Dave Schwabe writes:
<<<Another claim they make is that they want to watch costs... for the
competitors, like in the case of aluminum seats. I know that Scott Pruett
wanted to use a carbon seat last year, but Nascar mandates aluminum. Now,
virtually every other series in the world uses carbon seats, but not Nascar.
They claim alloy is better because of cost. Well, let's face it, these guys
do not go down to Racer Wholesale and get the $100 seat. They spend big $$
to get it to fit them exactly, and to have it customized with the features
they want. By the time they are done, they probably spent what they would've
on carbon.>>>
I don't think they prohibit carbon fiber race seats due to cost. I think
they prohibit them because a heck of a lot of drivers got hurt with
fiberglass seats before the aluminum seats appeared. I personally think that
metal is a better substance to make a seat from than either fiberglass or
carbon fiber because it won't shatter. Besides, I think the primary reason
they make seats from the latter two materials is due to weight not that they
are safer than other materials. So in this particular regard I believe
NASCAR is actually doing the "right thing".
Paul Foster
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