The seat is one of the most important pieces of equipment in a race car. High-performance parts and a multi-horsepower engine can get you some of the fastest laps, but you're not going to feel comfortable running them if you're not secure in the cabin. The right racing seat keeps you locked into position, supporting the body through tight corners and long stretches. Kirkey is proud to produce some of the lightest, safest, and strongest aluminum racing seats possible to keep drivers comfortable and secure. Explore our buying guide to discover more about Kirkey racing seats, including how to measure, install, and clean them.

How to Choose a Kirkey Racing Seat

When it comes time to choose a racing seat, comfort, safety, and size are the most important factors to consider. A racing seat must keep the driver's body firmly upright and reduce the fatigue that comes from sitting in the same confined position for multiple hours on the track. It must be compact enough to fit in the cabin of the race car, strong enough to take a hit, and safe enough to be approved by a sanctioning body for motorsports such as SFI. Kirkey hits all of the marks in comfort and safety and offers a wide range of seat sizes to fit drivers of all types.

Racing Seats Are Strong and Comfortable

Kirkey seats are built for comfort. Kirkey uses high-grade 5052 aluminum to construct racing seats that are strong and corrosion-resistant. This lightweight aluminum is easily formed to make racing seats that are not only comfortable but won't weigh down the car. High-density, contoured foam covers with quilted, shock-absorbing padding and double-stitched openings make them supportive, comfortable, and durable enough for the longest day on the track.

Kirkey Racing Seats Are Safety Certified

Kirkey prides itself on its safe and strong racing seats. Several models are certified according to the standards of the SFI Foundation, a non-profit organization that develops and administers the safety criteria and certifications for motorsports equipment. The current SFI certification for custom stock car racing seats is Spec 39.1; the current SFI certification for standard racing seats is Spec 39.2.

Do Racing Seats Ever Expire?

SFI-approved Kirkey racing seats with a 39.2 rating are valid for 5 years after the date stamped on the SFI tag. After this set expiration date, seats can be recertified through a Kirkey-approved dealer. If your Kirkey seat gets bent, dented, or deformed in an accident, it's no longer safe for racing. Replace it as soon as possible.

Are Kirkey Racing Seats Street Legal?

Kirkey, like many other manufacturers, does not design racing seats for legal street use. Race seats require fixed mounting which is not found in most road cars. Kirkey makes seats for a variety of racing applications including drag cars, street stocks, IMCA modifieds, dirt midgets, and sprints.

How to Get the Right-Sized Racing Seat For a Proper Fit

Whether you're road, drag, or circle track racing, the right-sized seat will offer support, protection, and comfort. Kirkey seats come as small as a 10-inch quarter midget, large as a 20-inch pro street drag—and everything in between. To determine what seat is right for you, get your body measurement for accurate sizing:

• Grab a yardstick or stagger gauge.
• Sit on a flat surface with your back against a wall.
• Place both feet flat on the floor.
• Measure the distance between your left and right hip, straight through the center of the body (not through your lap.)

This measurement will determine your seat size; if the distance measures 15 inches, choose a 15-inch seat. If the measurement is not exact, choose the seat size that's closest, for example, if your hips measure 15 ¼ inches across, choose a 15-inch seat; if your hip measurement is 15 ¾ inches, opt for a 16-inch seat.

Pro Tip: Use only straight-line measurements. To ensure accuracy when using a flexible measuring tape, do not follow the curves of your body.

How to Install and Mount Kirkey Racing Seats

Kirkey racing seat installation and mounting instructions vary from series to series. Racing seats are designed to hold the driver in place in a race car and offer a degree of protection in the event of an accident. Seats should be installed by a professional or someone with expertise in safety seat requirements.

The basic instructions for most Kirkey racing seat series require at least four 5/16-inch bolts driven through the bottom of the seat to the frame or roll cage. To mount the back of the seat, drive at least two 5/16-inch bolts through the seat below the shoulder openings to the roll cage. Do not mount the seat to sheet metal. Kirkey does not recommend using stock sliders or adjusters to mount most racing seats.

How to Install Racing Seats with Stock Brackets

Follow these instructions to install Kirkey racing seats with rear mount brackets:

• To install Kirkey 99202, 99207, 99208, and 99209 series rear seat mount brackets, drive at least three 5/16-inch bolts through the bracket into the seat. Mount the bracket directly to the frame or roll cage using at least two 3/8-inch bolts.
• Follow the same instructions for a 99201 series rear seat, but use two 5/16-inch bolts through the bracket to the seat.
• Use the same instructions to install 99211 and 99212 series racing seats, but use three bolts to mount the bracket to the frame or roll bar.

Follow these instructions to install Kirkey racing seats with floor seat mount brackets:

• Install 99203 and 99204 series floor seat mount brackets using two 3/8-inch bolts driven through the bracket to the seat. Drive two 3/8-inch bolts through the bracket into the roll cage.
• Install 99214 series floor seat mount brackets using two 5/16-inch bolts driven through the bracket to the seat. Drive at least four 5/16-inch bolts through the bracket into the roll cage.

For more details on how to install Kirkey racing seats and brackets by series, visit the Kirkey website for specific installation instructions.

Can You Put a Racing Harness on Stock Seats?

Standard Kirkey racing seats are designed for 5-point safety belts and harnesses. Advanced seats can accommodate 6-point models. Head and neck restraints, including the HANS device, can also be used with Kirkey racing seats. In order to secure your harness, you'll need a harness bar to use in tandem with a Kirkey racing seat.

How to Clean Kirkey Racing Seats & Covers

If you spend a lot of time in your car, you're eventually going to get a messy seat. Whether it's smudged with grease after a long day of repair work, or your post-race celebration beer spray splashes back in through the window, dirty seats happen. Clean minor to moderate messes from a Kirkey racing seat in five easy steps:

1. Vacuum the seat entirely to remove crumbs, dust, and debris.
2. Spray seat cover with an automotive upholstery cleaner, or apply a solution of mild detergent and water.
3. Use a soft-bristle brush to scrub out set-in stains or smudges.
4. Blot up excess water with a clean dry cloth.
5. Let dry completely.

If the material on your Kirkey racing seat is torn or stained beyond repair, consider reupholstering it for longer life and a like-new look. While you can certainly reupholster the seat yourself, a professional upholsterer will know exactly how to replace the fabric and padding for comfort and safety.

Kirkey Seat Covers

Skip the hefty cost of upholstering and update your racing seat with a new Kirkey cover. An easy-to-install, simple-to-clean cover protects your racing seat and keeps it looking good. Made of heavy-duty cloth, vinyl, and other hard-wearing materials wrapped around high-density foam, Kirkey covers are durable, supportive, and comfortable. Every Kirkey seat has a cover to match, with different options available for each series. Kirkey covers are designed to fit only Kirkey seats and are not interchangeable with other manufacturers.

Pro tip: If your Kirkey racing seat is damaged beyond the upholstery, replace the entire seat to ensure safety.

Explore the selection of Kirkey seats, covers, and other top-quality racing products at Behrent's Performance Warehouse to get your car ready for race day and beyond.