Category: News

As we head into the last quarter of 2026, the question we receive most this time of year is: “Will my helmet be legal next year?” 

At Mayeda Motorsports, we live and breathe speed, but safety always takes the top spot for us. The Snell Memorial Foundation released its Snell SA2025 certification standard last year, which means the clock has or is about to run out for older gear.

If you are wondering if it’s time to replace your current helmet, or you’re confused by the alphabet soup of SA vs. M helmet ratings, you are in the right place. Let’s break down exactly what changed, why it matters for your future racing plans, and how to stay legal in the eyes of tech inspection!

What’s Expiring: SA2015

SA2015 helmets are officially approaching their expiration date for many racing sanctioning and organizing bodies: January 1, 2027. If you check under your comfort liner and spot an orange SA2015 Snell sticker, your helmet will no longer be allowed for competition in drag and land speed racing in 2027. In fact, the SA2015 expired last year for most road racing, endurance sports car, open wheel, and sprint car series, with many more organizations adopting this 10-year helmet replacement interval. There are some racing bodies such as motorcycle, karting, and international elite racing that now adhere to a 5-year helmet replacement requirement.

The New Benchmark: SA2025

The Snell SA2025 standard represents a significant evolutionary step forward in driver protection. It doesn’t completely reinvent the wheel, but it radically tightens the criteria for how a helmet manages violent impacts against cockpits and roll cages.

The technical upgrades you need to know include:

  • Lower Peak-G Limits: Under older standards, helmets could transfer up to 300G of peak acceleration to your head during an impact. SA2025 slashes that limit to 275G across all head sizes, meaning less brutal force reaches your brain.
  • Stricter Multi-Impact Severity: The testing criteria now demand higher first-impact velocities. The helmet’s internal EPS liner has to work much harder to absorb severe, successive blows.
  • Global Alignment: SA2025 standards are tightly aligned with international regulations, making many new helmets legal for both domestic grids and global competition.

Demystifying the SA vs. M Designation

We get asked this constantly at the shop: “Can I just use any helmet?”

The short answer is not really. It depends heavily on your class and vehicle’s ET/speed bracket. Always check your rulebook. The letters stand for two completely different environments. SA stands for Special Application (designed for auto racing inside a car with a roll cage), while M stands for Motorcycle. 

So, what’s the difference? If you experience a fire and are trapped inside a closed cockpit or a tight driver compartment. A fire-retardant SA helmet gives you precious seconds to execute an emergency exit. Furthermore, motorcycle helmets are engineered for a single major skip off the asphalt, whereas an SA helmet is specifically tested to withstand your head bouncing repeatedly against a roll cage.

The key design and testing differences include:

Choosing the right frontal head restraint (FHR) is one of the most critical gear decisions you will make for your racing and personal safety. While baseline safety equipment is designed to meet minimum rulebook requirements, a superior head and neck restraint improves both your safety envelope and your physical performance behind the wheel.

When you are pushing for tenths of a second improvement on the track, distractions cost ET and lap times. Yet, many racers compromise their comfort and mobility by choosing bulky, outdated frontal head restraints (FHR).

While any SFI 38.1 certified device will offer baseline protection, the engineering behind your safety gear dictates how you feel behind the wheel. NecksGen’s better engineered systems have fundamentally changed the market by prioritizing low-profile clearance, full-floating tethers, and extreme weight reduction.

Here is a direct engineering comparison showing how traditional restraints stack up against the NecksGen RevX and Rev2 lines.

Frontal Head Restraint Comparison Matrix

FeatureStandard RestraintsNecksGen RevX LineNecksGen Rev2 Series
Material & WeightHeavy thermoplastics or basic resins that increase discomfortLightweight carbon-composite material built for maximum comfortDelivers an impossibly light design. Under 1 lb for Rev2 Carbon
Cockpit ClearanceHigh, bulky collar profiles that catch on seats and roll bars.Low-profile wing design maximizing helmet and seat clearanceLowest profile optimized for tight cockpits and roll cages
Tether MobilityRigid, fixed-length tethers that restrict helmet movementFull-floating system for unrestricted side visionFull-floating system for unrestricted side vision
Load DistributionChest and collar bone pressure Harness platform optimization to spread impact forcesDual-pod geometry engineered for ultimate protection
Safety CertificationNot all meet the rulesSFI 38.1 CertifiedSFI 38.1 Certified.

The RevX Advantage: Performance Meets Accessibility

The NecksGen RevX represents the sweet spot for track day enthusiasts and club racers alike looking for a harness platform. Molded from an advanced carbon-composite material, it removes the heavy, cumbersome feel of old-school devices. By dropping the high rear collar found on other brand legacy restraints, the RevX ensures your helmet moves naturally, allowing you to look deep into the apex without hitting your seat headrest.

The Rev2 Lite & Carbon Elite: Premium Engineering for Ultimate Comfort

For professional drivers and sportsman racers looking to shave every ounce of weight from their safety systems, the Rev2 Carbon is the pinnacle of FHR technology. It utilizes elite-tier carbon fiber manufacturing to significantly lower physical strain on your neck and shoulders during high-G cornering. When driver comfort is optimized, concentration increases, and driver performance remains consistent. The Rev2 Carbon weighs in under 1 lb!

Don’t Fight Your Safety Gear

Your head and neck restraint should work with you, not against you. A rigid, ill-fitting device shifts and ruins your focus. Investing in a system built by racers, for racers, ensures you get maximum impact protection without sacrificing your range of motion.

Upgrade your FNR before the next race. Contact us today for proper sizing and the best pricing on a NecksGen RevX or Rev2 Series restraint.

And, they all work with the same quick release helmet system hardware!

Your driver suit is your ultimate line of defense in a cockpit fire. But what do those SFI and FIA rating patches actually mean?

It comes down to layers, TPP (Thermal Protective Performance) scores, and time—specifically, how many seconds of protection you have before experiencing a second-degree burn. 

Here is a quick overview to help you choose the appropriate suit and rating:

SFI Ratings (The Drag & Domestic Standards)

SFI ratings are the benchmark for North American racing, built to handle intense fuel and alcohol fires.

  • SFI 3.2A/5: Features 2–3 layers, providing ~9.5 seconds of protection. Perfect for bracket racing, autocross, and grassroots circle track. Lightweight, mobile, and budget-friendly!
  • SFI 3.2A/15:  Heavy multi-layer tech designed for 30 seconds of escape time. A must-have for Top Sportsman, Pro Mod, and fuel classes.
  • SFI 3.2A/20:  Designed for the extreme racing, including Top Fuel and Funny Car, delivering 40 seconds of critical protection against intense thermal energy.

FIA 8856-2018 (The Global Road Racing Standard)

If your passion involves internationally recognized sports cars, open-wheel, or stage rally, you will want to look for the FIA hologram.

  • The Benefit: FIA-rated suits focus on fighting driver fatigue during long, grueling track sessions. They utilize cutting-edge, ultra-breathable, and lightweight fabrics that provide a minimum of 12 seconds of protection against both direct flame and radiant heat.

The Two-Piece vs. One-Piece Suit Dilemma

One-Piece Suits

  • The Pros: It offers a higher level of safety because there is less chance of the suit separating during an incident. Also, one-piece suits are mandated by many sanctioning bodies in the upper racing classes.
  • The Cons: Cost: unless you can get away with an off-the-shelf suit, a one-piece suit often requires a custom build and precise measurements and tailoring – about a 15-30% price premium. And they are not as forgiving when gaining or losing weight. They can be less convenient, especially during hot days. 

Two-piece suits consist of a separate jacket and pants that overlap at the waist.

  • The Pros: They offer unmatched convenience and fit flexibility. You can easily remove your jacket between rounds to work on the car or grab a drink. Cost: mix and match jacket and pant sizes are better for a custom fit without the custom price. Two-piece suits tend to be around 15-30% less in price.
  • The Cons: The overlap at the waist is a potential vulnerability. If you have to extract from a tight cockpit or end up upside down, the jacket can ride up and expose your midsection. As a result, many sanctioning bodies have mandated one-piece suits over two-piece suits in certain racing classes.

Pro Tip Before You Buy

Always check your specific sanctioning body’s rulebook first or contact us! Beyond the rules, buy the absolute best protection your budget allows.

At Mayeda Motorsports, we encourage racers treat safety gear more than a compliance checklist. In a vehicle fire, your hands are your most vulnerable assets to manipulate the controls and extricate yourself quickly.

Here is why investing in premium, high-rated gloves is a necessity for every racer:

SFI & FIA Ratings

  • Certified protection: SFI and FIA ratings guarantee materials comply with and pass strict laboratory flame resistance tests
  • TPP breakdown: Thermal Protective Performance tests measure exactly how long a fabric resists blistering heat, protecting your skin
  • Counterfeit danger: Cheap, unrated knockoffs melt directly into the skin during a fire

Why You Should Exceed the Rulebook

  • Rules are minimums: Race series rules state the baseline protection required, not the maximum safety available.
  • Buying time: Higher-rated gloves feature advanced, multi-layer aramid fabrics that buy you crucial extra seconds in the event of a fire
  • The escape-time window: Those extra seconds mean the difference between unbuckling safely or suffering life-altering burns
  • Smart upgrade: If your class requires an SFI-3.3/1 glove, upgrading to an SFI-3.3/5 gives you significantly more protection and time

Gearing Up? We’re Here to Help

Do not compromise on the tools you use to steer, shift, and win. Invest in the highest level of protection your budget allows. We’re here to help you with access to the most cost-effective SFI- and FIA-rated racer safety systems. For more info, visit: https://mayedamotorsports.com/product-category/gloves/

Arm restraints are a critical piece of personal safety gear, designed to keep a driver’s hands and forearms inside the cockpit during crashes or rollovers. They prevent severe injuries that can occur to your hands and arms through an open cockpit, window opening, or during violent lateral movement. Their importance is widely recognized across sanctioning bodies, many of which mandate their use.

Why Arm Restraints Matter

Arm restraints limit a driver’s arms from extending outside of the roll cage during an impact, reducing the risk of fractures, dislocations, or being struck by debris. They also complement other containment systems such as window nets and driver-side nets. By ensuring the driver’s limbs remain within the protective structure of the car, nearly all racing body mandate them for protection in open-cockpit or high-speed applications.

Sanctioning Body Requirements

Different racing organizations specify when arm restraints are required, often depending on vehicle design and class:

Open-cockpit racing classes: A rule of thumb is that arm restraints are required because drivers are more exposed.

  • NHRA/IHRA: Mandates strict restraint systems in many categories, including updated multi-point harness requirements and fire-resistant coverings for belts in certain open-bodied vehicles. While these rules focus on harnesses, they reflect drag racing’s broader emphasis on containment and restraint systems, which includes arm restraints in applicable classes.
  • FIA and affiliated series: Require comprehensive restraint systems and cockpit containment. While arm restraints are not universally required across all FIA categories, their standards for lateral restraint—such as driver nets—highlight the importance of keeping limbs within the cockpit during side impacts.
  • SCTA / Bonneville Nationals Inc. (BNI): Arm restraints are required for all open‑cockpit vehicles and many enclosed vehicles where the driver’s arms could reach outside the roll cage during a spin or crash. This includes lakesters, streamliners, roadsters, and modified production classes. SCTA requires “SCTA-Approved” arm restraints. These restraints require a locking design and/or hardware.
  • ECTA (East Coast Timing Association): Requires arm restraints in open‑cockpit vehicles and strongly recommends them in enclosed vehicles where window nets are not present.
  • Loring Timing Association: Follows similar rules: open‑cockpit = mandatory arm restraints; enclosed vehicles must use either window nets or restraints depending on cockpit geometry.
  • SCORE International: Requires arm restraints for all vehicles without window nets or with open‑cockpit designs. Even in enclosed trucks, restraints may be required if the window net cannot fully contain the driver’s arms.
  • Best in the Desert (BITD): Mandates arm restraints for UTVs, buggies, and other open‑cockpit vehicles. Window nets are acceptable in closed‑cab trucks, but restraints are still recommended in high‑risk classes.
  • Ultra4 / King of the Hammers: Requires either window nets or arm restraints; open‑cockpit vehicles must use arm restraints without exception.

SFI Certification: Sanctioning bodies typically require restraints carrying an SFI 3.3 certification tag, ensuring the webbing and hardware meet rigorous motorsport fire and tensile strength standards. 
Y-Strap vs. Individual Straps: Y-straps offer highly restrictive safety best suited for off-road or dirt track racing. Individual dual-tether straps offer greater side-to-side movement for road, drag, and land speed racing where frequent controls or rapid steering wheel manipulation are required. 

The newest head neck restraint from NecksGen is available!

*REV X Lite- New from NecksGen

The REV X Lite is NecksGen’s newest style of head and neck restraint / frontal head restraint. It’s Made in the USA from a carbon fiber composite material, the new REV X Lite adds an extra element to driver comfort. The X strap system holds the device securely in place while driving, and also helps keep it where you want it while getting in or out of the vehicle. The straps are easily adjustable to make personal fitment easy, and the double adjustable tactical buckle in front is easy to use. The vertical chest straps have some adjustment to fit men and women both easily.  

Quick release helmet hardware is included!

Currently available with accommodations for 3″ wide belt guides that work with 3″ or 2″ wide shoulder belts.

With many racing sanctioning bodies now requiring a minimum 6-point harness, it’s time to make the step up to increased driver safety. Contact us for options that include both SFI and FIA certifications.