Racer28173 Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 (edited) This question is directed at FULL COCKPIT car drivers, not drivers of cars that are lacking glass or roofs. For those that drive a sedan with windshield, glass/lexan in the sides (where allowed) and rear, and all of the other protections of a mostly-enclosed cockpit, do you normally race with the visor up or down? (And I am interested in your reasons) Thanks in advance for your thoughts! One more thing: if you always have it closed, please indicate whether or not you wear glasses (and if you have had fogging problems with the visor or the glasses) Edited February 21, 2022 by Racer28173 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Infiniti Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 Full cockpit/lexan windshield/no other windows: Open for ventilation until conditions warrant closing i.e. sunrise/sunset shading, cold, sand, fire and fueling stop. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gkuhn41 Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 (edited) Full Cockpit: I try to have it down most the time because fire. Or if its fall @ Road America to keep the snow out of my face. But if it is hot ill put it up and direct some air to my face. Edited February 21, 2022 by Gkuhn41 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macheesy Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 (edited) I leave it down nearly the whole time except full course yellow/35's or if i'm tryin to steal a sip of water. 1. If I'm on fire, I don't want another thing to think about. 2. If I'm unconscious and on fire, I want a better chance at surviving. 3. Also I don't want dirt in my eyes. Sometimes it's hot, but see 1-3. Bell GTX3 No issues with fogging with standard visor No glasses Edited February 21, 2022 by macheesy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginerd Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 (edited) Same as Gkuhn41, I keep the visor down because of fire risk. I have seen too many burnt helmets with melted visors and melted visor sounds a lot better than melted eyeball. That being said, I normally get to lap 3 and then my visor comes up because it's getting sweaty and uncomfortable in there. I only have so much willpower. Edited February 21, 2022 by enginerd 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelPal Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 11 minutes ago, macheesy said: I leave it down nearly the whole time except full course yellow/35's or if i'm tryin to steal a sip of water. 1. If I'm on fire, I don't want another thing to think about. 2. If I'm unconscious and on fire, I want a better chance at surviving. 3. Also I don't want dirt in my eyes. Sometimes it's hot, but see 1-3. 11 minutes ago, enginerd said: Same as Gkuhn41, I keep the visor down because of fire risk. I have seen too many burnt helmets with melted visors and melted visor sounds a lot better than melted eyeball. That being said, I normally get to lap 3 and then my visor comes up because it's getting sweaty and uncomfortable in there. I only have so much willpower. 18 minutes ago, Gkuhn41 said: Full Cockpit: I try to have it down most the time because fire. Or if its fall @ Road America to keep the snow out of my face. But if it is hot ill put it up and direct some air to my face. For the visor down crowd, what brand helmet do you have? I'm 100% visor up because of heat / sweat. I also use a $150 G-force helmet with poop air flow. But I full agree with the safety risk of visor up 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gkuhn41 Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 Bell of some sort with Top air. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Bill Strong Posted February 21, 2022 Administrators Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 I used to keep it kinda down, sorta cracked, sometimes up in MT2 MR2. But the first race with the Opel GT, and the 1970s design, I got hit in the nose and glasses with something. It was not green, so I know it wasn't when my teammate hit me. But after that, I have pretty much driven with the shield down. It took a bit to get used to it, but since then I have had no issues with it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racer28173 Posted February 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 2 hours ago, MichaelPal said: For the visor down crowd, what brand helmet do you have? I'm 100% visor up because of heat / sweat. I also use a $150 G-force helmet with poop air flow. But I full agree with the safety risk of visor up 100%. Michael. It is worth noting that half of the guys that have responded run many of the up-north races where cold is the enemy more often than heat. (I recognize the names). It is probably easier to run visor down at Road America in April than VIR in the middle of summer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy G. Elliott Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 4 hours ago, Racer28173 said: Michael. It is worth noting that half of the guys that have responded run many of the up-north races where cold is the enemy more often than heat. (I recognize the names). It is probably easier to run visor down at Road America in April than VIR in the middle of summer. I'm an up no glasses or occasionally I have worn sun glasses, visor up, though fuel stops it's always down and would fog up Abit then. Wiping potato peals on the inside does stop the fogging (an old scuba diving trick). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petawawarace Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 Getting a fresh air system was a huge help. Even one without the fan. Just to a side Naca duct. Can run visor down all the time and cool as a cucumber. The risk of burning your face is just too great. Less fumes to breathe in too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMiskoe Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 I am not always good at doing this, but down is where I know it should be after having a couple of windshields get broken. More than once I've had tennis ball size rocks get flung up at me. When there is glass all over the dashboard you're glad the visor was down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommytipover Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 I forgot to lower my visor once, and felt something graze across my face during a pace lap. Kinda spooked me, and I try real hard to put it down every time. Somehow a pebble or a race tire marble managed to get in the driver's window, past the window net and still find the eye port of my helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obscene Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 Visor down unless I'm staging or parade lap etc. In my experience the hardest situation to keep it down is working a pit stop. That's where I'm instantly fogging up and sweating my face off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 I prefer the visor up bit have raced with it down in select conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BollingerChump Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 (edited) Bell K1 Pro. Visor down with glasses because of a few things. The biggest is the visor blocks the air moving to the vents in a well ventilated cockpit; that means my face got some air but the rest of my head would roast. I stay remarkably cooler with the visor down. It's also nice to keep rocks/dirt out of your eyes. Of course fire too. No fogging issues, again see the ventilated cockpit point above. Edited February 22, 2022 by BollingerChump 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racer28173 Posted February 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 1 hour ago, BollingerChump said: Bell K1 Pro. Visor down with glasses because of a few things. The biggest is the visor blocks the air moving to the vents in a well ventilated cockpit; that means my face got some air but the rest of my head would roast. I stay remarkably cooler with the visor down. It's also nice to keep rocks/dirt out of your eyes. Of course fire too. No fogging issues, again see the ventilated cockpit point above. I had never contemplated the visor blocking the helmet vents- that is a good point. I just bought a Bell M8 and the visor won’t stay up, no matter what I seem to do with the tension adjustment. We have a modest amount of air flow in the car, so maybe down will work okay because the helmet vents will bring cool air in that otherwise would have been blocked. I think Bill is glasses-wearing guy, so his reply is supportive of success even with glasses. I have to say that I’m surprised at the number of people who have had large projectiles in their car. I guess I have been lucky with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelPal Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 2 hours ago, BollingerChump said: Bell K1 Pro. Visor down with glasses because of a few things. The biggest is the visor blocks the air moving to the vents in a well ventilated cockpit; that means my face got some air but the rest of my head would roast. I stay remarkably cooler with the visor down. It's also nice to keep rocks/dirt out of your eyes. Of course fire too. No fogging issues, again see the ventilated cockpit point above. When you say "well ventilated cockpit" what exactly do you mean? I have a racecar with a windscreen + side + rear lexan. Is there anything else additional that should be added to create more ventilation? Is it all based around creating a positive pressure environment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted February 23, 2022 Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 (edited) Visor down, sunglasses during the day, clear lense on my helmet, forced air system with fan. I stay cooler even on hot days, no fogging, second thing installed after my Racetech seat. I have had rocks, rubber, and even rabbit guts come through the open visor in the past. Visor down always after a friend had a fuel fire in the cockpit from a stuck float on a carburetor. Was just a flash but burnt all the stitching on his suit. Had visor down and didn’t have any burns. Edited February 23, 2022 by TimS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Coan-Burningham Posted February 23, 2022 Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 I run with mine up most of the time now. I used to have forced air in my car and the ventilation worked better with it down, but changed helmets and don't have the helmet connection any longer. Maybe something I'll look to replace. Helmet air is really nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Rad Posted February 23, 2022 Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 2 hours ago, TimS said: Visor down, sunglasses during the day, clear lense on my helmet, forced air system with fan. I stay cooler even on hot days, no fogging, second thing installed after my Racetech seat. I have had rocks, rubber, and even rabbit guts come through the open visor in the past. Visor down always after a friend had a fuel fire in the cockpit from a stuck float on a carburetor. Was just a flash but burnt all the stitching on his suit. Had visor down and didn’t have any burns. What are you wearing for sunglasses? Finding some that will fit inside of a helmet is challenging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted February 23, 2022 Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 (edited) I’m using a cheap knockoff of some fancy cycling sunglasses. I have to work to get them on but work good. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B093QC3W12?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title# These are the high dollar model https://www.amazon.com/POC-Aspire-Lead-Blue-VGM/dp/B07WP5RZVL/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=poc+glasses+cycling&qid=1645619998&sr=8-3 Edited February 23, 2022 by TimS Added info 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BollingerChump Posted February 23, 2022 Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 15 hours ago, MichaelPal said: When you say "well ventilated cockpit" what exactly do you mean? I have a racecar with a windscreen + side + rear lexan. Is there anything else additional that should be added to create more ventilation? Is it all based around creating a positive pressure environment? We have a plenum under the OE HVAC intake passing air through a plastic downspout tube we can point at our head or torso. At speed on track theres a helluva breeze created. When pointed at my face, there's a *notable* improvement when I close the visor and get air flowing to the rest of my head. YMMV. We are in the process of moving the air intake, since after ventilating the hood we are taking in hot post radiator air into that plenum. Will relocate to a scoop hanging out a window or similar. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMiskoe Posted February 23, 2022 Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 14 hours ago, B-Rad said: What are you wearing for sunglasses? Finding some that will fit inside of a helmet is challenging. Home Depot tinted safety glasses. Or equivalent. The lens will put up with a lot and protect your eye. They are cheap so you don't care if they end up on the floor of the car etc and you can clip the temple piece so it fits in the helmet better. Just file the end of it down, the plastic can be sharp if you snip it with a pair of dykes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABR-Glen Posted February 23, 2022 Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 Having been at the race where Stephen Cox received burns to his face while inside a car on fire, I have since switched to helmets with forced air inlets and try to use them when possible, it removes the two temptations I have for raising the visor, cooling and fogging. https://www.sopwithmotorsports.com/five-things-wont-expect-race-car-catches-fire/ 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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