Originally published October 2, 2019. Last updated August 12, 2024.

Loud sounds can damage the sensitive structures in the inner ear, causing hearing loss or tinnitus. The louder the sound, the less time exposure it takes to cause damage. While HPDE events aren’t as loud as a NASCAR race, it’s still important to protect your ears and use ear protection at HPDE events.

Is HPDE That Loud?

Race tracks are loud, which is why most professional drivers use some sort of ear protection. The 140 decibels of a full-throttle NASCAR cockpit is about as loud as fireworks or gunfire. That’s pretty loud, so it makes sense that pro drivers protect their hearing.

But what about you and your HPDE driving? Is a street car at the track really that loud? Judge for yourself:

  • If you’ve got a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, expect the 6.2-liter V-8 to hit 95 decibels.
  • With a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6, a Ford GT can hit 100 decibels.
  • The Porsche 911 GT3 RS’s 4.0-liter flat-six? Inside the car, it can hit 108 decibels!
  • Even the humble Honda Civic Si’s Inline-4 can hit 85 decibels at full throttle.

It’s true that your HPDE street car isn’t quite as loud as a NASCAR stock car, but it still falls somewhere between a snowblower (85 decibels) and a jackhammer (110 decibels).

Just two hours of exposure to sounds above 85 decibels can cause permanent hearing damage, so some sort of ear protection is a must for an HDPE event that last all day.

Do Ear Plugs Help or Hurt?

Some doing HPDE worry that ear plugs could make it harder to hear their engine and hurt their performance. After all, your engine may be loud, but it isn’t quite as loud as a professional’s engine.

However, the truth is that ear plugs may actually help your performance. A good pair can help by filtering out sounds you don’t want so you can focus more on the sounds you do want.

Which Ear Protection to Choose?

A few options for ear plugs include:

  • Etymotic ER20XS: These plugs remove the harshest elements but maintain the frequency range. Designed to be used at the track and for concerts.
  • Vibes High Fidelity Ear Plugs: These plugs can lower sounds by an average of 22 decibels and are designed to lower every frequency relatively evenly. Three sizes of interchangeable ear tips mean they fit all ears.
  • Minuendo Live: If you have a particular inner ear then these earplugs are for you. These come with foam, single, double, and triple flanged ear tips in a variety of sizes, which makes it easy to find the best shape for your ear.

Noise-cancelling headphones won’t fit inside your HPDE helmet, but some motorsports enthusiasts still like to have a pair of these at the track when they’re not driving. A few options to consider:

  • 3M WorkTunes Connect Hearing Protector: These are the most popular noise-cancelling headphones among racing fans. Soft ear pads make them easy to wear for long periods.
  • Professional Safety Earmuffs by Decibel Defense: These headphones claim to reduce more sound than other safety earmuffs on the market. A smooth, padded headband with fabric stitching is makes for comfort and durability.
  • Peltor Sport Earmuffs: These ones are easily adjustable for a comfortable fit. Also sized to fit youth for if you ever bring your kids to the track.

Any Other Hearing Safety Tips?

Another easy way to help protect your ears during your next track day is simply to take a break from the action when you’re not driving or attending required functions. If things start to hurt your ears, go for a short walk or grab a snack to give your ears a rest from the sound.

When watching other sessions, it may also help to choose a spot further away from the track where sound is less intense. With your hearing protected, you’ll be able to enjoy motorsports for a long while.

How to Protect Your Car?

Along with knowing how to protect your hearing, it is also important to know what to do to protect your car. Our HPDE Insurance is specifically designed to protect your car during HPDE, track day and time trial events.

Our coverage includes:

  • Street-legal cars and non-licensed track cars.
  • Modifications you’ve made to your car.
  • Two drivers at each event at no additional cost.
  • Any demonstration laps your instructor drives.

Policies can be purchased conveniently, either ahead of time or the day of an event, online at LocktonMotorsports.com. Questions? We’re happy to help! Give us a call at (866) 582-4957 to speak to our motorsports insurance experts.