Racing seats are an easy-to-overlook upgrade because they do not have a direct impact on your vehicle’s performance metrics. They are important, though, because while they don’t increase your engine power or provide shorter stopping distances, good racing seats do empower drivers to make better choices faster by making it easier to control the vehicle and focus on the road.
Seat Height
Racing seats come with a bit more support than stock seats, and because of that, they might sit a little higher. That’s important because it means you need to match the seat height to your own comfort and vehicle size. Personal preference also comes into play with this consideration, although vehicles with adjustable seating height find it less important than the other factors at play.
Safety Harness
The biggest reason to upgrade from a stock seat to a racing seat is for safety. Like upgrading to four-wheel disc brakes with a rear disc brake conversion kit, upgrading to a seat with a safety harness is important for serious competitors. Not only does it conform with the requirements for competition at many tracks, and help with injury prevention, it also holds you in place and helps you maintain control at speed.
Simply put, the less your body can get thrown around by acceleration forces, the easier it is for you to steer. It sounds like a simple equation, right? It is until you dig into the details. Every harness is a little different, even if they are roughly the same size. Finding a four-point safety harness that is comfortable without compromising a secure fit is important, and it might take a little trial and error to figure out.
Seat Shape and Size
The size and shape of the seat itself will also affect the fit of the harness because it will affect how your weight is distributed and where the harness is anchored relative to your body. It’s more than just a matter of width and height, too. A seat’s contour can do a lot to determine where your weight is distributed and how your center of gravity shifts with maneuvers like turns.
It’s important you find something that feels secure on every level if you want to be able to focus all of your energy on the race itself, and that’s true no matter what kind of event you run. Upholstery and the seat’s support system are also considerations you should take into account. What does the seat suspension look like? How does it help support you, and what does that do to your weight distribution when combined with the shape and size? Thinking about these factors together can help you choose the right seat.
Additional Upgrades for Your Track Car
Once you have the seat upgrade you need, it’s time to think about the big picture. Are you still using cast wheels, or have you invested in forged race wheels? What about performance brakes? It takes a lot more than just power to make a winner in any event. Start shopping for the upgrades you need today so you have them for your next competition.
