Gifts for racers and sim racers.

Safety gear: give a gift card, or let them choose

If the driver in your life needs a helmet, a head and neck restraint, a suit or anything else they wear for protection, the best gift is a gift card toward it, or a shopping trip where they choose. Fit and the rules of their events both matter, and neither can be checked from a wrapped box.

• Helmets have to fit, and be on the event's list. Snell says most people buy a helmet one size too big, and advises a snug fit all round, checked by trying to roll the helmet forward and back and by wearing it for 5 to 10 minutes. SCCA adds that sizing varies between makers. Which certification labels are accepted differs between clubs and tracks. See racing helmets.
• Head and neck restraints are sized to the driver and the car. GSM Performance, a UK retailer, gives HANS sizing guidance based on the driver's chest angle in their normal driving position. SFI 38.1 devices also carry a five-year recertification period, according to the SFI Foundation. See head and neck restraints.
• Suits, underwear, gloves and shoes have to fit, and labels matter. The SFI Foundation gives suits rated 3.2A/10 and higher a five-year recertification period. For FIA 8856-2018 clothing, FIA Technical List 74 says the garment's validity is the date on its own label, which the FIA 8856-2018 standard (Article 8) sets at ten years after the year of manufacture, and FIA Appendix L (2026) removes the older 8856-2000 standard from FIA-calendar events from 1 January 2029. Which labels an event accepts is set by its rules. See suits and underwear and gloves and shoes.
• Seats, harnesses and anything fitted to the car depend on the car, its installation and the event's tech rules. Leave these to the driver. See seats and harnesses.

Never buy used or old-stock safety gear as a gift without the recipient checking the label against their event's current rules.

Experiences: time on track

For someone who has not started yet, an introduction to driving on track can be a better gift than gear, because some programs supply it. Check age rules, dates and what the recipient needs to bring before you book.

• A racing school day. Skip Barber's FAQ, for example, says no racing experience is needed (it recommends being able to drive a manual), that drivers under 16 are considered case by case, and that it provides helmets, suits, shoes and HANS devices. More schools are on licences and schools.
• A track day entry. NASA says certified instructors are included in its HPDE entry, and SCCA says its Track Night events need a driver's licence, an approved helmet (loaners are often available) and a safe car. The recipient drives their own car, so it must pass tech inspection. See track days.
• An autocross school. SCCA describes its Tire Rack Starting Line Autocross School as a full-day, hands-on course that includes an SCCA membership and entries to future events. See autocross.

Gifts for track day drivers

Gifts for sim racers

Sim hardware has its own fit problem: compatibility. A wheel base or cockpit has to work with the recipient's console or PC, their game and the hardware they already own, so treat the bigger items like safety gear and choose them together. Smaller items are easier.

More on sim hardware is in our guides to sim wheels and pedals and sim cockpits.