aturday, February 11 was the date for the HMS Track Safety Equipment Seminar, hosted by the New England Triumph Club and to which our club members had been invited. Luckily, the day dawned bright and clear for travel, as for me it was almost an hour drive up to HMS Motorsports headquarters in Peabody, Mass. If the blizzard that arrived the following morning was 24 hours sooner, we would probably have been telling you about the new date for the seminar.

Anyway, although it was an easy run up, I was very late due to some family commitments that morning. When I arrived, the seminar was in full swing: Joe was at the front of a good-sized group of seated and standing attendees, among whom were AONE’s Len Cannizaro, Roger Cassin, and Scott Hopkinson (sorry if I missed some others). I also recognized some folks from Triumph and Jaguar club meets, including Greg Elevich of the Triumph guys (with whom I had swapped cars at the Great Wachusett Hillclimb and Brewery Tour last October), and Chuck Centore, nee JANE (Jaguar), nee NET (Triumph) now with the Ferrari club (F355 Berlinetta, plate name "Giallo").

Joe Marko, a very well-known autosports safety expert, was in the middle of his explanation of the types of safety belt set-ups (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 point) and what types of seats should and should not be used with them. He also discussed the best placement for the lap belt, which he said is the most important belt in the set-up. Different widths of seatbelt, and seatbelt material, were also explained. During the lunch break, we all got to try out different brands/configuration of racing seats, many examples of which were on display. I think I gotta lose the "love-handles" if I’m going to use those types of seats.

After a pizza and cold drink lunch provided by the hosts, Joe showed the group a "Hans" device and how it is worn by racers. He also ran a short film of sled tests, which demonstrated why the devices were needed. Then, Joe gave tips on seat set-up and interior ergonomics, including rollbar padding, affecting the driver in a crash situation. Finally, Joe wrapped things up with racing suits, fireproof underwear, racing shoes and gloves. I now know what to look for in a shoe that makes it best for racing (or even just a fun afternoon on a club event). And gloves—not a lot of padding, and make them red so others can see you when you signal. (Hmmm—wonder if there’s any daily driving application for that…)

This seminar was a great way to spend a couple of hours on a cold Saturday, and definitely gave me more knowledge in equipping my ride for sporting events. Thanks, Joe—and thanks to Greg Elevich at NET.