Yes or No: Same Seats for HDPE Events?
 

Question: do you need the same type of seats in the car to run HDPE events?

I have stock seats in my FD and they are too tall to allow me to fit comfortably in the car. My head hits the roof liner and I need about 2 inches more of clearance.

Thinking about getting a race seat for the driver's side to put in for events but I read somewhere HDPE events require the same type of seat for the driver and the passenger.

Is this true? Thanks!

Are you talking about NASA events?

If so, then no the seats do not need to match but the safety equipment must individually, side to side meet the minimum requirements for HPDE.

-Chad
Chief of Tech NASA Midwest

Events like the Porche Club of America (First Settlers) at VIR or the BMW Club events at Road Atlanta. My game plan was to buy one racing seat to lower the driver location but to keep the passenger seat stock. Thought this was fine but read somewhere most HDPE events don't allow that hence the confusion.

You must have equal restraints. So if you have a raceseat with a harness, your passenger side needs that too.

I was worried about that too when I started, but I emailed the regional directory and has said as long as the restraints were the same it wasn't a problem.

I would email the regional director just to make sure though.

I was planning on keeping the stock stet belts as this is a very part time thing for me so I guess I would be good to go provided I can find a seat that can lower the driver's position by around 2 inches.

Thanks for the info Brent.

^^^

Yes, but it doesn't need to be exactly the same model seat for most clubs

Just get a basic passenger race seat and rails. If you're going to swap in one seat, two isn't much more work. I have the stock belts, and my harnesses clip in to eyelets (except for the sub straps, which are permanently bolted). I do run the race seats all the time though.

P

Can I ask for you to post up a pic of your eyelets and sub straps? That sounds like it would work for me.