After the start-up of the business, the launch of the first helmet – the 500 – and the first tangible advances in safety, Bell boss Roy Richter has certainly not rested on his laurels, continuing to study how to evolve his product. In 1957, the 500-TX was launched, with an interior polystyrene foam liner designed to absorb energy in the event of impact, instead of transmitting it to the driver’s head.
The 500-TX can be considered a milestone in racing helmets engineering, laying the foundation for the equipment we see used today in Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, WRC or any other discipline, where Bell is almost always the primary choice of drivers.
In 1958, once again, the Indianapolis 500 proved to be a landmark step for Bell. Leading the final 75 laps, after starting from seventh position, Jimmy Bryan in fact took the victory, the first at the Brickyard of his career but also the maiden for a Bell helmet.
Bell established itself as the benchmark in helmets in the American scene. In 1959 it also became the first company to market a helmet certified by the Snell Foundation, a non-profit organization set up two years before for research, education, testing and development of helmets and their safety standards. Snell Foundation was created following the death of William “Pete” Snell, an amateur sports car driver that was killed in an accident at Humboldt County, California, due to head injuries. His sacrifice was not in vain, having ignited a spark for the mission of making racing helmets more and more safe, with Bell at the forefront.
In 1962, the 500-TX was selected by New York’s Museum of Modern Art for design excellence, with four Bell helmet models on permanent display there. Meanwhile, Bell’s fame transcended American borders, with its helmets also began to be used by drivers in Europe, where Formula 1 and sportscar races, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, represented the most renowned competitions.
September 8, 1963, was one of many unforgettable dates in the history of the brand. Eight years after the first helmet was created for motor racing in a garage in California, Bell finally reached the roof of the world. At the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit, Jim Clark won the F1 title and became the first world champion to wear one of our helmets. Clark’s dominance that season was overwhelming, with seven wins out of ten races. A record that stood for a long time.
Clark was a driver of incredible talent and speed, capable of excelling in any discipline he tried his hand at; he is remembered as a true hero of two worlds of motorsport, Europe and the United States. In the same year, the Scot also participated for the first time in the Indianapolis 500, and he succeeded in winning it two years later, entering the motor racing hall of fame for good.
