Driver safety capsule

Seating apparatus for a race car comprising a capsule having a contoured base wall and side walls defining a trough with a concave torso receiving section and a convex leg receiving section for receiving and protecting substantially the entire body of a driver, a wrap-around headrest at the upper end of said base wall and including a rear wall and forwardly extending wings adapted to substantially surround a driver's helmet, a chest plate, means connecting said chest plate between said sidewalls and including stop means for transmitting a force imposed on the plate directly to said side walls to prevent crushing of the driver's rib cage, said capsule being removable from a race car with an injured driver immobilized therein, said torso receiving section and said leg receiving section hinged together to facilitate removal of said capsule and driver from a car.