Seats

[Drake Racing]

Can anyone tell me the difference between the new SFI39.2 seats and the old full containment seats?
I know Lucas is mandating these, and our local track is adapting to this as well. I just cant see spending over $1500 on a seat when the Kirkey seat is perfectly fine.

Curt Drake
Late Model #55x

[TheJet-09]

I agree we need a decent seat, but I feel the current full containment I have should suffice. The thing is, they'll mandate a certain specification seat but probably not once look at how it's mounted.

I'd love for our stuff to be inspected and "certified" so to speak, like in drag racing. It looks like maybe some tracks out East do that now. My debate is whether or not to pay for the seat now, trying to beat the rush when they're mandated across the board, or should I just wait and the price will come down? Who knows...

[grt74]

they are a ton stronger, especially in the head- shoulder area, some of the seats I've seen are really big and bulky, we went with a custom builder because it was 200 more and if the factory built ones don't fit a porter power is not going to bend it with out breaking it (because it is so stiff)
is it better??? i don't know but the cert costs the seat guys around 200 per seat ruffly and they have to get them tested from time to time
I've had the $500 kirky and my new seat is a ton stiffer
if your not running woo or lucas i don't think it will be a big deal

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

they are a ton stronger, especially in the head- shoulder area, some of the seats I've seen are really big and bulky, we went with a custom builder because it was 200 more and if the factory built ones don't fit a porter power is not going to bend it with out breaking it (because it is so stiff)
is it better??? i don't know but the cert costs the seat guys around 200 per seat ruffly and they have to get them tested from time to time
I've had the $500 kirky and my new seat is a ton stiffer
if your not running woo or lucas i don't think it will be a big deal

Those standard containment seats are tough enough to concuss you good. The 39.2 is good enough your widow can sell it after you die from flipping and getting a compression fracture of your spine.

[grt74]

Those standard containment seats are tough enough to concuss you good. The 39.2 is good enough your widow can sell it after you die from flipping and getting a compression fracture of your spine.

only way i see that happening is from a roll cage that should be higher (which is a problem and i can't believe no one is looking at this)

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

only way i see that happening is from a roll cage that should be higher (which is a problem and i can't believe no one is looking at this)

That was my point exactly. Dirt racing has done gone NASCAR with seats and head and neck restraint. Yet no one cares how they are mounted, that our cars actually absorb impact energy, and our cages are way too small. Zero thought was put into it. I think the rules have been written by parts peddlers to pad their bank accounts.

Jackie Boggs contends he would be dead when he landed upside down at PRP several years back had he been using a containment seat. I agree.

[grt74]

That was my point exactly. Dirt racing has done gone NASCAR with seats and head and neck restraint. Yet no one cares how they are mounted, that our cars actually absorb impact energy, and our cages are way too small. Zero thought was out into it. I think the rules have been written by parts peddlers to pad their bank accounts.

the biggest complaint I've heard was "if we raise the cage, it won't fit in out haulers" which to me is a piss pour excuse, just raise the bar behind the driver 2-4 inches,everyone is putting rake in the roof anyways

[racer69]

Im with yall on roof height. I sold my last car and went new solely because of halo height.

[rakracing]

you and grt are on it, ive raced a while and hit about everything but the grader,, the standard seat worked fine once I got with the fc seats and I'm talking the $1400 kirkey they had 10 tears ago ,then the head banging began, these seats are to open and your head can move to much, Im running a std kirkey seat now with old stye head rest that bends until they make me and then there liable if I get hurt, and the cages on the latemodels need to be policed they are so thin and weak to make them flex if you dump a late its usually junk, don't think they need to be hire just need to be heavier 1-3/4 main cage 120 wall , look at the rules for a nascar asphalt modified they mandate every bar and size

[Jking24]

I talked to butler at pri and he said basically the sfi 39.2 is 100 2000 3000 they push on the headrest laterally with 1000psi and it must return to within a 1/4" then the shoulders with 2000 and the lower section with 3000 that's it he said its the same spec required for arca. He also said that the standard full containment seat they sell does not meet it on the headrest and shoulders. It can be retrofitted but it's about $900. But it's only like $180 more for a new seat build and 60 of that is for the stickers. They were also against the rule and felt like their standard seat was perfectly safe for a dirt latemodel. And before pri they were under the impression that lucas and others were not going to mandate it so they had been telling all their customers it wasn't going to happen so keep their old seat

[zeroracing]

Yep, was in the don't worry it will go away group. Now we are debating what to do, we are a part timer for series, so it seems we can wait till August 1st around us at least. That said we may not be able to run the show me or other lucas local races.

[95shaw]

they are a ton stronger, especially in the head- shoulder area, some of the seats I've seen are really big and bulky, we went with a custom builder because it was 200 more and if the factory built ones don't fit a porter power is not going to bend it with out breaking it (because it is so stiff)
is it better??? i don't know but the cert costs the seat guys around 200 per seat ruffly and they have to get them tested from time to time
I've had the $500 kirky and my new seat is a ton stiffer
if your not running woo or lucas i don't think it will be a big deal

I'm confused. We decide the cars are too ridgid after 3 crash. Mandate crush zones for chassis. Recommend Hans device or similar to control head movement. However need full contain seat to control side to side with this system.
Now mandating seats that are even more ridgid. How can that be better?

[cjsracing]

I'm confused. We decide the cars are too ridgid after 3 crash. Mandate crush zones for chassis. Recommend Hans device or similar to control head movement. However need full contain seat to control side to side with this system.
Now mandating seats that are even more ridgid. How can that be better?

It's not better. They claim this stuff will help prevent concussions but that not true. To truly prevent a concussion you need to slow down your heads movement not stop it suddenly.

[rakracing]

you know I've raced with a guy for 25 years and he's never had a concussion, his son started racing 4,5 years ago and they bought him everything dad never had best fc seat ,hans, the best bell helmet and he is not a loud to race anymore because of his 5th concussion,, the seats themselves are great, shoulder supports, fit and stuff but the halo is the problem