I tried the local bike shop for my helmet. The only Snell rated helmets they had were mainly higher end "M" rated models. They didn't carry any "SA" rated helmets or any Snell rated open faced models. I went with an "M2000" closed face for $109 and wish I had waited. At our first event, there were two vendors selling open faced "M2000" for $50. I like the open face for better vision...and they are much cooler. Now, I'm really new to this, but I was thinking I read most HPDE's required not only an "SA" rating, but more safety equipment like roll bars, etc. Regardless, I'm not considering any of those in the immediate future. After my first event, I see I have MUCH more work to do as a driver. Hope this helped.