Kirkey vs. Summit Racing Seats

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Has anyone had experience with both? This is for track only. I'm trying to figure out if its worth the price difference to go with the Kirkey. For the Kirkey please specify if you used the Economy or Pro Street.

Here is what I'm looking at:

Summit Racing Summit Racing® Seats SUM-G2100 - SummitRacing.com $40 ($72 with cover)

Kirkey Economy: Kirkey Aluminum Economy Layback Seats 16400 - SummitRacing.com $115 ($180 with cover)

Kirkey Pro Street: Kirkey Aluminum Pro Street Drag Seats 41300 - SummitRacing.com $160 ($260 with cover)

 

[StarFawkes]

No experience with any but from the way it looks I would go with the economy. It looks like it would offer the most support, it lays back the most, and is between the other two in terms of width so it will be more snug than the Summit version without being potentially uncomfortable.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

No experience with any but from the way it looks I would go with the economy. It looks like it would offer the most support, it lays back the most, and is between the other two in terms of width so it will be more snug than the Summit version without being potentially uncomfortable.

With the Kirkeys you can get any hip width in 1/2" increments and also different layback positions so that's a mute issue. I'm rally looking for someone who has used one or both to hear about comfort, weight, quality, ect.

 

[snowborder714]

I've sat/riden in a car that has the Kirkey drag seats (I believe, judging by the shape/size of the shoulder area). Thinking they were going to be pretty uncomfortable just by looking at pictures of them, they surprised me. I was taken on a short trip just to see what a 9 second car felt like, but had no issues with the seats. If I was going to be sitting in them for an extended period of time (long trip to track or road course session), I wouldn't really be able to comment on that.

I can send the owner of the car a message and see if he can post up some more info in here.

 

[SloRice]

I have the Kirkey economy seats. Should have bought the Pros. They have better support under the leg at the front of the seat. Also the lap beat goes through the seat instead of over top of it.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I've sat/riden in a car that has the Kirkey drag seats (I believe, judging by the shape/size of the shoulder area). Thinking they were going to be pretty uncomfortable just by looking at pictures of them, they surprised me. I was taken on a short trip just to see what a 9 second car felt like, but had no issues with the seats. If I was going to be sitting in them for an extended period of time (long trip to track or road course session), I wouldn't really be able to comment on that.

I can send the owner of the car a message and see if he can post up some more info in here.

Good to hear Brian! I have heard lots of comments about comfort with the Kirkeys but from what I have found it is mainly in regards to the Pro Street Drags which are pretty pricey. It's going to be a drag car that will be towed to the track so no long drives to be concerned about. However I stil don't want to be miserable while sitting in the staging lanes. I'm tall and thin so not a lot of padding, . I would appreciate hearing from your friend!

I have the Kirkey economy seats. Should have bought the Pros. They have better support under the leg at the front of the seat. Also the lap beat goes through the seat instead of over top of it.

Thanks for commenting, I appreciate hearing from actual owners. I was wondering about how the economy's would feel because they are so flat on the bottom.

 

[SloRice]

yea, mine are sitting damn near on the ground so my head clears the cage (i'm 6'3"). So there's no support under my upper leg with the seat bottom being flat. I may change the driver's seat out to at least a Pro.

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[9!'clipseDOHC]

yea, mine are sitting damn near on the ground so my head clears the cage (i'm 6'3"). So there's no support under my upper leg with the seat bottom being flat. I may change the driver's seat out to at least a Pro.

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Those look killer though. I'm 6' tall and currently scrape my head on the roof with a helmet in the stock seats.

Has anyone used the Summit seats to compare? I mean $72 with the cover is hard to pass up.

 

[snowborder714]

Do you need to deal with FIA ratings in what you're getting into? Not sure how that works for NHRA. Reason I ask is that I'm curious if/how the Summit seat would meet that. From my research (granted this is for NASA and SCCA), the Kirkey seats don't need to meet any FIA certification because they're metal, but they do immediately need a support brace from seat back to cage. This is only required in other seats (i.e. Sparco) that the FIA certification is expired.

If none of this applies, just ignore it all

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Do you need to deal with FIA ratings in what you're getting into? Not sure how that works for NHRA. Reason I ask is that I'm curious if/how the Summit seat would meet that. From my research (granted this is for NASA and SCCA), the Kirkey seats don't need to meet any FIA certification because they're metal, but they do immediately need a support brace from seat back to cage. This is only required in other seats (i.e. Sparco) that the FIA certification is expired.

If none of this applies, just ignore it all

Those are good concerns to bring up Brian.

My long term goals after playing with the 14b would be to get into standing mile events at the Texas Mile. Looking at their rules the only mention about seats is this:
5.3.7 The seat should be equipped with proper shoulder harness holes or the cage/roll bar needs to have a guide to prevent the shoulder harnesses from falling to the sides. The guide bar, if used, should not present a sharp edge to the belts. It should provide as much area of support as possible to distribute the load..

For now I'm just going to be doing mostly local 1/4 events and I don't think either seat would be an issue. I have seen the Kirkey mounted to the roll bar in the back before but I didn't know it was required by certain sanctioning bodies. Here are the NHRA rules concerning seats:
6:2 UPHOLSTERY,SEATS
The driver's seat of any car in competition must be constructed, braced, mounted, and upholstered to provide full back and shoulder support. The driver's seat must be supported on the bottom and back by the frame or crossmember. Except as noted in SFI Specifications, seats must be bolted with four bolts (and nuts and washers) on the bottom and one bolt in the rear into crossbar; all bolts must go into frame or crossbraces. Ball-lock pins for seat attachment prohibited in all classes. All seats must be upholstered, or as noted under Class or SFI Requirements. All front-engine, open-bodied, supercharged or turbocharged (gasoline or methanol) cars running 7.49 seconds and quicker must have a flame- retardant-material-upholstered seat.
Properly braced, framed, supported, and constructed seats of aluminum, fiberglass, carbon fiber, or double-layer poly (accessory seats) permitted. Single-layer fiberglass seats must have steel tube framework, 1/2-inch-minimum O.D., for support. Aftermarket aluminum seats must have reinforced head rest. Magnesium seats prohibited.

Given the times I will be running with the 14b I don't think it will be an issue since a cage isn't even required.

 

[11secDSM]

I had Kirkey's in my last drag car and have the Summit seat in my current one. I like both but the Summit seat is a bit more comfortable and the price is great.

 

[BogusSVO]

I have a pair of the RCI versions of the cheap summit seats. If you are doing a beater build they are fine.

If you are doing more of a real build, for class racing get the Kirkleys.

With the rules you posted, the Summit seats do not meet the requirements, they are plastic. not figerglass, nor metal.

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I am instilling the RCI seats in a beater build just because I have them.

I am putting together a toy to run on any track crazy enough to allow me on it.

 

[snowborder714]

With the rules you posted, the Summit seats do not meet the requirements, they are plastic. not figerglass, nor metal.

The rules include double-layer poly, which the Summit seats are. They will work, but won't gain him the cool, racer status that the Kirkey's would

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I had Kirkey's in my last drag car and have the Summit seat in my current one. I like both but the Summit seat is a bit more comfortable and the price is great.

Thank you so much! I was hoping to hear from someone who has expirience with both seats. I must admit that the price is the biggest factor for me at the moment with a baby on the way.

I have a pair of the RCI versions of the cheap summit seats. If you are doing a beater build they are fine.

If you are doing more of a real build, for class racing get the Kirkleys.

With the rules you posted, the Summit seats do not meet the requirements, they are plastic. not figerglass, nor metal.

I am instilling the RCI seats in a beater build just because I have them.

I am putting together a toy to run on any track crazy enough to allow me on it.

With the type of racing I will be doing I think beater seats will be just fine

The rules include double-layer poly, which the Summit seats are. They will work, but won't gain him the cool, racer status that the Kirkey's would

I guess I'll have to get my cool racer status the old fashioned way, at the track, not through the seats I have.

For now it looks like I'm getting cheap Summits

 

[JohnTSI]

I had Kirkey's in my last drag car and have the Summit seat in my current one. I like both but the Summit seat is a bit more comfortable and the price is great.

Interesting, I have had both and would say the opposite, my Kirkey Pros with the covers on are way more comfortable than my summit ones where.

 

[11secDSM]

Interesting, I have had both and would say the opposite, my Kirkey Pros with the covers on are way more comfortable than my summit ones where.

Don't get me wrong, I liked my Kirkey seat, just like this one a little more.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Don't get me wrong, I liked my Kirkey seat, just like this one a little more.

Did you have the Economies or Pros?

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

By the way, this is what they are going into... so not quite a beater. Although I don't think I can afford the Pro's right now.

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[SonySlave]

I am running the Summit seats you speak of and I have been very happy with them in regards to price and functionality. You can see the nut toward the top of the driver's seat. I drilled a hole through the roll cage and seat and set a piston wrist pin between the seat and cage then ran a bolt/washer through both then secured it with a nut to attempt to meet the NHRA rule for bolting the seat to the cage. Tech officials at 5 different NHRA tracks have cleared my car with no issues. I've never been in the Kirkey seats so I can't compare. Below are the best pics I have of them but you get the idea.

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[9!'clipseDOHC]

I am running the Summit seats you speak of and I have been very happy with them in regards to price and functionality. You can see the nut toward the top of the driver's seat. I drilled a hole through the roll cage and seat and set a piston wrist pin between the seat and cage then ran a bolt/washer through both then secured it with a nut to attempt to meet the NHRA rule for bolting the seat to the cage. Tech officials at 5 different NHRA tracks have cleared my car with no issues. I've never been in the Kirkey seats so I can't compare. Below are the best pics I have of them but you get the idea.

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Thanks for the pictures and review! It looks great!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I got my seat installed today, here it is:

For more pictures check out my blog: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/dsm-build-journals/418713-9-eclipse-n-t-turbo-fwd-street-drag-autox-7.html#post153202970

One question for you guys, how and where did you mount your submarine belt?

 

[compression]

Damn those kirkey's should look amazing! I am a faily short guy though about 5'9"ish im not sure them being so low would work for me. But i could have made it work!

i just bought some Off brand racing seat

Nissan Black PVC Leather RS Style Racing Seats Pair w Rear Exit Lever | eBay

Hoping they will at least perform their job. $225 for the set, please update this in the future to let us know how you like the seat, i may end up switching!

If your curious of how these knock-offs i picked up are working out you can always check

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/dsm...ssues-come-looking-10s-lower-pics-videos.html

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Well 8 months after getting the Summit Racing seat I decided to upgrade. My plans changed from drag racing to RallyX so I needed something with a lot more support. Here is my new seat, a Sparco Rev.

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[Phil1320]

Nice! I ran a Sparco Rev in my Talon for a full decade. Only one issue, now it's a bit tight!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Nice! I ran a Sparco Rev in my Talon for a full decade. Only one issue, now it's a bit tight!

Hahaha! Well it is the smallest seat they make (at least in the Evo Competition line). I'm 6' 140 lbs and it fits like a glove! I'm very happy with it!