School rules for harnesses, fixed-back seats

Answers to your questions:

Q1) With a fixed-back seat and a Schroth DOT approved harness, do I still require a cage? I don't think I would as the harness is one with the tearaway patch designed to work with the OEM seat...

A) If you are going to strap yourself in with anything other than the factory seat belts we require, at minimum, a fixed roll bar, properly installed. The idea here is that in the VERY unlikely event of a roll-over crash we don't want you strapped in in a way your head can't move and therefore guarantying you will break your neck. Standard 3 point seatbelts (factory) will not hold you completely if the car is upside down, you will naturally turn, which would tend to protect your neck. (An important note, I've been to over 250 DE schools and never seen a roll-over crash with my own eyes - only heard tale. It SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN, you should listen to your instructor, and drive within your limits. Thats how you stay safe)

Q2) Am I breaking any rules that the instructor has to have the same safety equipment as the driver if I have a Pole Position and the instructor has an OEM seat? I'd like to avoid paying for two seats until next year perhaps, those things are expensive (and I've spent enough this year already).

A) We require equal restraints for both Driver and instructor, without exception. Your instructor is risking his safety (and not getting paid to do so) to teach you to drive, please show him the respect for his comfort and safety by ensuring that his ride in your car feels identical to yours. Also, your instructor undoubtedly has MUCH better feel for what your car is going to do (we call that "He's developed seat") and he's done so learning to feel the car, if he's not feeling what you're feeling then its hard for him to point nuances out to you. You want to learn these nuances since they make the difference between someone who comes out to track days and someone who can really drive. (feelings you should be looking for include, compression (relative to where you are, for example in Turn two, there is a point of maximum compression, thats where you want to "dial in lock" aka steer the car more, because its the grippiest part of the turn. You don't want to steer the car much at all when the car is light, like at the top of two - if you do, and you're driving close to the limit, you make the back end come around)

Q3) Just to confirm, if I put a harness in for me, the instructor must have one as well yes? I will likely buy two anyway but I just want to make sure.

A) if you show up with two harnesses and no roll protection (other than factory) we will insist you wear the standard 3 Points that the car came with - if you've removed them in favour of harnesses you will not be allowed to drive your car on the track - period, no exceptions.

Last point, people often ask me what performance modifications they should invest in to make them faster at the track. My answer is always the same, "Invest in track time by coming to more schools" I would say that 90% of the people who ask me those questions would be shocked to get into their unmodified car with me and see how fast I can drive it - probably faster than they could drive it after they made modifications. The difference is that your car isn't much more valuable with a $5,000 suspension on it, and when you sell it you need to re-invest to go faster - but I can take my skills and apply it to ANY car. LEARN TO DRIVE BETTER, WHICH MEANS CAR CONTROL SKILLS - NOT SPEED - AND YOU WILL END UP DRIVING WAY FASTER AND SAFER AND BETTER THAN ANY "MOD" CAN HELP YOU TO DO.

Ok... So even with factory seats and a harness (the one with the tearaway patch which turns into a 3 point in the event of a collision) I still require a bar? If so that's fine, just want to confirm. By that logic as well, a fixed-back seat with stock restraints is fine?

As for the question about instructor restraints, I figured as much, no issue here. Makes sense. Just wanted to be sure.

I've heard that one as well, best mod you can do is to get more track time, I agree 100%. However in my case I need to be strapped in better... I slide in my seat way too much and it wears you down. I use my dead pedal to keep myself planted all the time and am not able to be comfortable when taking some corners. Using my steering wheel to keep me planted also affects my ability to corner comfortably. Especially with this new one-hand-on-the-steering-wheel passing rule. Not a fan.

I don't have many mods to my car with the exception of suspension, sway, and R-comps, all of which I added this year. I needed them... bad actually. I only modify when I have to due to reaching the limit of what my car can do (and being told that by instructors). Now with that gear I am back at the limit of what I can do, so no mods for another year probably :)

-J

We can't guaranty the tear away patch will or will not work, what amount of force is needed to tear it away, etc. so its easier (and safer) to say "no". If you bring them to the track and show them to the Chief Instructor he may change that ruling, but for purposes of answering the question in general, be prepared to use stock belts.

Fixed back chair is fine, but we'd like to see one in the Instructor (Passenger) seat as well. CDN tire sells reclining Recarros and there are copies thereof at reasonable prices. That could be a solution.

Excellent, thanks Stuart. I'll definitely leave the stock belts in. As for the seat I think I'll have to get 2.

-J