Your Safety Between the Checkered Flag and Green Flag

By David Nehrbass

Many of our topics are focused on the things that are all about Race Day life. But what about all that time in your race program when you aren’t racing?

The moment the checkered flag flies, and the vehicle comes to a stop, racers, crew, and family typically celebrate their moments and start the methodical removal of all the safety aspects of their program. The helmets and fire suits come off. The extinguishers get stashed in a cabinet and all the required items for "safety" get stashed in bags and put away.

From tear down in the shops through race prep, often these items are never looked at, inspected, or even given a second thought. Then as the vehicles finish prep and hopefully get to test prior to race day, a few pieces of the gear come out for the Driver and CoDriver and the miles are put on while either a non-existent or minimal crew stands by.

For racers with pre-run capabilities in roll caged vehicles, often safety is a side thought as comfort for long hours is often more paramount for the occupants. Teams will spend days to weeks in the middle of nowhere making notes and getting ready to race, all the while, putting their personal safety at elevated risk.

For some the risk is part of the reward. The danger, remoteness, and solitude are what draws them to the experience. The reality though, is as a culture we can still make successful memories in the dirt, while still be conscious of our personal safety.

The moment you start the prep and repairs of your race vehicle after the race, start the process with all your personal safety equipment as well. Have the suits professionally cleaned and inspect them for tears, especially in any area that flexes. I have seen fire suits with tears in the waist, crotch, and arms. A tear in a suit is critical. It allows flames, and potentially fluids, a rapid access through the barriers meant to protect you. It doesn’t mean the suit is junk, but it gives you time to get it repaired. Inspect your head and neck restraint. Just because the date hasn’t expired, does not mean it is perfect. The forces our sport puts on things can stress devices the moment it takes a hit. If you aren’t sure if it’s a problem, send it to someone that can tell you. Inspect your helmet. Look at the exterior and if it is cracked, put it on a shelf and order the next one. I have heard hundred of stories over the years of racers that take a brand new helmet and use the superstition that they throw it to the ground immediately to protect them at the next race. Congratulations, with the composites used, the foam protections and various materials, you just lowered the protection level for the most important portion of your body. Inspect every piece of your wardrobe and make sure it is the right stuff to protect every inch of your body.

While you are ensuring your safety, make sure you do the same for each team member. With most of the teams now having their support teams properly protected in the pits with suits and aprons, you must make sure each of those is also safe for the next race. Inspect, clean, and replace anything that isn’t going to keep your team safe come race day. Inspect every aspect of the safety items in your vehicle. Inspect the fire extinguishers. Inspect the first aid kit. Inspect the seats and mounts. Inspect the window nets and belts. The date on a certification isn’t the determining factor on if something needs repaired or replaced. The condition of the item is.

So, the vehicle is prepped and ready to go. We take it out to test in the desert with sometimes just a driver and co-driver or a skeleton crew and push the vehicle hard. Checking shocks, engines, and did we get everything nice and tight? Truly testing before a race after prep is one of the most critical times for any team. Do you and your team treat it like it’s race day? Are your driver and co-driver suited with every aspect of equipment they will be wearing on race day? Is your team ready to respond should something happen? Does your team have a method for tracking and following you? Do you have necessary equipment ready to go if something happens? Do you even have a plan? Or are you one of many that will call 911 and hope for response should something catastrophic happen?

Every single time a racer climbs in the car, the team should treat it like it’s race day. They should be ready for anything, properly suited in their personal protective equipment and always have a plan in place should something happen. Go through the what ifs and hypotheticals of the day. Know who to call. Know where the closest appropriate medical facilities are. Know access roads or meet points for emergency services.

Some teams will do practice pit stops prior to the race. Does your team get in all their required safety gear each time they practice? Why not? I have heard teams say they don’t want to damage the gear. They don’t want to rip a suit. It’s too hot. The reality is that if the suits limit their mobility or potentially cause problems, you want to find that out now before the

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race. They need to acclimate themselves and get more familiar with how they will be performing on race day. Treat each moment like it is the race.

Then in some cases, we go out and Pre-Run the racecourse. Or for you U.S. based teams, many refer to it as Bird Watching…you are out in non-race vehicles but vehicles that are often roll cage equipped but less than race speed going on. In any vehicle with a roll cage, you need to protect your head. Even quarter-million dollar luxury pre-runners can roll over and your head is no match for a roll cage. Do you have people that know where you are going, and when you will return? Are you alone with minimal communications taking an alternate line?

Again and again, develop a plan, communicate the plan, implement the plan, execute the plan. Then afterwards, review the plan for next time.

The time from when the checkered flag flies, until the green flag / light happens, is by far the most critical and dangerous times in your race program. You have limited resources, no or limited tracking on you and limited response resources from the promoters or emergency services. Take that time seriously and plan for your safety. Plan for the safety of your team and entire race program.