one in at a certain HP level? Do you put one in for a competitive event?

I'm not planning on going FI anytime soon and attend only HPDE events. I want to be safe but don't want to make a street car a full fledged race car. I also don't want my sensitve brain matter hitting the roll bar in an accident on the street.

I'm guessing that it's going to be almost entirely personal and up to the individual on the level of safety they desire. But do HPDE events really deserve a roll bar? Just thinking.

 

[kenjiMR]

Which tracks are you attending? I am in the same dilema now. If you are doing timing competition against your friends, then its probably a good idea to... as you will be pushing the limits more and more. If you are going less than once every 2 months, its probably not necessary either. It depends on many things IMO. I still havn't driven the NSX crazy enough where I really felt my life was in danger, I guess it depends on the track as well.

 

[RSO 34]

I have not put in a roll bar but I did install a harness bar with 5 point belts. I was on Road America last year with NSXPO with just the street belts and didn't feel comfortable pushing the car anywhere near its limits with just the street belts.

When I came back, I had the harness bar/belts put in and since that time have been at Lime Rock, Watkins Glen and New Hampshire International and feel that those new safety features have added tremendously to my confidence in handling the car at speed on the track.

That might be good compromise for you rather than doing a full roll bar install. With my set up, I can still use the street belts when the car gets used as a daily driver and just switch to the harness belts for the track.

Bob

 

[AnotherNSXGuy]

Originally posted by kenjiMR:
I still havn't driven the NSX crazy enough where I really felt my life was in danger.

And I hope I never do!

I'd love to do some track driving or racing, but to be honest, I'd never put my garage queen on a track. But, I'd so LOVE to try karting!

 

[Ponyboy]

What tracks have I attended or what tracks do I want to attend?

My home track is Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. I try to attend monthly - March thru November. You can get a pretty good glimpse of the track at this site:
http://www.ceegeez.com/hallett_vids.htm

For next year though, I plan on visiting quite a few tracks. Mid-Ohio w/ TracQuest, Texas Motorsports Ranch and TWS w/ Drivers Edge to name a few.

Yes, my buddies and I tend to push each other a bit around the track and often approach the limit. I've learned a lot from them. And right when we think we're at the limit, we find that extra tenth we never knew was there before. But we don't officially time ourselves.

The fastest I go along the main straight is 114-118mph which leads to a 70-75mph corner. Well, you can see it on the video. I guess right now, I'm thinking the Comptech bar is a good choice.

 

[docjohn]

There are no hpde I know of that require the nsx ,with roof on, to have extra rollover protection.The only sanctioned timed events that require only a bar and no full cage would be solo-1 events ( scca speak) for non wheel to wheel time trial events,run like a autocross but on real road courses.If you wheel to wheel race you get into full cage issues.There are some clubs that will allow timed events as is, nasa and emra are two I know of.

 

[Wadasan]

Ponyboy-sounds like ur getting n racing pretty Hard Core. I'd do it b4 the crazyness leads to your next thread (lookin 4 another NSX) Good Luck and Safe Speeding!!! U should take a look at Doug Hyashi's Pulp Fiction Racing site it's very informative....

Wadasan

 

[Ponyboy]

Thanks for the responses. I realize that any kind of sanctioned competitive event will require some sort of roll cage or bar. I guess the answer to my question is more of a judgement call than a strict white or black solution. Obviously, I want to be safe but don't want to make my car a Realtime prototype. And I'm not sure I'm approaching the speeds at which a rollbar, such as the Comptech version, would be necessary. If I do decide to go competitive (wouldn't that be cool!), I'll definitely get something along the lines of MJ's full rollcage.

I'm thinking harness bar now.

 

[cojones]

There ARE some clubs that require a 5-point or better harness for their "A" class drivers, although I've seen them allow 4-point. My local PCA chapter is like this.

IMO aftermarket harnesses hold you in the seat better, and you're not "holding yourself in place with the steering wheel and dead pedal"

A harness bar might be adequate for your needs.