SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/470914
THE SIMPSON DNA 3-LAYER SUIT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A NEW TECHNOLOGY SUIT THAT PROVIDES FIRE PROTECTION, BREATHABILITY, FLEXIBILITY AND COMFORT. underwear can be explained by Dr. Terry Trammell during the Stand 21 Safety Foundation, "Racing Goes Safer" seminars. Trammell says that wearing fire-retardant underwear under a racing suit not only improves comfort and resistance to ambient heat, but in case of a fire, increases in important proportions (up to 40 percent) the duration in which the wearer can be protected from direct flame contact. "The more technologically-advanced the underwear material and its construction is, the greater the benefits," says Trammell. Fire-resistant undergarments, working in combination with the outer protection of the primary driver suit have been proven to add an extra dimension of safety for the driver in creating a buffer zone between the flame and the skin. According to Debbie Bishop, VP of marketing at Simpson Racing, contoured racing underwear is more comfortable than most racers think. "Simpson's 6 oz. SFI 3.3 Contoured Underwear is very soft and light in weight. The 6oz. underwear are form fitted and use flat sewn seams to increase comfort and mobility while providing that extra margin of fire-resistant safety. Nomex® or Carbon X® underwear underneath the racing suit will dramatically improve Thermal Protection Performance (TTP) in the case of an accident involving fire, allowing a racer more time to exit the race car without burns." Manufacturers also point out that not all marketed racing underwear material has a weave allowing flexibility and for perspiration to evaporate. The folks at Stand 21 recommend that before purchasing any flame resistant undergarments, you should perform a "blow-through" test on it. This is a very simple test that shows if the garment is breathable. It's done by simply placing one's hand with palm flat behind the garment, then sealing one's lips against it and blowing through. If air flows freely, the garment is adequate. If air does not go through, shop for another brand. While wearing cotton T-shirt and briefs under a racing suit is better than not wearing anything at all, it can also be very dangerous. Cotton is not a breathable fabric when it gets wet. It's also flammable. So it retains perspiration and a driver, especially in desert racing conditions, will have an increased risk of heat stress. What may be even worse, is the fact that many racers wear nylon/polyester printed jerseys that are not permeable, but also highly dangerous, as they will melt over the skin in relatively low flash-fire temperatures. The same goes for women's garments such as nylon briefs and brassieres with metal supports. These can cause severe burns and irreparable damage if they melt over the skin. Fire suit manufacturers recommend that women racers should not wear "sports bras," and instead should wear fire retardant brassieres and underwear. "Women racers should also protect their hair from potential flame contact, and wearing shorter hair is inherently safer," says de Lespinay. While advances in science continue to develop new technologies, driver comfort is another design requirement that fire protection manufacturers are tasked with. The environment in a race car can get very hot due to high cockpit temperatures and the ambient weather conditions 078 SCORE JOURNAL