According to the NHRA rulebook, when you run quicker than 11.50 in the 1/4-mile, or 7.35 in the 1/8-mile, it’s time for an SFI-certified restraint system to hold you in place during a run. The five-point racing harness you select is important, but what’s even more important is how you mount the belts inside your car.

The basic layout for a five-point racing harness includes a set of shoulder belts, lap belts, and an anti-submarine belt. All of these belts work together to hold you firmly and safely in your seat in case a crash occurs. The belts must be installed correctly or they will not function properly, and that’s the last thing you want to have happen if a crash or other problem occurs during a run at the track.

When you install your belts, they need to be mounted so you can generate enough tension when you tighten them to ensure they can do their job, but that also requires you to mount the belts in the correct location. The anchor points shouldn’t be flush against a surface — they need to be mounted in a way that allows the belt to only be pulled in one direction. You also want to be sure to thread the belts through the seat belt adjustors correctly. The picture above shows how to run the belt through the adjustor and install an anchor properly.

The shoulder and lap belts each need to be mounted to their anchors within a certain degree range on your body. Impact Racing has some great documents you can check out right here that indicate at how many degrees each belt needs mounted. You can also find a link to the SFI Foundation’s website that goes into greater detail about how to properly mount your seat belts.