Helmet requirement
 

Anyone know the helmet requirement for a PCA autocross in the northeast region. My teenager wants to go. Signed him
Up, need helmet.
Thanks.

Any PCA will want a current Snell. They have helmets to loan. Buy a balaclava and go crossin'!

As Milt said, at most PCA and even SCCA autocross events they have helmets to loan BUT call first to make sure. I would also ask about instructors as they also usually require beginners to have an instructor ride along. Pick one instructor he'll get along with. You realize this is a VERY slippery slope he has started on!

What is considered current?

They should have a website where you can check their requirements. Here in the Northwest, we are allowed one cycle older than current. SNELL certifications are made in five year increments, i.e. SNELL 2010, SNELL 2015, with 2015 being current. So, in other words, we are allowed to keep running SNELL 2010 until the SNELL 2020 certifications come out.

One criteria that seems all over the map is whether motorcycle or kart helmets are allowed. SNELL SA2015 is for cars, SNELL M2015 is for motorcycles, SNELL K2015 is for karts. It pays to check their website - showing up with a motorcycle helmet will sometimes see you renting one of theirs, assuming they have any.

From Northeast Region PCA's website: https://porschenet.com/activities/autocross/rules/

All entrants are required to wear a helmet in good condition and seatbelts while driving in the events. Helmets with a safety rating of Snell 2010 or later are required. Snell M, K and SA types are acceptable. Helmets certified by the FIA are also permitted. Helmets should conform to either the FIA8860-2004 or FIA 8858-2009 standards and bear the appropriate FIA sticker.

Yep, for specific rules go to the specific event organizer to make sure you get it right. Rules do vary regionally and with different host clubs. Looks like any Snell 2010 or later qualifies him for AX at this event.

I looked on my helmets and couldn't find any reference to Snell. Motorbike helmets though so maybe not acceptable for car driving. Mind you, my track driving is very amateurish, just going out and having fun.

Nothing under the inside padding?

Seem to recall from years ago that Snell is an exhaustive (and expensive) test - and many helmets either don't get submitted for Snell testing or don't pass (usually the cheaper ones). There was also some blah-blah-blah about how useful it was - eg the spike penetration test, IIRC...

Snell is a requirement in the US - and I've never seen a Bell helmet without a Snell mark.

But if Snell isn't a requirement where the helmet is sold/imported, it may well not bear a Snell certification mark, but the local standard instead.

I believe it will have to be a "SA" rated helmet for auto racing. "M" rated helmets are for Motorcycles.

https://www.racinghelmetguide.com/auto-helmet-ratings.html

Amazon has a SA2015 rated, open faced helmet for just under $120.

My Shoei MC helmet has a snell label on the back, next to the DOT label. Sadly it's aged out (SNELL 2000).

Most Auto-X clubs will have loners. You might want to bring your own head sock / balaclava, because sweaty.

No, but I did see some AS/NZ standards compliancing. So it looks like us down under guys have our own standards. The ones I've got are Bell and Shuberth so I'm confident they are good,

Isn't the only difference fire resistance?

He isn't racing. Many autocross and DE events allow M and K rated helmets. See discussion above.

Yes. Kind of. Full faced automotive helmets have much smaller viewing ports as well. We don't need as much peripheral vision when in a car, since it's pretty much blocked by the car anyway. That, and on a sport bike at least, we are essentially looking "up" when in a tuck, so the viewing port has to be much higher.

Some will claim that car helmets are meant to take one big hit and bike helmets are meant to take multiple lower impact hits. Having examined my examples of both, I simply cannot see any structural differences that would justify this assertion. I think someone is just trying to justify the exorbitant cost of car helmets over bike helmets.

I got into an interesting discussion with an event organizer down in Portland one time. He was refusing to let some folks use their motorcycle helmets (I always have a car helmet, so this didn't apply to me). Their website clearly said they were allowed, he claimed it was an oversight. One of the guys asked "what's the difference?", and the guy replied "fire resistance".

That's when I chimed in and pointed out that we were all in tee shirts and jeans, some even in shorts. He relented and allowed them to run.

My region still allows M helmets and SA2010 helmets. SA2015 is preferred of course. Open face is OK.

I would check with the event chair or registar for the event, or a PCA tech inspector in your region.

Like has been said, check your region. I had a wealthy couple show up at a PCA DE a few years ago. The wife was my student. She had sold her DNA testing company. They went out an bought Macan's for the winter and his and hers 911's for the spring/summer. His was a turbo. Hers was a paint to sample C4S convertible. These people were loaded. She used her kids dirt bike helmet and they let her run. With that inventory of cars I would have thought she would have come in a custom painted brand new Arai car helmet but you gotta save money somewhere.