The Lotus Cars Community banner
  • Hi there! Why not register as a user to enjoy all of the benefits of the site? You may register here. When you register, please pick a username that is non-commercial. If you use a name that appears on any search engine commercially, you must pick another name, whether it applies to you or not. Commercial usernames are for supporting vendor use only. If you want to become a supporting vendor and grow your business, please follow this link. Thanks!

HPDE - Top or no top?

5K views 25 replies 18 participants last post by  brgelise 
#1 ·
Assuming we have good weather and the track allows it (which I'm pretty sure they do), is there a reason not to run topless on the track?
 
#2 ·
Not really. I've done it both ways, and the top does make the car a tiny bit more aerodynamic, so you might go a tiny bit faster down the straight with it on, but we're talking about a barely noticeable difference. I run with the top on just to block out the sun, since it gets tiring after a day of driving.
 
#5 ·
Top on. I like:
1. Sun protection
2. Tiny aero advantage
3. False sense of security
 
#9 ·
On #2 , do you suppose your tiny aero advantage is cancelled by the weight increase? :)

Regarding #3 , you do realize that your helmet doesn't fit through the window, don't you? I suppose that's why it's a false sense!

If I remember correct Chin Motorsports requires a roll bar if you are topless. I could be wrong. Contact who you are doing the DE with and ask their policy.
Many times our M100 friends haven't been allowed to run, but this has never been an issue for me in the Elise.
 
#6 ·
Most HPDE events I have been involved with require you to either have a top on the car or wrist restraints.
 
#7 ·
I've done both. I almost never remove the (hard) top on the street because I think the car looks so much better with it on. On the track however, I enjoy it more with the top off. Hearing more of the sounds of your tires and exhaust, and the noises from the other cars is a lot of fun. No reason not to try it both ways though.
 
#8 ·
If I remember correct Chin Motorsports requires a roll bar if you are topless. I could be wrong. Contact who you are doing the DE with and ask their policy.
 
#11 ·
Top off, you could be at greater risk for something being flung into the cabin, potentially shattering your rear window?.

Knowing that my helmet doesn't fit through the window has always been in the back of my mind.
 
#13 ·
Topless here!
 
#15 ·
Just ran a TrackDaze HPDE at VIR with no top. I would have appreciated the top for the sun protection, but I'm mildly nervous about my helmet not fitting through the window.

Wrist restraints seem like a burden. Who has run with them and can describe them?
 
#17 ·
I would have appreciated the top for the sun protection, but I'm mildly nervous about my helmet not fitting through the window.
I hear this concern stated fairly often, including in this tread. I can see how it could be a problem. However, I do not have a lot of experience with track crashes, especially in a Lotus and would like to hear some informed discussion about it. We all have to make our own safety decisions and more information is better.

I assume the main concern is that something has gone very wrong, you crashed, the door(s) won't open and your car is on fire. You could be inverted, the airbags could be deployed, etc... How quickly can you remove the helmet and scramble our of the burning car? What are the odds the roof will have popped off anyway since it is about like having a potato chip above your head? That is why I see the hard top as a "false sense of security". It keeps rocks and rubber from hitting you, but does not offer much safety protection.

These cars have been raced pretty extensively, especially in the UK, with tops on and cages. Does anyone know if there were special provisions for this? Did they require window enlargements or tiny helmets? :) . Any information on crashed racers being stuck in the car? I am just curious about information that could help people assess the size of the risk.
 
#18 ·
I think he means about the ability to get out the window in the event of a roll over.

The greater risk i believe is your arms getting caught under the car. That is why you run with the top up or with wrist restraints.
 
#20 ·
I don't know that I'd trust the top to stay on in the kind of accident where arm restraints would be necessary (me knocked out, car rolling violently enough to fling my arms out the roof). Plus you can still get an arm flung out the window with the roof on, unless you have nets as well.

I've worn wrist/arm restraints once in our LeMons car to try them out. They're really not as restrictive as expected while driving. Between a harness, containment seat, and neck restraint it's practically like being straitjacketed anyway, so the arm restraints aren't as bad as expected.

However, they're a pain to put on. If you've ever put on a neck restraint with the extra harness straps that clip to your buckles, same process but even more annoying since it's easy to tug the straps around while you're moving your arms trying to line things up.

For HPDE they'd suck since you couldn't point anyone by to the right, especially in an Exige where nobody could even see you gesturing through the rear window.
 
#23 ·
I run hard top on always (at the track). Mostly for noise/sun/aero, and a little bit for safety.

I used to worry about the helmet/window thing a little bit, until I realized something which should make everyone feel better:

The hard top is barely attached to the car. Unless your corner/safety worker is an 8 year old, they should have no issue ripping it free to get you out. Similarly if you were stuck in there it would be no issue pushing up hard enough to pop the front mounting point loose.

After I realized that I stopped worrying.
 
#24 ·
Thanks for the input Pat. That is kind of what I was thinking. It is hard to imagine a serious accident where the hard top would not pop off or be removed easily.
 
#26 ·
Aero is critical on the Eliges. Difference between 1 window and both down back straight at Watkins Glen was consistently 3-4 mph. God only knows what the roof does. Used to have to go like hell to get 130 on speedo (Actually 120mph) Never ran w/o roof. That is major reason I owned the hardtop!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top