 This is an example of the "form fit" type pf glove that is becoming so popular. They do not bunch up on your finger and are shaped so your hand grabs the wheel and shifter naturally. This is a top of the line type of glove that retails for about $135.00. |
 This new Simpson driving shoe is SFI certified and shows the improvement in design that is becoming available. They offer great feel for your feet on the pedals, excellent protection in event of a fire and they look damn good in the pit area too! |
These are examples of the 3.3/5 driving glove most drag racers are required to wear if they are faster than 9.99 seconds. Many colors and styles are available.
These happen to be Impact Racing's G5 but Simpson, Crow, Deist, Oakley, G-Force and others offer gloves. Prices range from $79.00 to $140.00 for the pre-formed top of the line gloves.
There are other items you will need as well:
- Driving Shoes: Just about every safety equipment manufacturer has their own design of driver shoe. Some are high-top style and others are slightly shorter. The choice is yours and I recommend you get a pair that has the SFI tag on them.
- Driver’s Gloves: There are a couple different SFI specs that you may need to consider before ordering your gloves. SFI Spec 3.3/5 will pretty much cover all the sportsman classes. Just make sure they have the SFI tag. I have owned four different styles of gloves and I can tell you there is a huge difference in “fit and feel” between a $59.00 set of gloves and the $125.00 Oakley and Ringers gloves. Out team is using one set of Oakley and one set of Ringers and they offer great dexterity and “feel”.
- Fire Resistant Under-wear: These are often overlooked because everyone thinks the coats and jackets will do the job. To a certain point that is correct. The fire resistant under wear extends the time you have to get away from the fire and they can provide another layer of protection against heat and hot liquids. Most of the newer under wear is made of a fabric that ‘wicks” moisture away from your skin. In a fire situation it is usually the moisture on your skin that gets hot first, turns to steam and actually burns you before any flames get to you.
That about wraps up the Driver portion of this month’s Racer Safety 101. Next month we will deal with fire suppression systems for racecars, race trailers and your shop. We will go over some ideas and equipment to make your towing to and from the races a lot safer.
Until then, please check your harnesses for wear and tear and to see how they are mounted. We want you back month after month. RACING SAFELY and RACING TO WIN can go hand in hand.
