Short track racing has a way of keeping you honest. We all chase speed, invest in horsepower, and spend countless hours dialing in our setup—but none of that matters if we are not taking safety seriously.
At our team, driver safety has been a major focus for me heading into the 2026 season. The racing we compete in is tight, aggressive, and unpredictable. When something goes wrong, it happens fast. Because of that, we made some deliberate decisions this year to invest in upgrades that directly improve driver protection.
Steering Safety Upgrade: Laplante Racing SCD Device
One of the most overlooked injury risks in short track racing is the steering system.
In close-quarters racing, it does not take much for contact to happen. When the front end takes a hit, the force travels straight through the steering column and into the driver’s hands. That is how wrist injuries happen—and it is more common than people think across divisions like modifieds and midgets.
To help address that, I installed the Laplante Racing Products SCD (Slip Clutch Device).
The SCD is designed to reduce the shock load that gets transferred through the steering wheel during an impact. Instead of the wheel snapping back with full force, it allows controlled slip under extreme load. Many times, this also means fewer broken parts as well, which means you are not sidelined due to part failure. From our perspective, that means:
- Lower risk of wrist and hand injuries
- Better chance of maintaining control after contact
- Added protection in both major incidents and smaller hits
If it prevents even one injury, it is a worthwhile investment. Reach out to Paul at Laplante Racing products to find out more – laplanteracingproducts.com
Custom Race Seat Insert for Driver Protection
The second upgrade we focused on was seat fit and driver containment.
We contacted BSCI (RollbarPadding.com) and worked with Behrent’s Performance Warehouse (behrents.com) to have a custom seat insert poured into my existing seat. This is one of those upgrades that makes an immediate difference as soon as you sit in the car.
Most race seats are built to fit a range of drivers, which means there are always small gaps. During normal racing, you might not notice them much. But in an impact, those gaps allow your body to move—and that movement increases the risk of injury. With a custom insert, everything is supported properly:
- Hips, torso, and shoulders are fully contained
- Body movement is minimized during impact
- Forces are distributed more evenly
- Comfort is improved, which helps reduce fatigue over a race
It is a simple concept, but it plays a major role in how well the safety system actually works.
Why Safety Matters More Than Ever
At the grassroots level, it is easy to prioritize performance upgrades. Tires, engines, and setup changes are what you see on the track. But safety upgrades are what allow you to keep showing up week after week.
For us, these improvements come down to managing energy. You cannot prevent or avoid every incident, but you can take steps to reduce how much of that force reaches the driver.
At DDR Motorsports, this is about being proactive. It is about making smart decisions now so we can stay competitive, stay safe, and keep racing throughout the season.
Because at the end of the day, the goal is not just to compete, it is to keep coming back.
